Kapolei faces uphill battle at Kahuku

The Kapolei Hurricanes began the year nicely, took their first loss because of academic ineligibility, which led to a three-game losing streak, then regrouped and beat Nanakuli in the regular-season finale to reach the playoffs as three teams finished in a tie for the fourth, fifth and sixth seeds.

Tenth-ranked Kapolei (5-4, 3-4) has a defense with top-five talent and an offense that is now in groove mode. This team, if everything is clicking, has enough talent to win at the state-tournament level. But the ’Canes’ position in the OIA Red standings means that they’re in the same playoff bracket with behemoth defending champion Kahuku, and the Red Raiders almost never, ever lose on their home field.

When the teams meet tonight in the quarterfinal round, Kapolei coach Darren Hernandez will be thinking of something his former coach at the University of Hawaii, Dick Tomey, often said.

“The best team doesn’t always win, but the team that plays the best can win,” Hernandez recalled. “That always stuck in our minds. On paper, Kahuku has more. We have a bunch of athletes and talent, but they have a ton of talent. That’s just the way the Kahuku roster is up and down. Our bunch of athletes will have to play way over their heads.”

Kahuku first-year head coach Makoa Freitas was an assistant in recent seasons and recalls Kapolei’s offensive production.

“I think Coach Hernandez is being modest. The score might say one thing, but the last two years, they moved the ball on us. This year, they have a really good defense. They’re a 4 seed, but they really shouldn’t be. Any team with that much talent, you’ve got to be concerned,” Freitas said.

The matchup might give Big Red fans flashbacks to ’07, when Mason Koa was at QB for Kapolei, leading the visitors to a stunning 14-7 upset in the playoffs. Kahuku missed the state tourney. Hernandez also beat Kahuku with Campbell at Carlton Weimer Field in 1996, putting him in line to become the first visiting coach to win three times on Kahuku’s campus since Kailua’s Alex Kane in 1985. Kane also beat the Red Raiders up north in 1970 and 1982.

Unthinkable, right? Perhaps. No. 2 Kahuku (7-1, 7-0) has throttled competition in the OIA Blue: 37-0, 40-6, 51-7, 64-0, 45-6 and a 2-0 forfeit win over Kaiser. With a dominant defense and an offense that has stayed in stride despite QB Sol-Jay Maiava’s injury, Kahuku has not truly been tested in OIA play.

Maiava will play this week, and running back Enoch Nawahine, the former Punahou ballcarrier, has racked up 625 yards and eight TDs on the ground. He’s done it on just 84 carries (7.4 yards per attempt). No other Red Raider has more than 26 rushes, including Wes Maiava, who was a rushing and receiving threat in preseason, but has been sidelined by injury.

Freitas has been steadfast, allowing his QBs to take deep shots with consistency while establishing the ground-and-pound game. Maiava (574 yards, six passing TDs, two INTs) and Thorton Alapa (319 yards, four TDs, two INTs) have combined for 140 of their team’s 142 pass attempts. Kahuku has run the ball 191 times for a run-pass ratio of 57-43.

Defense, though, is the bedrock. Senior defensive end Samson Reed, a commit to Virginia; DE Sedric Iafeta (offers from Hawaii and Navy); two-way linemen Siaosi Lauhingoa (two offers) and Enokk Vimahi (four offers); DL Sekope Latu (offer from BYU); and linebackers Miki Ah You (three offers), Nalu Emerson (offer from UH) and J.L. Lavea (offer from BYU) are part of a unit that is matched by few programs nationally.

But there’s Kapolei’s defense. Linemen Aaron Faumui (six offers), Junior Tuia (offer from Fresno State) and Treven Ma‘ae (four offers) and linebackers Kukea Emmsley (Boise State commit), Rocky Savea (two offers) and Bam Amina (offer from San Jose State) are part of a unit that has flourished in recent weeks as the offense improved.

Josh Kansana and DB/RB Dylan Toilolo were impressive carrying the ball in a 41-0 playoff win over Aiea last week. Julius Buelow (four offers) anchors an offensive line that has kept the heat off QB Lonenoa Faoa, who has thrown nine TD passes with just two picks since becoming the starter.

With the quick release of Faoa and chemistry with a talented corps of receivers, Kapolei is playing its best football right now. The OIA format worked out for the Hurricanes. Unlike ’16, when the league sent four teams to the HHSAA state-tourney Open Division and four more to the D-I bracket, the OIA is participating in Open Division and D-II only this fall.

