Dillon Gabriel rifled three first-half touchdown passes as No. 7 Mililani overwhelmed Kaiser 42-7 on Saturday night at a well-lit John Kauinana Stadium.
A week ago, the lights malfunctioned and Mililani’s nonconference matchup with Saint Louis was canceled after just one quarter. This time, all systems were go on and off the field. Gabriel started and was 10-for-12, the two incompletions coming on dropped passes. He finished with 127 passing yards in less than one half of action and was extremely sharp coming off last year’s season-ending shoulder injury.
“It’s been a big offseason,” Gabriel said. “Reads. That’s what we’re trying to get into the flow off this offseason. Andrew (Vallasdares) has really stepped up and taken the reins.”
Vallasdares caught two passes for 53 yards and a touchdown, and returned a punt 44 yards. He also had another punt return for a TD nullified by penalty.
The Trojans led 21-0 after one quarter and 35-0 at intermission. Their defense was more than ready against a Kaiser lineup depleted by academic and injury issues. That led to minus-2 yards of total offense in the first half. First-year Cougars coach Arnold Martinez had 24 players suited up.
“We love all our guys. Right now, we keep telling our guys play with freedom, don’t play tight,” he said, pointing to his talented quarterback, Kainoa Torres. “He’s working hard at it.”
Andrew Kaufusi, one of their two-way standouts, was held out with a hamstring injury.
“We’re pleased and proud of the way our kids played, but we knew Kaiser wasn’t at full strength,” Mililani coach Rod York said. “It starts with protection, and we’re really spending a lot of time on special teams this year. It was great to see that effort tonight.”
The Trojans drove 53 yards in eight plays to score on the game’s opening series. Gabriel found Vallasdares for a 32-yard touchdown pass on a go route down the hashmarks. The fourth-and-10 play gave Mililani a 7-0 lead.
Kaiser went three and out, and the Trojans then drove 50 yards in seven snaps. Gabriel’s 24-yard pass to Kainalu Wong sparked the drive. Kailiohu Kila bulldozed in for a 3-yard TD run for a 14-0 Trojans lead.
Kaiser’s defense stopped Mililani on downs a few minutes later, but the Cougars managed to pick up a first down before stalling. Vallasdares’ 44-yard punt return set up Mililani at the Kaiser 5-yard line, and Gabriel scrambled into the end zone on the next play for a 21-0 lead late in the first quarter.
Kaiser’s punting woes included a 7-yard shank that went out of bounds at the Mililani 22-yard line. Five plays later, Dillon connected with Dustin Gapusan for an 11-yard TD toss and a 28-point lead.
Roman Tovi, who recently returned from an injury, hauled in Gabriel’s final scoring pass, a 3-yard spiral at the right pylon for a 35-0 lead.
Cy Kuboyama-Hayashi spelled Gabriel for the final Trojans’ possession of the half and played the rest of the way as the 35-point mercy rule took effect.
Mililani’s Tasi Malepeai deflected a pass by Kaiser’s Kainoa Torres in the end zone, and Keawe Fox made a spectacular dive for the interception and touchdown late in the third quarter.
Kaiser scored on Torres’ 11-yard pass to Keoni Pangan in the right corner of the end zone early in the fourth stanza.
Just about the only bit of less-than-perfect news for Mililani was a cold, dark scoreboard that remains in need of repair.
