Back-to-back ILH Open Champion Punahou reloads for 2024 football season

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Punahou is the back-to-back ILH Open division Champions and after years of disappointing finishes at the State tournament, the Sons of Oahu are ready to break through in 2024.

With so many players on both sides of the ball graduating last year, head coach Nate Kia is constructing a new roster, the first spot to fill comes at quarterback..

Last season, Ty McCutcheon became one of the state’s top passers, throwing for over 2,500 yards with 20 touchdowns on the way to the state semifinals.

This year, Kaiser transfer Sean Connell and freshman Hunter Fujikawa have been battling for the QB one spot.

“We’re really looking forward what we can put out as a product offensively out on the field this upcoming Saturday,” Head coach Nate Kia told Hawaii News Now. “There’s a lot to live up to, a lot of expectation, but it’s a great challenge, there’s a expectation of excellence here on campus, not just on the football field.”

On the defensive side of the ball, veteran leadership is already in place with the return of senior Safety Donte Utu.

The Stanford commit understands the key objectives ahead, win the ILH for a 3rd straight year and bring home Punahou’s first State Championship in over a decade.

“There’s a lot of weight on our shoulders, a lot of pressure and just trying to help these younger guys understand,” Utu said, “We’ve just come up like super close and just fell short these past couple of years, so just making a deep run is definitely the main goal this year and just focusing on one game at a time and just finishing the season strong.”

Their first test is this Saturday at home against reigning BIIF Champion and Division I runner up Konawaena.

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