In ’17, three OIA teams go to the open bracket and one goes to D-II. That means whoever loses in the OIA quarterfinals this weekend is done for the year.

It means the weight of an entire year’s work is leaning on this clash at Carleton Weimer Field.

OTHER FRIDAY GAMES

Moanalua (4-5, 3-4 OIA) at No. 3 Mililani (8-0, 7-0), 7:30 p.m.

What in the name of Heikoti Fakava is going on here? Moanalua in the OIA quarterfinals? How does a team get this far with a quarterback who has seven TDs and 18 picks, no running back with more than 300 yards and two TDs, and a receiving group whose second-, third-, and fourth-best guys have a combined zero TD catches?

Na Menehune opened the season with five losses, but are now on a four-game win streak, including last week’s 17-14 upset of Kailua. Coach Savaii Eselu’s squad hasn’t played a home game all season due to renovations, but what hasn’t killed them has only made them stronger.

On paper, the Trojans are storming over every opponent, often with defense, always with offense. The point outputs in league play: 47, 49, 49, 42, 42, 44, 52. Four of those foes are (or were) Top 10 teams. Moanalua has captured the imagination of fans by going on a late-season run that includes last week’s stunning victory.

Can Na Menehune stop this?

>> QB Dillon Gabriel: 2,041 yards and 19 TDs with just five picks in 226 pass attempts.

>> 220-pound RB Kilifi Malepeai (311 yards, seven TDs).

>> Three pass catchers with at least 22 receptions: Ryan Chang (505 yards, eight TDs), Reichel Vegas (370, three), Josiah Sampaga (236, one).

No. 4 Punahou (5-2, 2-2 ILH) vs. No. 5 Kamehameha (3-4, 0-4), Aloha Stadium, 7:30 p.m.

The dearth of game action in ILH D-I led to some amazing developments. Punahou played two CIF teams — Torrey Pines and Serra — and won. But injuries have taken a toll, even with a relatively low game count. QB Stephen Barber suffered an elbow injury in the first go-round against Saint Louis, and when he returned mid-game in the second matchup with the Crusaders, he took two sacks and hurt his neck.

Barber’s fantabulous dual-threat skills produced eye-popping numbers before the injuries. Since then, Nui Adolpho and Hugh Brady stepped in to face the likes of Kamehameha and Saint Louis and turned in middling results.

Kamehameha, which nearly beat Punahou in the second meeting — the Buffanblu won 21-17 — is in a unique position. Despite a winless record in league play, second-year head coach Abu Ma‘afala has his team prepared to reach the league finals. There is more than enough offense, and the defense — which limited Saint Louis to just 23 points two weeks ago — is among the state’s best.

Versatile Jonah Welch has seven scholarship offers. The secondary is led by Tiger Peterson (offer from Hawaii). The defense needs little help, but in this playoff game, it could use a boost from the offense and, in particular, a win in the time-of-possession battle.

RB Kanoa Shannon and his O-line had more success the first time against Punahou, which held Shannon under 100 yards in the rematch.

Farrington (5-4, 4-3 OIA) at No. 7 Waianae (5-3, 5-2), 7:30 p.m.

Two tradition-rich programs with a lot of first-year starters struggled early in the season and ultimately improved substantially before the playoffs. Waianae has the star power with RB Rico Rosario (538 yards, eight rushing TDs) and LB/DE Kana‘i Mauga.

Farrington is more than capable. Kapolei won at Waianae in Week 2, and two weeks later, Kapolei lost at Farrington. The Seariders’ commitment to their ground attack might neutralize a Farrington defense that has been a strength.

Containing mobile QB Stephen Eter is a challenge for every defense. Waianae has faced speedy signal-callers, from Saint Louis’ Chevan Cordeiro to Aiea’s Ty Matsunami.

Farrington and Waianae last met in the HHSAA Open Division quarterfinals during the ’16 season. Waianae won 14-8. The teams have split their last eight matchups, though from ’95 to ’05, the Seariders won 10 in a row against the Govs.

St. Francis (6-3, 4-2 ILH D-II) at ‘Iolani (4-4, 3-3), 3:15 p.m.

Jonan Aina-Chaves had all the potential in the world coming into his first season as a varsity football player. The super sophomore has surpassed all expectations. With 1,251 yards and 11 TDs, he is by far the leading rusher in the state.

In fact, the first time the Saints played the Raiders, Aina-Chaves rushed for a school-record 215 yards in a 43-26 win at Eddie Hamada Field.

