It’s a busy week for HS teams in Hawaii as the Hawaii Ruggerfest is going on.

For some teams it’s been a while since they were on the field - Kahuku, after their trip to the mainland, had a forfeit two weeks ago and no game this past weekend. But all of that will change this week.

Kahuku is set to plat Elgin Park (BC), Mountain View Eagles, and Kalihi Raiders. There will be U16 games between those teams, as well, and Kahuku and Kalihi will field U13 boys teams.

Maui and Waikiki will also field U13 teams.

St. Francis, which has pulled off some impressive results, including a recent close win over Kalihi, will play Kalihi again.

For Kalihi, this kind of week is important as they look to find competition. Coach Malakai Maumalanga said “the boys are hungry to learn and training hard. They are young, but they’re getting there.”

Several kids who attend Kalihi HS are Micronesian, and Maumalanaga said rugby isn’t as big in Micronesia as it is in other parts of the Pacific.

“It’s not a part of their culture the same way, but the boys really take to it,” he said.

Leading the way for Kalihi is No. 8 and captain Nick Stephen, and flyhalf John Funaki, while the center pairing of Yasir Tupou-Smith and Mark Chetero has been effective.

But Kahuku remains the class of the state, or at least the island of Oahu, and the new program at St. Francis has benefited from some Tongan athletes who bring physicality to a north-and-south game plan.

The Ruggerfest concludes Friday with Kahuku and Kalihi playing, and St. Francis facing a combined Elgin/Mountain View team.

All in all, 14 boys games at the U13, U16, and U18 level will be played.