California vs. Hawaii High School Football Week: Who Wins?

Eight California high school football programs are heading to Hawaii to compete this week. All eight teams are from the CIF Southern Section.

It sets up a nice California vs. Hawaii football week that will serve as a great primer for the 2026 season, which officially kicks off on August 21 in Southern California.

The eight-game slate spans Thursday, Friday and Saturday. It will be fun to see which 'state' wins more games, California or Hawaii. Bragging rights are on the line.

Here's a look at the teams and games:

CALIFORNIA VS. HAWAII

Thursday, August 13

Beaumont (CA) vs. Hilo (HI): Beaumont went 8-3 in 2025 led by a senior-heavy offense. The top passer, rusher, receiver, and tackler have all graduated. But the Cougars will look to junior QB Brandon Cuellar, who saw action in nine games last season. Hilo went 6-5 last year.

San Clemente (CA) vs. Kapa'a (HI): San Clemente finished the runner-up in the 2025 CIF Southern Section Division 2 final. The Tritons will rely on key returners with experience including WR Jaxson Rex, QB Preston Beck, OL Brody Ragland and RB Colin Granite. Junior linebacker Jack Weller is expected to have a big year. Kapa'a went 8-2 and lost to Kailua in the Division I state title game.

Chaminade (CA) vs. Leilehua (HI): Chaminade will be under the guidance of new sophomore QB Jeremy Mellalieu, who will have seniors like OL Jackson Hill and skill players WR Andrew Cordero and RB Marquis Jones to lean on. Leilehua was just 3-6 last year.

Friday, August 14

San Juan Hills (CA) vs. Castle (HI): It was an interesting 2025 for San Juan Hills, which ended up forfeiting seven games due to playing an ineligible player — a detail discovered on the final weekend of the regular season. The Stallions dropped from 8-2 to 1-9, but due to their power rating were still playoff eligible.

Traveling to Hawaii is a good way to start fresh with star wideout Luke Frith leading the way. Castle finished 5-6 last season.

Villa Park (CA) vs. Farrington (HI): The Spartans will start the 2026 campaign without quarterback Matt Smith, who transferred to Santa Margarita in the offseason. Look for this trip away from home to be a jumping off point for running back Coy Collins, who is expected to be the workhorse of the offense. Top linebacker Maverick Declark returns after tallying 120 tackles last year.

Farrington struggled last fall, going 1-8.

Newport Harbor (CA) vs. Nanakuli (HI): The Sailors are looking to build on a 3-7 season last fall. QB Jordan Spigarelli and a core of experience wideouts will look to double last year's win total.

Nanakuli went 2-7 last year but return a young team that will be much better in 2027. QB Allix Yap will be a junior and is expected to have a monster season after setting a school record last fall with 428 yards and five touchdowns against Castle High.

Saturday, August 15

Capistrano Valley (CA) vs. Damien (HI): Capo Valley went 8-3 last fall, but played itself into a big playoff division where it faced Inglewood and lost in the opening round. But QB Talon Spencer, a dual-threat QB who tossed for 21 TDs and run for 11, is back for a much-anticipated senior campaign.

Damien went 6-3 last year and lost in the Division I state semifinals. The Monarchs have already played a game this season, which could be an advantage some Saturday. They lost to 'Aiea 39-31.

Edison (CA) vs. 'Iolani (HI): Edison seniors Sam Thomson (QB) and Sam Edmisten (RB) will be the 1-2 punch this fall. The Chargers have a stout defense with Blaise Burwell (DB), Micah Rogers (LB), and Ashton Godley (LB).

'Iolani is 1-0 already after beating Baldwin 27-6.

2025 CIF-SS RECAP

PALMER LEADS SANTA MARGARITA TO GLORY

When looking back at the 2025 high school football season in the CIF Southern Section, the lede is undoubtedly Santa Margarita — for a multitude of reasons.

Former NFL Pro Bowl quarterback Carson Palmer came back to his old stomping grounds and won all the big prizes in year one.

Santa Margarita shared the Trinity League title with St. John Bosco and Mater Dei before going on to win the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship and CIF State Open Division titles. The Eagles thumped Corona Centennial at the Rose Bowl 42-7 thanks to 10 catches for 292 yards and four touchdowns (two rushing) from Player of the Year Trent Mosley (who is now at USC).

Palmer would guide Santa Margarita to a rout of De La Salle two weeks later, 47-13, at Saddleback College in December to lift the CIF State crown and finish the season 11-3.

When Palmer lifted the CIF-SS Division 1 plaque at the championship podium in the Rose Bowl, it was the first time a program not named St. John Bosco or Mater Dei lifted the Southern Section's top division trophy since Corona Centennial did it in 2015.

THE ‘MONEY MAN’

One of the biggest stories in recent prep sports history broke last fall when the emergence of Brett Steigh, also known as the ‘Money Man’, who made an appearance on FATTAL FACTOR, a weekly live sports show via Youtube with hosts Tarek Fattal and Aram Tolegian.

Steigh admitted to years of CIF violations at programs like Narbonne (his alma mater), St. Bernard, and most recently, Bishop Montgomery. The biggest confession came when he admitted to paying families up to $50,000 (plus expenses) to get their sons to play high school football at a program of his choice.

The fallout from the story resulted in Bishop Montgomery cancelling its varsity football season. The head football coach Ed Hodgkiss was fired and the President of the school Pat Lee was forced to resign. More than 20 players were deemed ineligible and hit with Bylaw 202 for falsifying documents, which means the student-athletes can’t participate in varsity athletics for up to 24 months.

The school ended up hiring Oscar McBride this past spring in efforts to start over. McBride is a former college and NFL standout who built Murrieta Mesa High into a CIF championship-level program. Murrieta Mesa was 0-9 before McBride was hired and led the program to a Division 6 title in 2024.

2025 CIF-SS CHAMPIONS

Click HERE for a quick recap of all the CIF Southern Section football champions from 2025 from Divisions 1 through 14.

Add us as a preferred source on Google