Three weeks later, he broke his own mark with 248 rushing yards, but ‘Iolani pulled away for a 45-29 victory. Now the Saints will have to figure out a way to beat ‘Iolani in this D-II semifinal.

With senior QB Tai-John Mizutani dispersing accurate passes sideline to sideline, ‘Iolani’s offense has overcome many of the struggles of the defense. For St. Francis, running the ball has been a big part of its identity, but the numbers also show that a peak-level passing attack brings the balance it takes to win.

In St. Francis’ top 10 individual single-game rushing performances, the Saints lost five of those games. However, of their top seven single-game passing performances, the Saints won six of them, including the top two yardage outputs by current quarterback Bubba Akana.

The senior has an absolute advantage with 6-foot-2, 220-pound receiver Scott McLeod (45 receptions, 561 yards, nine TDs), arguably the top athlete at his position in the state.

Damien (7-2, 5-1 ILH D-II) vs. Pac-Five (1-7, 0-6), Aloha Stadium, 4:45 p.m.

This is as efficient a Monarchs offense as any in recent memory. There have been dominant RBs (Kama Bailey, Kealoha Pilares), but the balance and precision come from senior QB Marcus Faufata-Pedrina and his solid O-line.

They already had the first-round title and top seed in the second-round playoffs sewn up prior to last week’s game with St. Francis.

The Wolfpack have gotten courageous efforts. Senior A.J. Ulufale has moved from WR to QB to RB, and rushed for 169 yards in a loss to ‘Iolani last week with a cast on his broken left hand.

Kaimuki (5-3, 5-2 OIA D-II) at Pearl City (6-2, 6-1) , 7:30 p.m.

Both teams like to pound the ball behind effective linemen. The Bulldogs have a shifty, powerful RB in Ieke Seei-Cleveland (1,011 yards, 13 rushing TDs), and QB Jordan Solomon (1,344 passing yards, 16 TD passes) can be an effective scrambler.

However, Pearl City DL Zion Tupuola-Fetui (eight offers) is the leader of a defensive unit that recorded four shutouts during the regular season.

Roosevelt (4-3, 4-3 OIA D-II) at Waipahu (8-0, 7-0), 7:30 p.m.

The Rough Riders turned their season around by winning their last three games. Mitchell Camacho (394 yards, two rushing TDs) and cornerback-turned-running back Jared Elwin (268 yards, two TDs) have sparked the ground game.

Braden Amorozo (1,764 yards, 21 TDs, three INT) and Alfred Failauga (860 yards, 14 rushing TDs) are as patient as they are productive.

King Kekaulike (0-7, 0-7 MIL) vs. Maui (3-5, 3-3), War Memorial Stadium, 7 p.m.

Na Alii forfeited their game against Kamehameha-Maui last week.

SATURDAY GAMES

No. 9 Campbell (6-3, 5-2 OIA) at No. 6 Leilehua (6-2, 5-2), 6:30 p.m.

There are times when Campbell QB Krenston Kaipo, a strong-armed southpaw, gets on a roll and can’t miss his horde of speedy targets. In those moments, he looks a bit like another prolific lefty: former Leilehua great Keenan Sadanaga.

Kaipo has flourished under first-year head coach Darren Johnson, airing out spirals for 1,881 yards and 16 passing TDs. Unlike Sadanaga, however, Kaipo is just a junior who has learned on the job as the Sabers bounced back from each loss with more balance and verve.

Even with a balanced attack — Jacob Covington and Tasi Faumui have combined for 621 rushing yards — Campbell’s relatively young squad will be tested by a Leilehua defense that has not allowed more than 14 points on its home field all season.

In addition, the Mules are well-rested after earning a first-round bye while Campbell ousted Castle 24-9 last week. The rest time was a blessing for Leilehua, which had its share of ankle injuries of late. James McGary (687 yards, five TDs) hurt an ankle in the regular-season finale against Farrington.

Waimea (3-3, 2-3 KIF) vs. Kapaa (3-3, 1-3), Vidinha Stadium, 4:30 p.m.

The Menehune need a win to clinch first place in the D-II standings. (Kauai is in D-I.) Waimea and Kapaa split their two previous meetings. The Warriors, winners of the past three KIF titles, have lost three games in a row, including a 30-0 game against Kauai two weeks ago.

Baldwin (3-5, 3-3 MIL) at Kamehameha-Maui (4-4, 3-3), 7 p.m.

The Bears are coming off a 17-14 overtime loss at Lahainaluna. They beat KS-Maui 46-14 four weeks ago. The Warriors had a three-game losing streak before last week’s forfeit win over King Kekaulike.