Hawaii has three quarterbacks in the Class of 2026 that stand out above all the rest, and two of them led their squads against each other in 2024's HHSAA Open Division state championship game.
St. Louis's Nainoa Lopes is ranked as high as No. 31 in the 2026 crop of quarterback prospects nationwide, and he has already committed to Cal. In that title game, he got the best of fellow 3-star pivot Matai Fuiava who directed the Kahuku attack in its 17-10 loss to Lopes' St. Louis squad. Their season-opening duel coming up on August 9 is the game of the year involving two Hawaii squads heading into the 2025 season – at least until they possibly meet again in the postseason to once more settle Hawaii's Open Division.
Lopes also edges out Fuiava and Hawaii's third-ranked quarterback prospect – Farrington's AJ Stowers – for the quarterback position on The Sporting News Preseason Hawaii All-State Team. He's also our preseason pick for The Sporting News Preseason Hawaii Player of the Year.
Preseason Hawaii All-State Offense
QB: Nainoa Lopes, St. Louis (Honolulu) – Sr.
(Ht) 6-4.5 (Wt) 180, California
Lopes committed to Cal on June 17 just months after leading St. Louis to that unexpected win in the HHSAA Open Division playoffs. He received mention on several postseason all-state lists, including a second-team nod on ScoringLive.com's All-Hawaii team. With several top seniors ahead of him last year graduating this past spring (including Hawaii Gatorade Player of the Year Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele of Ewa Beach's Campbell High), Lopes will take center stage this year as the Aloha State's top quarterback prospect. He piled up 2,055 yards passing last year with 19 touchdowns and only eight interceptions.
RB: Blake Alo, Kahuku – Jr.
(Ht) 5-10 (Wt) 195, Uncommitted
Kahuku had a committee approach to running back last year with senior Malosi Fiatoa getting the bulk of the carries with 107 totes on the season. Alo only got 58 carries in his sophomore campaign, but he generated yardage at a higher clip, rolling up 293 yards and two touchdowns for a 5.1 yards per carry average (compared to Fiatoa's 3.7 yard average). With Fiatoa gone, you'd expect Alo's load and output to increase, and he could be among the state's leading rushers by season's end.
RB: Cameron Keeve, Leilehua – Jr.
(Ht) 5-9 (Wt) 200, Uncommitted
Playing in Hawaii's Division I ranks, Keeve collected 1,497 yards rushing last year on just 196 carries – a healthy 7.6 yards per pop – and 12 of those carries went the distance for touchdowns. He was the state's second-leading rusher, earning a spot on various Division I First-Team All-State lists, including ScoringLive.com's conglomeration.
WR: Kekama Kane, 'Iolani (Honolulu) – Sr.
(Ht) 6-0 (Wt) 160, Uncommitted
Kane was nearly unstoppable in 2024, snaring 78 passes for 1,099 yards receiving and 12 touchdowns en route to first team all-state honors.
WR: Zion White, Punahou (Honolulu) – Jr.
(Ht) 6-4 (Wt) 180, Uncommitted
White is one of the best playmakers in the islands, and his two performances against Kamehameha last fall turned heads. He collected nine catches in each game for a total of 18 with 315 yards and three touchdowns against the Warriors. For the season, he finished with 46 receptions for 679 yards and seven touchdowns, and he should only get better heading into his junior campaign.
TE: Taimane Purcell, Kamehameha (Honolulu) – Sr.
(Ht) 6-3 (Wt) 225, California
Purcell is a big target in Hawaii's receiving ranks, and he uses his size to his advantage. Last year, he pulled in 31 receptions for 317 yards and three scores. He committed to Cal on June 5 after taking his official visit to the Berkeley campus the week before.
OL: Packs Ahovelo, Kailua – Sr.
