Four of our five panelists agree that the Waianae Seariders had a big statement win to begin the 2016 season. ScoringLive photo illustration

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On a weekly basis, ScoringLive's "Da Five" will pose five questions relevant to the prep sports world, and get responses from five different individuals. What results will hopefully provide multiple angles of insight and analysis for fans to take in.

In this week's installment, our panelists provide their takeaways from the opening weekend of the prep football season as well as look ahead to this week's slate of games.

1. What was your biggest takeaway from opening weekend?

Gary Dickman, ESPN 1420 Radio: There were no real surprises from week one, but a few things did stand out. Punahou looked really good, Leilehua did not; that's what happens in a 70-9 game. Also, Waianae started off like they finished last year. A tough game with a last-minute touchdown pass to win over Kamehameha shows that the Seariders could be better than last year's 9-4 team.

Aven Santiago, SL contributor: The first week of football is often filled with surprises with teams still getting their timing down and shaking out the jitters with a new squad. Every team is dealing with either new starters, new coaches, or both. With that said, the biggest takeaway that I have was in Kapolei and Waianae. I think when Waianae beat Kamehameha this past weekend, it was a huge slap in the face to everyone that claimed "the best teams play in the ILH." I think beating the Warriors was a huge showing and was a big statement for Waianae and second-year coach Walter Young.

Brandon Ching, SL reporter: I went to cover the Moanalua game and saw that no matter who is at the helm, Moanalua's offense continues to put up big numbers. Na Menehune has good skill athletes and their offense is always to fun to watch and the coaches call up the right plays to put their players in position to succeed. Alakai Yuen threw for big numbers and Ryan Ramones was the beneficiary with five touchdown receptions.

Jordan Helle, ESPN Radio Maui/OC16: It's become the norm in Hawaii, but it still seems like we are playing games earlier and earlier in the year. I wish we'd give it another week possibly before we get into actual games. I realize there are many factors as to why the season starts when it does, but I think a little extra practice time would be beneficial. At the end of the day, we'll have to start the season at some point, and I give the players a ton of credit as they were ready to go for opening weekend and we saw some pretty high-level play right out of the gate.

Michael Lasquero, SL reporter: The biggest takeaway I had from the first week of prep football was that Punahou means business. Scoring 70 points on a program that has been to multiple state tournaments is an incredible feat to begin the year. Even though the Buffanblu lost running back Wayne Taulapapa to graduation, the Punahou offense didn't miss a beat as quarterbacks Nick Kapule and Stephen Barber each threw for three touchdowns. With no games scheduled until the start of the ILH season, the Buffanblu will have three weeks to fine tune their system instead of game-planning against a different opponent for the week.

2. Which team had a statement win to start its season?

Dickman: I would say that as far as statement wins go, it would be Waianae. Facing adversity and trailing twice in the fourth quarter showed me a lot. There's a lot of really good quarterbacks in this state and Jaren Ulu should be included in that list. Ulu threw a 54-yard TD pass with 1:14 left to Isaiah Freeney to win on the road in week one, a very impressive win.

Santiago: The statement win that I saw was in a game that technically didn't happen. If you look back at last season, Mililani was known for its offense. The Trojans were loaded with offensive firepower and could run the score up on anyone in their division. On the defensive side of the ball, however the team was atrocious. I don't need to remind anyone about what happen when they played Saint Louis and Kahuku. I think it was something that the defensive coaches at Mililani took personally because the defense I saw this past Saturday night was a completely different look. I look at the fact that this was one of the top quarterbacks in the country with a lot of talented skill players and linemen in front of him, so with all of that and holding Saint Louis to what they did was a pleasant surprise. From getting to the quarterback to breaking up passes, the boys from Meheula Parkway played well and I look forward to seeing them as the season goes on.

Ching: I would say Waianae for Division I. To go on the road to Kamehameha and eek one out at the end shows a lot about the Seariders' resiliency. It will be interesting to see if they can take that momentum and steal another one on the road against Kapolei. The game went down to the wire and it definitely lived up to its status as Game of the Week. For Division II, I think Pac-Five had a statement of its own as they obliterated McKinley with 42 points in the first half. The ILH Division II will be competitive and interesting this year.

