Former Kahuku High School head football coach Sterling Carvalho has lost his bid for a preliminary injunction seeking immediate reinstatement to his previous position, as reported by Hawaii News Now late Friday.
Carvalho was terminated in March after an investigation determined he had created a hostile environment for a former player after the player's father posted comments that were critical of the coach on social media. Carvalho then filed a lawsuit last month seeking to reverse the termination while requesting a preliminary injunction in a court hearing on Monday, July 28, that would have reinstated him to his position as Kahuku's coach immediately.
MORE: Kahuku head coach Carvalho still waiting for court decision on reinstatement
Hawaii News Now reported that the injunction was denied when the judge ruled that Carvalho had failed to meet the burden of proof showing a likelihood he would prevail in the suit or that he had suffered irreparable harm.
Carvalho's attorney signaled that the lawsuit would move forward, but in the meantime, the Kahuku football program will also have to move on with the season opener slated for this coming Saturday, August 9. The Red Raiders will host the St. Louis (Honolulu) Crusaders at 6:30 p.m. local time (12:30 a.m. EST, August 10) in a rematch of last November's HHSAA Open Division state championship game.
The teams split their two matchups in 2024 with the Red Raiders taking last year's season opener 14-13 before losing to the Crusaders in the championship tilt, 17-10. Carvalho had led Kahuku to four straight Open Division championship games, winning the first three including a 49-14 blowout over St. Louis in the 2021 Open Division title match.