There are few streaks that never end.
It’s just that Kahuku’s 51-game home winning streak seemed unbreakable. Omnipotent. It carried an aura of its own, and the invincibility permeated life on the North Shore. That came to a halt on Saturday night with a resounding 38-10 loss to No. 4 Mililani (6-2, 4-0 OIA Open).
No. 2 Kahuku (4-2, 1-1) simply couldn’t get access to the state’s all-time career record holder in passing yardage, Dillon Gabriel. The senior southpaw passed for 312 yards and two TDs. He threw the ball 47 times near and far, sideline to sideline, and completed 31 of those targets. Last week, he found 10 different teammates for completions. On Saturday, it was nine Trojans who hauled in Gabriel spirals.
“Mililani is who we thought they were, a well-coached team with a great quarterback,” Kahuku coach Sterling Carvalho said. “They had a great game plan and Dillon made me a believer. I had a chance to congratulate him and talk to him later.”
Mililani became the first team to beat Kahuku at Carleton E. Weimer Field since Oct. 26, 2007, when coach Darren Hernandez’s Kapolei Hurricanes, sparked by quarterback Mason Koa, stunned the Red Raiders 14-7 in a playoff game.
The 28-point loss was Kahuku’s worst against a Hawaii opponent since opening the 2008 season with a 35-0 defeat against Kamehameha.
No. 1 Saint Louis goes to another level vs. Sabers
The top-ranked Saint Louis Crusaders are nearly impeccable.
Offense. Defense. Special teams. Offseason reps. Video. It was more of the same quest for perfection in a first-time meeting with No. 5 Campbell on Friday night. Saint Louis left with a 55-7 runaway, a game that was in running-clock, mercy-rule mode for the entire second half.
“We focused on taking their run game. In film study, they did the same run blocking, downfield blocking, as Waianae,” said linebacker Lawai Brown, who had the first of Saint Louis’ four first-half sacks. “We took away their strength.”
Just about every game is a road trip for the Crusaders 6-0 (5-0 ILH Open), who were often dominant in the trenches, and altogether cohesive and focused as one unit. Defensive tackle Faatui Tuitele racked up two sacks on the same Campbell possession, and fellow trench man Gino Quinones posted a sack.
“We just did our jobs and that’s all we can ask. Just do your best,” said linebacker Jordan Botelho, who hustled for a fumble in the end zone, scoring a touchdown. “We all work hard. It starts at practice and we listen to our coaches.”
Brown and his cohorts limited the Sabers to 23 rushing yards on 28 attempts, taking some of the fizz out of an otherwise spirited homecoming crowd.
Punahou, Kamehameha rematch looms large
The 190th all-time meeting between Punahou and Kamehameha went to the Buffanblu. No. 191 could carry far more meaning.
No. 3 Punahou pulled away from the sixth-ranked Warriors in the second half in a 30-14 ILH Open Division win on a humid Friday night in Halawa. If the division standings hold with No. 1 Saint Louis remaining in the top spot; the Buffanblu (5-2, 4-2) and Warriors (3-4, 2-3) figure to meet again in a playoff game.
“Very odd that we would play this close to when we’d probably play again, but that’s just the way the schedule is,” Punahou coach Kale Ane said. “We didn’t show everything. I’m sure they didn’t either and we’ll see.”
In the meantime, Punahou, which leads the series with Kamehameha 94-90-6, has a bye week coming up before closing the regular season Oct. 12 against Waianae. Kamehameha faces Waianae this week before taking on Saint Louis on Oct. 12.
St. Francis earns milestone victory
With a 40-6 victory over Kalaheo at Kailua, the Saints clinched the program’s first state playoff berth in Division II.
“It’s a monumental day for St. Francis football,” head coach Kip Akana said. “That’s been our goal since we got here — to get a seat at the table at the state tournament and we’ve accomplished that today.”
Friday night also marked the return of star running back Jonan Aina-Chaves in the starting lineup. Although the junior ran the ball 11 times for 34 yards in a 13-0 win over Kaimuki last week, it was still in a limited role.
Against the Mustangs, he rushed for 144 yards on 15 carries and two touchdowns. He also caught two passes for 67 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown from Bubba Akana.
Fa‘asoa, Moananu rewrite Kaimuki record book
A week after the Kaimuki offense was held to 47 yards, the Bulldogs went out and rewrote the record book.
Junior quarterback Jonah Fa‘asoa threw for a school-record 435 yards, breaking the previous mark by more than 100, in a 46-21 victory over Kaiser on Friday night at Skippa Diaz Stadium.
Sophomore receiver Kobe Moananu, who a month ago was starting at quarterback for the Bulldogs’ junior varsity team, added 185 receiving yards on six receptions, also setting a school record. Justin Faimealelei‘s 177 receiving yards in a win over Leilehua had stood as the record for 18 years.
“Getting the ball to the playmakers, letting them do their thing, the linemen giving me time. It’s not just me, it’s everybody,” Fa‘asoa said of the record. “It’s a team record.”
Fa‘asoa played QB on the junior varsity the past two years. He took over for the varsity after two-year starter Jordan Solomon transferred to a school in Nevada.
“He’s done an amazing job,” Kaimuki coach David Tautofi said of Fa‘asoa. “We knew what we had with him since he was a freshman. We kept him where he needed to be and he’s stepped in where he’s needed to step in this year. What he’s already accomplished is already much more than we expected from him as a junior coming in this year. The potential is endless for him.”
This week
Moanalua can clinch the top seed in the OIA Division I playoffs with a win over Waipahu on Friday at Aloha Stadium.
Na Menehune (6-0, 5-0) are one of three undefeated teams left on Oahu and five in the state.
Waipahu can force a three-way tie for first, but is coming off a 50-20 defeat to Leilehua on Friday. The Mules have just one loss in OIA D-I play (to Moanalua).