(Ht) 6-6 (Wt) 320, Colorado State
At 6 feet 6 inches, Ahovelo towers over most defenders, but he still manages to get up under defenders and leverage his size to overpower them. He never stops driving with his legs and plays hard to the whistle, producing highlight clips like the first block in the video below where he drives a defender 20 yards downfield. Ahovelo committed to Colorado State on June 11.
OL: Kamo'i Huihui-White, St. Louis (Honolulu) – Sr.
(Ht) 6-4 (Wt) 290, California
Another member of Cal's Class of 2026, Huihui-White committed to the Golden Bears on June 17 after paving the way up front for St. Louis's state-title winning offense. He earned second-team all-state honors for his efforts.
OL: Koloi Keli, Farrington (Honolulu) – Sr.
(Ht) 6-3 (Wt) 290, Oregon
Keli's efforts as one of Hawaii's top linemen earned him a scholarship to Cal. After making an official visit to Oregon this summer, however, Keli spurned the Golden Bears on June 30, flipping his commitment to the Ducks of the Big Ten.
OL: Malakai Lee, Kamehameha (Honolulu) – Sr.
(Ht) 6-6 (Wt) 318, Michigan
Lee is a man among boys in Hawaii's prep ranks and a fearsome presence in Kamehameha's front five. He's one of the state's three 4-star prospects in the Class of 2026 and, basically, had his pick of the FBS litter after a string of official visits this spring to Georgia, Alabama, Texas, and Michigan. His June 20 visit to Michigan was the last of those trips to the mainland, and one week after visiting Ann Arbor, he pledged his allegiance to the Wolverines on June 27.
OL: Esaiah Wong, Kailua – Sr.
(Ht) 6-5 (Wt) 270, California
Wong is part of the Class of 2026's Golden Bear party after visiting Cal on June 12 and committing to the program just three days later. He'll join St. Louis's Lopes and Huihui-White along with Kamehameha's Purcell in Berkeley.
Preseason Hawaii All-State Defense
DL: Benjamin Honebein, Kailua – Sr.
(Ht) 6-2.5 (Wt) 230, UC Davis
Honebein is headed the FCS route for now, committing to UC Davis on June 20 – the same day he made his official visit to the University of Hawaii, Manoa. He was a sack artist a year ago, bagging 13 quarterbacks during his junior season.
DL: Rocco Malaki, St. Louis (Honolulu) – Jr.
(Ht) 6-2 (Wt) 255, Uncommitted
Malaki is a rising junior, drawing early interest from Hawaii and Washington State. That list should grow in the fall of 2025 as Malaki's playing time increases for the defending Open Division champions at St. Louis.
DL: Nui Meyers, Kahuku – Sr.
(Ht) 6-3 (Wt) 210, Idaho
Another FCS target, Meyers cast his lot with Idaho on June 27 after receiving offers from both the Vandals and their in-state rivals at Idaho State. He's a premier end on a Kahuku defensive line that will be counted on to generate pressure against St. Louis's Lopes in the Red Raiders' season opener on August 9.
DL: Ejay Tapeni, Kapolei – Sr.
(Ht) 6-2 (Wt) 280, Uncommitted
Tapeni remains uncommitted for now despite a long list of college suitors pursuing him, including power programs like future Pac-12 member Boise State and Minnesota of the Big Ten. But a visit to Arizona on June 6 might have sealed the deal for the Wildcats who are listed as the frontrunner for Tapeni's services. The senior played for Mililani last year but is now listed as a member of the Kapolei Hurricanes.
LB: Toa Satele, Mililani – Jr.
(Ht) 6-3 (Wt) 200, Uncommitted
Satele is currently ranked as the top prospect at any position in Hawaii's Class of 2027, and the junior already holds offers from some of the nation's top teams, including Alabama, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Texas among others. Suffice it to say, he'll be playing on Saturdays at some point in the not-too-distant future, but with two seasons of prep football remaining and plenty of options, he's under no pressure to make a quick decision.
LB: Malaki Soliai-Tui, Kahuku – Sr.
