Top Hawaii high school football QBs, who will have best 2025 season? Vote

A look at the top high school football quarterbacks in Hawaii ahead of the 2025 campaign. Vote for which QB you think will have the best season!

Kahuku (HI) takes on Mater Dei high national high school football showdown. / Heston Quan

What better way to prep for the high school football season than looking at which players are worth watching on Friday nights?

Hawaii high school football will kick off August 9 (a Saturday), which is just under two weeks away. So, as we gear up for the bright lights, loud crowds and big-time plays, High School On SI will break down Hawaii's top players by position heading into the 2025 season.

Not only does this preseason coverage highlight the best returning players ahead of the fall, but it allows the Hawaii high school football community to VOTE on which player could have the biggest 2025 season.

Could it be a rising sophomore? A highly-touted prospect? Could it be a player not listed below?

Some of the players might not be the most highly touted, recruited or covered, but their numbers indicate they are performing at their respective level — and likely impacting victory for their programs.

Below is a list of Hawaii's top quarterbacks to watch ahead of the 2025 season based on a few factors: stats from the previous season (from MaxPreps.com), recruiting status (from 247Sports), and the discretion of the reporter (Tarek Fattal).

TOP QUARTERBACKS IN HAWAII

(Athletes listed in alphabetical order | Voting poll at bottom of page)

1. Keenan Alani, Konawaena, Jr.

Alani threw for 2,985 yards and 48 TDs and just six picks in 2024. The junior-to-be threw five or more TDs in one game in seven games last fall. He threw seven on Oct. 11 against Waiakea

2. Bennett Strobel, Leilehua, Sr.

Strobel threw for over 2,000 yards last fall with a QB rating of 134.8.

3. Donny "DJ" Faavi, Farrington, Sr.

Faavi played in just six games in 2024, but still amassed the fifth-most yards in that time, according to ScoringLive.com. He tossed for 874 yards and six TDs with a 60% completion percentage.

4. Hunter Fujikawa, Punahou, So.

Fujikawa tossed for 1,413 years and 10 TDs as a freshman in 2024. He did throw 11 INTs, but look for Fujikawa to have a breakout sophomore campaign after nine games under his belt as a ninth grader.

5. Matai Fuiava, Kahuku, Sr.

Fuiava was a late add to the Hawaii football landscape after transferring from St. John Bosco in California. In five games, Fuiava threw for 825 yards and seven TDs. Now that he's settled in, he could have a monster senior season.

6. Isaiah Keaunui-Demello, Kailua, Sr.

Keaunui-Demello threw for 200 yards per game in 2024 as junior, and totaled 2,608 yards through the air with 28 TDs.

7. Nainoa Lopes, St. Louis, Sr.

Lopes, a Cal commit, threw for 2,055 yards ad 19 TDs in 2024. He finished the year with a QB rating of 155.6. Lopes is a 3-star recruit on 247Sports and is the most highly touted signal caller in Hawaii.

8. AJ Stowers, Farrington, Sr.

Stowers threw for 3,317 yards and 38 TDs as a junior for Mount Miguel in Spring Valley, Calif. in 2024. The shiny new toy for Farrington should help move the ball down the field in 2025.

9. Afi Togafau, Radford, Sr.

Togafau averaged 218 yards per game through the air as a junior. He tossed 17 TDs and rushed for six more with 409 yards on the ground.

10. CJ Villanueva, Iolani, Sr.

As a junior, Villanueva threw for 2,415 yards in 10 games. He tossed 24 TDs and just one INT with a QB rating of 160.5 and a completion percentage of 67.5.

VOTING POLL

The voting poll will close on Monday, August 4 at 8 p.m. (PT).

2024 HSFB HAWAII RECAP

As a refresher, here's what happened during the 2024 high school football season in Hawaii.

Saint Louis returned to glory in the Open Division, Kapā‘a captured its first state crown in Division I, and Kamehameha Maui won Division II.

ST. LOUIS BACK ON TOP

After watching rival Kahuku run the state for three straight seasons, St. Louis reminded Hawaii who built the Open Division standard. Behind a bruising ground attack and a big-game defense, the Crusaders beat Kahuku 17–10 to win the Open Division state championship at Clarence T.C. Ching Complex.

Junior back Titan Lacaden ran like a man on a mission — 31 carries, 155 yards and two touchdowns — helping St. Louis control tempo and flip the script on Kahuku’s recent dominance.

It was Saint Louis' first state title since 2019.

KAPA BREAKS THROUGH IN DI

In one of the season’s best endings, Kapā‘a outlasted Konawaena in overtime, 10–7, to win its first-ever Division I state title. Micah Rapozo’s 33-yard field goal was the walk-off winner in a gritty, defensive slugfest.

KAMEHAMEHA-MAUI ROLLS THRU DII

For the first time ever, Kamehameha-Maui hoisted a football state title trophy, steamrolling Kaiser 37–14 in the Division II final. Junior star Zedekiah Campbell ran for 239 yards on just 18 carries.

The Warriors scored 17 unanswered in the second half and left no doubt.

QB BREAKS STATE RECORD

Quarterback Jaron‑Keawe Sagapolutele of Campbell High put together a jaw-dropping season: 3,404 passing yards, 46 touchdowns, just three picks. His final career tally? 10,653 yards — a new Hawaii state record, passing Dillon Gabriel, the former Oregon and Oklahoma standout.

Sagapolutele was named the Polynesian High School Football Player of the Year.

CARVALHO OUT AT KAHUKU

One of the stunning storylines out of Hawaii came in the spring when Sterling Carvalho stepped down from being the head coach at Kahuku with a 59-18 record. Carvalho was 59-18 in his six seasons at the helm and took the Red Raiders to four straight state championship finals. He won three Open Division state titles in a row from 2021 to 2023. (STORY)

Kahuku won 32 consecutive games against Hawaii opponents starting in 2021, but the program's greatest feat under Carvalho was when the Red Raiders stunned top-ranked St. John Bosco (CA) — the defending national champions at the time — 30-23 at home in September of 2023.

FAVORITES FOR 2025?

There are two programs to keep an eye on in 2025: Kahuku and St. Louis. The two storied programs in Hawaii are favored by various media outlets to be the Open Division state champion by the end of the 2025 season.

On3 Massey has Kahuku No. 1, citing its elite defense and experience at QB. ScoringLive Hawaii has St. Louis as its No. 1 team, leaning on its returning championship roster, high-level offense and a winning pedigree.

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