It doesn't come as a shock for anyone who follows prep sports in Hawaii that the Buffanblu would rank among the nation's best.
Consider that Punahou teams won 16 out of a possible 32 state titles during the current academic year. Or that the Buffanblu have captured 368 state titles overall since 1958.
The last time Sports Illustrated published a similar ranking of the top 25 sports programs among the nation's 38,000 high schools was in 2005.
Vaunted Long Beach Poly of California was ranked No. 1 in that issue of the magazine. Punahou finished No. 4 and received a five-sentence review.
This time, the Buffanblu will receive the full-on treatment, featuring photos and interviews with key members of the athletic department, including players, coaches and administrators.
Punahou's size, academic reputation, athletic tradition and financial wherewithal are key factors in the school's sporting success. So are the 114 teams competing at three levels – varsity, junior varsity and intermediate – in a variety of sports.
In fact, school officials say that 1,075 out of the 1,720 high school students – or 62.5 percent – play at least one sport.
Others say Punahou's edge comes from recruiting promising athletes. Punahou officials deny the allegation, saying the school awards scholarships almost exclusively on financial need.
Regardless, Punahou is No. 1. In Hawaii. And in the nation.
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