Members of Lahainaluna football team join field as honorary captains for Super Bowl LVIII coin toss : Maui Now

Members from Maui’s Lahainaluna High School football team joined the field for the Super Bowl LVIII coin toss at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas where the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs played for the title.

A clip from NFL Films’ documentary about the West Maui community aired on network television before the game started. “The Lahainaluna High School Football Team” film interviewed community members, coaches and players who talked about the losses suffered following a devastating wildfire in August that leveled portions of Lahaina to rubble and ash.

The film shows how football brought them together amid tragedy.

Watch the full documentary here.

“Amidst the devastation, the resilience of the Lahainaluna High School football team emerged as a source of inspiration and rallying point for the broader community of Lahaina, Maui and Hawaiʻi. Through the support of the local community and the school, the Lahainaluna football team was able to rally together and complete their shortened season, successfully advancing to the state’s championship high school football playoffs,” according to a statement from the NFL.

Present on the field Sunday were Lahainaluna head football coach Dean Rickard, offensive coach Garrett Tihada, former head coach Bobby Watson and athletic director John Conrad. Team captains joined their coaches on the field: Kaulana Tihada, Morgan “Bula” Montgomery, Teva Loft and Kuola Watson.

Super Bowl referee Bill Vinovich thanked the coaches and team captains for being there.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your families for your speedy recovery,” Vinovich said.

Watson was invited to toss the coin. The 49ers called tails and it landed on heads.

Kansas City Chiefs captured the Super Bowl win for a second year in a row. The final score was 25-22.