The football teams of Lahainaluna High School and Paradise High School — both from wildfire-devastated communities — faced off Saturday in a symbolic game called the ‘Unity Bowl’ at Lahainaluna’s stadium. The event drew about 1,900 attendees and several elected officials, with Lahainaluna winning 27-21.
- Lahainaluna High School hosted Paradise High School (California) for a community-healing football game tying together two towns destroyed by separate wildfires.
- The event drew roughly 1,900 fans to Sue D. Cooley Stadium in West Maui, including U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, Congresswoman Jill Tokuda, and Maui Mayor Richard Bissen.
- The game was more than a year in the making, organized by athletic directors from both schools with the goal of using sports as a vehicle for mutual recovery.
- Lahainaluna senior team captain Ma’a Tevaga, whose family lost their home in the 2023 fire, returned to play for the Lunas after temporarily relocating to Utah.
- The Lunas won 27-21, claiming their first victory of the season.
Source: Maui Now
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