Helle: Waianae's win over Kamehameha was huge. I think overall both the Seariders and Warriors provided a glimpse at why they belong among the state's elite. Their matchup was a wild one that could have gone either way, and sure maybe there was some early season miscues. Still, the talent on both teams was clearly evident and you can see that the pieces are there for both to make deep runs this season. There were flashes in all three phases, and I'm excited to see both teams compete in their respective leagues.

Lasquero: I think Lahainaluna deserves a lot of credit for its win against Pearl City. The Lunas held the Chargers to just 54 yards and no scores, and was balanced on offense with Enele Scanlan at quarterback. Lahainaluna is always a contender in Division II and will have another big games this weekend against Kapaa. In Division I, the Waianae Seariders proved that in a neck-and-neck game that they will keep fighting all the way through until there's three zeroes on the clock. Most teams would fold under the pressure, but the Seariders kept pushing. Any team that wants to beat Waianae better hope that it has a sizable lead in the fourth quarter because the Seariders will always make things interesting late in the game.

3. Should any team be pressing the panic button right now?

Dickman: It's only mid-August and only a few teams have played. Even for the teams that lost, they don't have to panic yet. Even though it's a short season, there's plenty of games left. I feel that some teams who did not look too good last week will learn from their mistakes and improve as the season progresses; that's a part of the fun in watching high school football. I'm sure coaches of teams that lost aren't happy, but they know it's way too early to panic.

Santiago: Leilehua. 70 points is embarrassing when it's in video games, let alone real life. The schedule doesn't look to be getting any easier so I think they are the team that should be worried the most.

Ching: No, I wouldn't panic right now since it's only one game into the season. Several teams were missing players due to academics or injuries so it is hard to gauge how good these teams are of how good they could be so I think it's too early to press the panic button.

Helle: No need for the panic button yet. Nobody has played a league game yet, and those are the games that ultimately matter. Some teams may not have looked great in the opening weekend, but there is still so much time between now and the end of the season that we will see teams improve exponentially. Take a team like Leilehua, who suffered a tough opening-weekend loss. The Mules' program has been a model of steady improvement in past seasons and show that it's all about how you finish. I wouldn't be surprised to see Leilehua right in the playoff mix come OIA-play.

Lasquero: No, it was just the first week of the season, as well as school for most teams. The situation is the same every year; many teams have players out during the first two weeks due to academic probation and injuries. Nobody is at full strength, and nobody is playing at their fullest potential. With most teams making their respective league's postseason tournament, teams don't really have to figure things out till mid-September. I do however have a question mark about Saint Louis' passing game. In the one quarter that I saw the Crusaders take on Mililani, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had to scramble on most drops back and had to deal with a handful of dropped passes. It might be a small-sample size, but I think Saint Louis should try to be more balanced offensively this year. The Crusaders' offensive line was impressive on run plays, led by Georgia Tech-commit Michael Minihan, and running back Jahred Silofau was able to burst free for a 15-yard touchdown, the lone score of the game before it was called. Tua Tagovailoa is the best dual-threat quarterback in the country and should have the green light to take off and run on rollouts and when the pocket collapses.

4. What matchup are you looking forward to this week?

Dickman: For this week, there's only one game that stands out to me. A lot of good teams are playing, but I'm really interested in Kapolei vs. Waianae. I've already mentioned how impressive the Seariders looked last week; they have a strong running game, but are expected to pass even more this year with Jaren Ulu being an underrated quarterback. Then there's Kapolei, who I think everyone wants to see and could be the most interesting school not ranked in the top four. Hurricanes coach Darren Hernandez has Taulia Tagovailoa back, and even though he's not Tua, he showed a lot last year as a freshman and in last week's win over Campbell. When you throw in new offensive coordinator June Jones in the equation, the prospects are exciting and scary to opposing defenses. That's the game I'm most interested in this week.