(Ht) 6-1 (Wt) 205, UCLA
With Cal raiding Hawaii for commitments from offensive stars, the Golden Bears' former Pac-12 mate UCLA is mining the Aloha State's defensive prospects. On June 21, they got a package deal when Soliai-Tua and his cousin, Madden Soliai (see defensive backs below) made a joint announcement that they would both be future Bruins. It's considered a hard commit for the two Kahuku defenders, giving the Bruins two potential future stars on defense.
It’s a family affair as Kahuku class of 2026 DB Madden Soliai follows cousin LB Malaki Soliai-Tui in their commitment to UCLA. Madden also talks a little about his commitment.
— Michael Lasquero (@MichaelLasquero) June 21, 2025
They added a little cultural element as well with UCLA-themed 'ie lavalava@MaddenSoliai @soliaimalaki… pic.twitter.com/lReekXGodq
LB: Talanoa Ili, Kahuku – Sr.
(Ht) 6-3 (Wt) 215, USC
While his Kahuku teammates Malaki Soliai-Tua and Madden Soliai are both headed to UCLA, Ili will play for the Bruins' crosstown rivals as a USC Trojan. He's actually the top-ranked prospect among all positions in Hawaii's Class of 2026 after playing his first three seasons at California powerhouse Orange Lutheran. He earned high praise there, including an evaluation by 247sports.com National Recruiting Analyst Greg Biggins that touted him as possibly the best all-around linebacker in the state in 2024.
DB: Isaiah Chong, Campbell (Ewa Beach) – Jr.
(Ht) 5-11 (Wt) 155, Sacramento State
FCS schools are having success lining up commitments from the Aloha State's top defenders, and Chong is currently aligned with Sacramento State after committing to the Hornets on June 16. Only a junior, he's the first ranked recruit from Hawaii's Class of 2027 to reveal his college destination, and despite the early announcement, it's considered a hard commit for now.
DB: Dane Kellner, Punahou (Honolulu) – Sr.
(Ht) 5-10 (Wt) 160, Montana
Kellner is yet another FCS commit, signaling his intentions to play for Montana back on May 21. A little undersized at 160 pounds, Montana is the only school known to have offered Kellner to date. He was in on 36 tackles a year ago with one interception.
DB: Tainoa Lave, Campbell (Ewa Beach) – Sr.
(Ht) 5-11 (Wt) 175, San Diego State
Lave plays both wide receiver and defensive back for Campbell, hauling in 15 receptions for 247 yards and two touchdowns while logging 28 tackles on defense. He's being recruited as an athlete in college and announced his commitment to San Diego State on July 13.
DB: Madden Soliai, Kahuku – Sr.
(Ht) 5-10 (Wt) 180, UCLA
As noted above, Soliai will join his cousin Malaki Soliai-Tua at UCLA. Soliai had 31 tackles and two interceptions a year ago for state runner-up Kahuku.
Preseason Hawaii All-State Special Teams/All-Purpose
K: Jadyn Parker, Campbell (Ewa Beach) – Sr.
(Ht) 5-9 (Wt) 165, Uncommitted
Parker was a reliable weapon in Campbell's arsenal a year ago, connecting on 44 PATs while knocking home three field goals as one of the state's top kickers.
P: Larry McCarley, Kapolei – Sr.
(Ht) 5-9 (Wt) 150, Uncommitted
While McCarley is listed as our all-state punter, he actually pulls double-duty as Kapolei's kicker, booting 30 PATs and three field goals in 2024.
ATH: Jahren Altura, St. Louis (Honolulu) – Sr.
(Ht) 5-10 (Wt) 175, Hawaii
Altura plays cornerback for the defending state champions at St. Louis where he collected 23 tackles a year ago with two interceptions. But for recruiting purposes, he's being pursued as an athlete where his role could expand at Hawaii after committing to the home-state Rainbow Warriors on June 8.