Hawaii's all-time wins leader makes coaching change after 0-4 start

Hawaii's all-time winningest high school football program has made a coaching change following a winless start to its 2026 campaign.

A report from the Honolulu Star-Advertiser's Paul Honda Monday afternoon stated that Saint Louis (HI) has dismissed Tupu Alualu in the middle of his third season with the program.

The report states that Saint Louis school president Glenn Medeiros sent a letter out to families informing them of the decision and that Leonard Lau will serve as the team's interim head coach starting immediately.

"We are grateful for the time and dedication Tupu has given to our young athletes, and we thank him for his contributions," Medeiros wrote in the letter. "After careful consideration, we have made the decision to move our football program in a new direction. We wish Tupu all the best in his future endeavors."

In 2024, Alualu led the Crusaders to Hawaii's Open Division state championship despite starting the year 1-2. Last season, Saint Louis finished 5-3.

This season, in a schedule featuring Super 25 programs such as No. 2 IMG Academy and No. 16 Sierra Canyon , the Crusaders are 0-4 and have been outscored 155-12 in four games. They've suffered three straight shutouts, scoring their only points in a 20-12 season-opening loss to Kahuku.

With the coaching change, Leonard now takes over the high school program where he once played as a wide receiver. Following his playing days at Saint Louis, Leonard went on to play at the University of Hawaii.

Since his playing days ended, Leonard has served as an assistant coach at Aiea, Kamehameha and Punahou. During his time at Punahou, he served as the interim head coach for a year before another hire was made.

"We are grateful to Coach Leonard for accepting this interim role," Medeiros continued in the letter to the families. "We are confident he will serve as a strong, positive role model to our young Saint Louis School gentlemen."

The Crusaders have 22 overall state championships dating back to 1983. From 1986 to 1998, they won 13 straight championships, and in the current format, they've won eight state titles since 1999, including a four-peat from 2016-2019.

Follow Sports Reporter Joe Spears on X at @joe_spears7 or via email: JSpears@usatodayco.com. For additional high school sports coverage, be sure to follow USA TODAY High School Sports on Instagram and X .

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