Hot start sparks Mililani over Moanalua

Mililani’s offense got off to a hot start in its first game in the post-Jarin Morikawa era and the sixth-ranked Trojans rolled to a 39-9 season-opening win over Moanalua on Friday night.

With Morikawa, the Trojans’ record-setting quarterback, completing his high school career last fall, Mililani’s ground game helped spark the win, as running back Vavae Malepeai finished off both of the Trojans’ first two possessions with 21-yard touchdown runs. Defensive lineman Blake Kondo returned an interception for a touchdown later in the first quarter and the Trojans jumped out to a 20-0 lead to take control.

Senior quarterback Robert Faleafine took the first snap for the Trojans and completed seven of his first eight attempts for 62 yards. He finished 12-for-20 for 113 yards.

Faleafine and sophomore McKenzie Milton alternated quarters as they continued the competition for the full-time job. Milton played most of the second quarter and passed for 39 yards and picked up 54 more on three scrambles. He threw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter and ended his night at 14-for-19 for 109 yards.

“A little sloppy, but it was partly my fault because I forced some things to work on other things,” Mililani coach Rod York said in assessing the Trojans’ performance overall.

“Rob did well, but he missed a couple throws. McKenzie came in and missed a couple reads. It’s an ongoing process.”

Mililani’s Ian Namu sparked the Trojans by returning the opening kickoff 46 yards to the Moanalua 44 and Malepeai got the Trojans started by juking his way past the Moanalua defense on his first score. he then bolted through a hole up the middle to give the Trojans a 13-0 lead. He finished with 74 yards on six carries.

The Trojans defense pushed the lead to 20-0 when Kondo intercepted an attempted screen pass in the backfield and took it back 15 yards for a score. The Trojans defense held Moanalua to 29 yards total offense in the first half.

Moanalua got on the scoreboard with a safety on an errant punt snap in the third quarter.

After Kainoa Wilson’s 12-yard touchdown run, Moanalua quarterback Micah Kaneshiro threw a touchdown pass to Donald Lambert in the fourth quarter. But Milton answered with scoring passes to Larry Baquiran and Christopher Wong.

Mililani will have a short week to prepare for Thursday’s interleague game against No. 2 Punahou, set for John Kauinana Stadium. Moanalua heads west to face Waianae in Week 2.

At Moanalua

Mil—Vavae Malepeai 21 run (Matt Ito kick)

Mil—Malepeai 21 run (kick failed)

Mil—Blake Kondo 13 interception return (Ito kick)

Moan—Safety, punter tackled in end zone

Mil—Kainoa Wilson 12 run (run failed)

Moan—Donald Lambert 20 pass from Micah Kaneshiro (Lambert kick)

Mil—Larry Baquiran 14 pass from McKenzie Milton (run failed)

Mil—Christopher Wong 20 pass from Milton (Ito kick)

RUSHING—Mil: Malepeai 6-74, Milton 4-57, Pakelo Lee 6-42, Dayton Furuta 6-29, K. Wilson 2-20, Bronsen Ader 1-6, Daruyen Narido 5-4, Robert Faleafine 1-(minus 2), Team 1-(minus 25). Moan: Rodson Kealohi 7-21, Chad Aragon 1-5, Stevie Feliciano 1-(minus 3), Donald Lambert 1-(minus 9), Micah Kaneshiro 7-(minus 35).

PASSING—Mil: Faleafine 12-20-0-113, Milton 14-20-1-109. Moan: Kaneshiro 16-35-3-127.

RECEIVING—Mil: Ader 8-66, K. Wilson 6-46, Larry Baquiran 3-33, Khalil Stevens 2-6, Wong 1-20, Tyler Hill 1-11, Ty Purcell 1-11, Gabriel Wilson 1-11, Kalakaua Timoteo 1-8, Malepeai 1-6, Ryan Reedy 1-4. Moan: Lambert 5-35, Chad Aragon 4-23, Kealohi 2-13, Kyle Bender 2-12, Jason Sharsh 1-19, Kendrick Wright 1-16, Feliciano 1-9.

JV—Moanalua 21, Mililani 20