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Saint Louis High School fired football coach Tupu Alualu.
Saint Louis High School in Honolulu, Hawaii has parted ways with head football coach Tupu Alualu just four games into the 2026 season.
The Crusaders have been on the wrong end of a series of blowouts, leading to the change of leadership.
The decision to fire Alualu comes after a 52-0 loss to Sierra Canyon in California. That game ended early after starting quarterback Luke Shigeta suffered a serious head injury.
Hawaii high school fires football coach.
In an email to players and staff, Saint Louis Head Coach Tupu Alualu has been released pic.twitter.com/mdKKI5HpL5
— Felipe Ojastro (@FelipeOjastro) September 14, 2026
Saint Louis released a statement on the decision earlier this week. Alualu will not coach Game 5. Assistant Leonard Lau will serve in an interim role moving forward.
“We are grateful for the time and dedication Tupu has given to our young athletes, and we thank him for his contributions. 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.”
Alualu had been at the helm for the last three seasons. In 2024, he won an Open Division state title. Last year, the program was the runner-up in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu.
This year has not started with the same promise. Saint Louis is 0-4. The Crusaders have been outscored 155-12. They have not scored in any of their last three matchups.
The most recent contest ended in the third quarter after the team’s starting quarterback was injured in a blowout loss. According to the Star Advisor, the passer suffered whiplash and could be eligible to play in two weeks.
Was safety an issue?
The school did not reference safety as playing a role in Tupu Alualu’s firing. It is quite evident, however, that the Saint Louis High School football program was not competing on the same level as its opponents.
The most recent road stretch included matchups against powerhouses Mililani, the top-ranked team in Hawaii, IMG Academy, the top-ranked team in Florida, and Sierra Canyon, the No. 6 team in the nation.
Safety has been a concern for other high school football programs across the country. Game and season cancellations have been seen across the nation.
In Arizona, Saguaro cancelled a series of games due to a thin roster after experiencing a mass exodus of transfers. It was forced to scratch the JV team in order to field enough varsity members.
In Illinois, Clinton cancelled its season amid a 17-game losing skid citing health concerns.
I do not know the size of Saint Louis’s roster or the current health of the team. The Crusaders have a history of success in Honolulu, boasting an alumni list that includes Tua Tagovailoa, Marcus Mariota, and Manti Te’o.
Maxpreps has 47 players listed on the current Saint Louis roster. Of those, 24 are listed as underclassmen.
With that being said, there have been no cancellations on the team’s schedule. The current issues could be more closely tied to scheduling than roster makeup. The Crusaders still hold a No. 6 ranking in the state of Hawaii.
Regardless, administration was not happy with the direction of the program. It will now continue through the 2026 season under new leadership with Tupu Alualu having been fired.