Santiago: Kapolei and Waianae for sure. The run-and-shoot versus the option. I think what makes this matchup so intriguing is the fact that it's difficult to mimic the other team's offense during practice. On one side of the ball, you have a terrific passer in Taulia Tagovailoa. To replicate him and the offense he's coming with will be define challenge as not many practice squad QBs can do what he does. For Kapolei, it's a similar situation with the option style Waianae runs. It takes a lot of discipline to run it and it takes even more to defend. 

Ching: Campbell vs. Farrington (at Roosevelt) is where I'm scheduled. I saw the Govs in a scrimmage against Kamehameha and I was wondering to see how much they improved and if they can put it all together once the season rolls around. I'm curious to see if they will use both Bishop Rapoza and Justin Uahinui at quarterback, or if one of the two won the starting job. Challen Faamatau is a versatile running back that can catch a pass and is a tough runner. For Campbell, I want to see how they respond and if it can bounce back. The stakes are higher now that everything counts in league play.

Helle: I am looking forward to Kapolei and Waianae like everyone else, but I'm also very interested in Kapaa and Lahainaluna. This rematch of last year's Division II state semifinals, and also a rematch of a preseason game last season, will be game of familiar foes. The Warriors and Lunas know each other as well as any of their league opponents with the amount that they have played in the last 3-4 years. This could be a state tournament preview and a statement game for two state title contenders. I expect it'll be a rocking crowd at Sue Cooley stadium Saturday night on the Lunas' campus.

Lasquero: Everyone is looking at the Kapolei and Waianae game, but I think the two contests between ranked opponents on the Valley Isle are more intriguing. Ninth-ranked Baldwin hosts No. 8 Kamehameha Saturday while Division II No. 4 Lahainaluna take on No. 3 Kapaa later in the evening. I'm sure Kamehameha is eager to erase the taste of defeat while the Bears are hungry to prove that they can compete with the top teams from Oahu. The other matchup features two teams that will be playing each other for the fourth consecutive year in the preseason. A win for either team will be beneficial for its morale.

5. Who wins the rivalry game between Kapolei and Waianae?

Dickman: What a perfect buildup to this question. It's a very tough one to call. Based on last year, I'd go with Waianae. However, with June Jones on the Kapolei coaching staff, I see a few more wins this season for Kapolei so I'm going with the Hurricanes winning with a last minute touchdown pass from Taulia Tagovailoa.

Santiago: Kapolei is my answer. Besides any bizarre special teams play, I think the Hurricanes should come out on top simply because of their ability to score. I don't think Waianae can score fast enough to keep up with that style of play.

Ching: I think Waianae has one of the state's best defense, and if it can control the tempo and eat up the clock offensively with the run game, it might be difficult for Kapolei to see the field. However, with the newly implemented run-and-shoot offense, maybe Kapolei can find ways to spread it out. This is definitely an interesting showdown between two top five teams on the westside, but I'll give the edge to the Seariders.

Helle: I'm pumped for this game between two really good teams to start off OIA play, with so many wrinkles in play. How explosive can the Hurricanes' air attack become? How will Waianae's athletic secondary defend that air attack? Will we see a bit more of the passing game from the Seariders like we saw in the second half against Kamehameha? I think it truly is a tossup and I don't have a grasp on who really has the edge just yet in this game. I will say that whoever can force more turnovers will come out on top. We saw a big defensive touchdown spark Waianae last week. Kapolei has playmakers on defense as well. It is going to be fun on Saturday night.

Lasquero: I saw Kapolei in action last Friday so I'm inclined to say the Hurricanes, but I can't count out the Seariders because I haven't seen them this year yet. I will say however that I foresee these two teams facing off again later this year in the OIA Division I semifinals in late October. I think at this point in time, it'll come down to which defense is better. By just going off of what I know, I'll have to pick Kapolei because it was able to preserve the shutout for all four quarters while Kamehameha was able to do all of its scoring in the final period of play. The Hurricanes' defense also put up some impressive stats with five sacks, four fourth-down stops and three interceptions.