A quarterback in his playing days, Fred Salanoa has prioritized defense in his tenure as Radford’s head coach.
The Rams entered Saturday’s senior night game as the stingiest unit among OIA Division II teams and their defense again powered them to a 44-7 win over Kalaheo at Aiea.
The Rams held Kalaheo to 133 yards in total offense, negative-23 yards on the ground, and contributed to the point total with lineman Dillon Sunday’s 80-yard fumble return and a safety in the second quarter.
Radford has allowed 33 points through seven games and surrendered more than seven in a game just once this season.
"For 14 years that’s always the way I build a team leading into the season," Salanoa said.
"I always give the defense first choice of who they want and we try to put together a piece of the puzzle to win a championship (on offense). As long as I’m the head coach that will continue to be my philosophy."
Ace Faumui, who starts at safety, headlined the offense on Saturday with 166 rushing yards and two touchdowns in 14 carries and the Rams improved to 7-0 overall and 6-0 in the division heading into a showdown with Nanakuli, which is also 6-0.
"We always start off with our defense," Faumui said. "We come out hard, start the tempo and everything just falls into place."
Salanoa had his eldest brother, Thor Salanoa, running the defense for the past 13 years. Thor stepped away this season due to a death in his family, but Fred kept the duties of defensive coordinator in the family by promoting Matt Manuma, a former Radford quarterback and University of Hawaii safety, to the post. Manuma is Salanoa’s sister’s son.
"(Thor) built this program up to the point where it is right now," Fred Salanoa said. "(Manuma’s) filling the shoes of his uncle."
Radford scored on its first two possessions in Saturday’s win with Blaise Manabe’s 73-yard punt return setting up the Rams’ first touchdown. Kodi Ongory-Mathias carried the ball on the next two plays and scored on a 9-yard run.
Faumui carried the ball five times in an 11-play scoring drive that he capped with a 4-yard run. He also ran in the 2-point conversion to make up for a missed PAT after Radford’s first touchdown.
Kalaheo drove deep into Radford territory on its next possession, but Sunday — the son of Radford principal James Sunday — scooped up a fumble and rumbled 80 yards to extend the lead to 21-0 early in the second quarter.
"I saw the ball and I said ‘I gotta go get it.’ I picked it up and I just ran," Sunday said.
"I saw my guys blocking and I picked the right angle, the right lane and I got to the end zone."
The teams combined to four interceptions in the next five possessions. The exception in that stretch resulted in a safety for the Rams, who sacked Mark Lehrner in the end zone.
The lead grew to 30-0 on Faumui’s 11-yard run before Kalaheo (2-5, 2-4) got on the board when Lehrner found Nathan Hernandez open over the middle. Hernandez found a seam and outran the Radford secondary for an 88-yard touchdown.
Faumui’s 60-yard burst on the opening play of the second half set up Manabe’s 2-yard touchdown run and Thomas Reid, who also plays in the secondary, capped the scoring with a 10-yard reception from Quintin Iriarte.
