Hawaii High School Football Elite 12 State Rankings (Sept. 21, 2026)

The changing of the guard in Hawaii high school football is no longer just something that might happen. It's happening right in front of us.

Mililani has planted its flag at the top of the Open Division mountain, and the Trojans aren't getting there by accident. After dismantling St. Louis 42-0 in August, Mililani added another symbolic victory Saturday with a 28-6 beatdown of traditional powerhouse Kahuku. The Trojans still have plenty of work left before they can truly claim to be the kings of that mountain, but it's clear they are the team everyone else is chasing.

But then there's Campbell. The defending Open Division champion has climbed all the way back to No. 2 after its season-opening stumble against Waipahu, winning in just about every fashion imaginable along the way. Now the Sabers get their chance to shake up the top of the rankings again when they travel to Mililani for a Saturday night showdown with the state's new No. 1.

Behind those two, the race remains wide open. Kapolei and Waipahu continue to make noise, while Kahuku and St. Louis find themselves in unfamiliar territory with little room for error. Here's a look at how the latest Hawaii Elite 12 rankings stack up entering another pivotal week of the season.

PREVIOUS: PRESEASON | WK1 | WK2 | WK3 | WK4 | WK5 | WK6 | WK7

1. Mililani

Record: 6-0

Previous Rank: 1

Last Week: Mililani 28, Kahuku 6

Loss(es): None

Mililani's rise to the top of Hawaii's Open Division mountain won't be complete until the Trojans win a title. But their one-sided 28-6 win over traditional powerhouse Kahuku was just one more symbolic moment in a season in which they've already beaten St. Louis — the state's other traditional power — by a count of 42-0 back on Aug. 22. Next up is a home date with No. 2 Campbell, the state's defending Open Division champion, which has quickly climbed back up the rankings after a season-opening 40-17 loss to Waipahu.

2. Campbell

Record: 5-1

Previous Rank: 2

Last Week: Campbell 63, Kailua 7

Loss(es): Waipahu, 40-17

As noted above, Campbell has sneaked back up the rankings after plummeting early following that big loss to a high-octane Waipahu side. The Sabers have won in a variety of ways, including lopsided blowouts like their 63-7 win over Kailua last weekend and defensive slugfests against Kamehameha Kapalama (16-7) and Kapolei (17-14) in recent weeks. They even got into a relative shootout against Pine View, surrendering 27 points in a 48-27 victory. All those results have proven the Sabers worthy of their status as defending champions, but they'll face the biggest challenge to their supremacy Saturday evening at Mililani.

3. Kapolei

Record: 4-1

Previous Rank: 3

Last Week: Kapolei 42, Leilehua 0

Loss(es): Campbell, 17-14

Kapolei bounced back from a tough loss to Campbell with a thorough win over Leilehua. The Hurricanes remain in the No. 3 position heading to Kailua next Saturday.

4. Waipahu

Record: 5-1

Previous Rank: 4

Last Week: Waipahu 49, 'Aiea 21

Loss(es): Kapolei, 50-15

Waipahu has played like a team that could make noise in the Open Division this year, and they still own that 40-17 win over Campbell, which is anchoring their spot here in the Elite 12. They'll host undefeated No. 10 Wai'anae on Friday night with a chance to add another impressive bullet point to their résumé.

5. Kahuku

Record: 3-3

Previous Rank: 5

Last Week: Mililani 28, Kahuku 6

Loss(es): Junipero Serra (Calif.), 28-21; St. John Bosco (Calif.), 49-13; Mililani, 28-6

It seems clear at this point that neither Kahuku nor St. Louis is likely to win a state title for the second straight year in the Open Division, and it's not going to get any easier in the coming weeks for the Red Raiders with games remaining against both No. 2 Campbell and No. 3 Kapolei. That adds some extra urgency to their preparations for Saturday evening's game against Leilehua. The Red Raiders shouldn't have any problem winning the game, but it's their final tuneup before facing those two teams ranked ahead of them in back-to-back weeks, with a spot in the Open Division playoffs hanging in the balance.

6. Kapa'a

Record: 2-1-1

Previous Rank: 6

Last Week: Kapa'a 37, Kauai 0

Loss(es): San Clemente (Calif.), 23-8

Kapa'a has played only two games in the past month, but the extended time off didn't seem to hurt them at all in a 37-0 win over Kauai. They'll face Waimea on Saturday evening with a chance to further cement their status as the favorites to capture the Kauai League championship.

7. Kamehameha Kapalama

Record: 2-4

Previous Rank: 7

Last Week: IDLE

Loss(es): Orem (Utah), 16-7; Kahuku, 13-5; Kapolei, 8-0; Campbell, 16-7

Kamehameha opened IHL Open Division play with a solid win over Punahou, and now the Warriors head to a reeling St. Louis with a chance to stake their claim as the frontrunners to win a league title.

8. St. Louis

Record: 0-5

Previous Rank: 8

Last Week: St. John Bosco 63, St. Louis 21

Loss(es): Kahuku, 20-12; Mililani, 42-0; IMG Academy (Fla.), 41-0; Sierra Canyon, 52-0; St. John Bosco, 63-21

St. Louis' brutal nonconference schedule is finally done, and now the Crusaders can hit the reset button and show they are still relevant in the Open Division when they host Kamehameha Kapalama in the conference opener Saturday afternoon.

9. Punahou

Record: 1-3-1

Previous Rank: 9

Last Week: IDLE

Loss(es): Kahuku, 16-10; Kapolei, 14-0; Kamehameha Kapalama, 16-6

Through five games, Punahou has scrapped and fought in every game with a defense that gives them a chance to win every time out. The Buffanblu defenders haven't given up more than 16 points in any game so far, and they've yielded just 12 points per game. The problem has been an offense that has scored fewer than eight points per game in four games since erupting for 70 in the season opener against Roosevelt. They take a break from league action Saturday afternoon, hosting Cardinal Newman of Santa Rosa, California, while trying to figure out a formula that can work down the stretch on offense.

10. Wai'anae

Record: 4-0

Previous Rank: 10

Last Week: Wai'anae 36, Moanalua 0

Loss(es): None

Wai'anae is one of only two ranked teams, along with No. 1 Mililani, that remains undefeated, and one of only four statewide when including the unranked squads from Kalaheo and Honoka'a. They have a chance Friday evening to prove it's more than just smoke and mirrors when they visit high-flying No. 4 Waipahu.

11. 'Aiea

Record: 3-1

Previous Rank: 11

Last Week: Waipahu 49, 'Aiea 21

Loss(es): Waipahu, 49-21

'Aiea was one of the only other remaining undefeated teams before running into the Waipahu buzzsaw last weekend. They'll look to bounce back Friday night at Radford.

12. Kamehameha Hawaii

Record: 4-1

Previous Rank: 12

Last Week: Kamehameha Hawaii 56, Hilo 0

Loss(es): Wai'anae, 22-16

Kamehameha Hawaii asserted itself as one of the teams to beat on the Big Island with a 56-0 dismantling of Hilo. The Warriors will host Kea'au on Friday night.

Final Analysis

The road to the Open Division championship is still a long one, but the landscape at the top of Hawaii high school football has certainly changed. Mililani has taken down two of the state's traditional powers and now gets a chance to settle things with the defending champion Campbell. Kapolei remaind in contention in that Open Divisions while Waipahu has staked its own claim in Division I so far. With Kahuku and St. Louis quickly fading, it feels like another season of transition in Hawaii's upper divisions.

Add us as a preferred source on Google