‘Iolani breezes past Radford, into title game

The five-time defending state champions know opportunity when they see it.

Radford gave ‘Iolani three consecutive gifts — turnovers — to start the game and the Raiders responded with a touchdown every time en route to a 43-0 blowout on Saturday night at Aloha Stadium.

Reece Foy passed for all of his 215 yards in the first half, spreading his four touchdown passes to four different teammates.

"Our precision doesn’t come easy. It takes a lot of hard work, repetition of things. Our coaches and players know how to get there," the senior said. "We knew Radford played a base 40 all year, but they played mostly base 30 tonight. We just had to be ourselves and not turn the ball over, get out to our normal fast tempo."

Running back Yuuya Kato gained 103 rushing yards and scored a touchdown to bring balance to the Raiders’ relentless attack.

Top-seeded ‘Iolani will meet Lahainaluna in Friday’s Division II final in the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA State Football Championships.

"They’re big and physical," Foy said. "And they want to win."

Coach Wendell Look’s Raiders (8-3) were almost pure efficiency, taking anything the OIA White champs would give them, whether it came via giveaways or cushion to open slotbacks and wide receivers. Radford

(11-2) had five first-half turnovers and never recovered.

The second half ran down quickly thanks to the 35-point-lead running-clock rule. It was never easy for the Rams, who played without starting running back Chris Jackson (ankle). Jordan Murao stepped in and rushed for 66 tough yards, but ‘Iolani’s defense was built to stifle a no-huddle offense.

"They were fast. Strong. I didn’t expect them to be strong," Murao said.

Linebacker Josiah Situmeang sparked the Raiders defense with a pick-6, the first of his career.

"We practice against it every week. Our coaches prepared us well and we executed our game plan well," the senior said. "Their quarterback’s going to be a good quarterback in the future.

Radford coach Fred Salanoa gave ‘Iolani big props.

"When it comes down to it, we’ve got to make plays happen. If we can get 100 percent execution and 100 percent effort, we’ll be all right. But there were certain plays we didn’t execute. But that’s why ‘Iolani’s the defending state champions. They play at a high level and they took advantage of the opportunities tonight," he said. "They’re gonna win hands down against Lahainaluna. I guarantee you."

Radford opened the game with a fast, no-huddle drive, but Cody Lui-Yuen’s pass on fourth and goal at the ‘Iolani 7-yard line fell incomplete and short of the end zone.

On Radford’s second series, Situmeang picked off a pass by Lui-Yuen and went the distance for a 45-yard touchdown.

"My coaches said to widen out and I happened to be in the right place at the right time," Situmeang said.

Four plays later, defensive back Kevin Togami hustled after a long lateral by Lui-Yuen that skipped past receiver Keanu Keaweehu-Ancog and recovered for the Raiders at the Radford 27-yard line. Three plays later, Foy hit Austin Ohira out of a five-wide set for a 21-yard catch and run to the end zone.

After Max Look raced up the middle for a 2-point conversion, ‘Iolani led 15-0.

On the next play from scrimmage, Radford’s Andrew Killen caught a pass and fumbled on a strip by Mata Leota. Joshua Gonzaga, hustling back on the play, fell on the football at the Radford 48-yard line.

That led to an 18-yard pass from Foy to Chad Hanaoka on a corner route, and the Raiders led 22-0 with 2:03 to go in the opening quarter and they never looked back.