Record-setting day for Mizutani in loss

‘Iolani’s first season in Division I since the split in 2001 ended without a win in ILH play.

It didn’t end without a record-breaking performance.

Sophomore quarterback Tai-John Mizutani set an ILH Division I record with 485 passing yards in a game, but the Raiders couldn’t finish enough drives with touchdowns in a 39-24 loss to Kamehameha on Friday night in the season finale for both teams at Kozuki Stadium.

Kamehameha started its fourth different quarterback this season in senior Brett Yap, who threw for 247 yards and three touchdowns. Receiver Kumoku Noa caught two of them and finished with nine catches for 127 yards to become the seventh player all-time on Oahu to finish with 1,200 receiving yards in a season.

The Warriors are ranked fifth in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser Top 10, but saw their season come to an end with a 5-4 overall record and 2-4 mark in the ILH.

"We had a lot of guys that stepped up and played really well this year, but we just fell short in some close games," Kamehameha coach Doug Cosbie said. "It (Kamehameha’s ranking) doesn’t matter the way it’s all formatted. Punahou and Saint Louis are tough teams to beat and we made mistakes."

Kamehameha got the win to avoid its first losing season since 1992.

The Raiders finished 0-6 in league play and 2-7 overall despite Mizutani’s heroics.

The 6-foot sophomore is the first ‘Iolani quarterback to throw for more than 400 yards in a game and missed a receiver in the final seconds for a touchdown that would have broken PJ Minaya’s ILH record of 511 yards set in 2008 against Word of Life.

Mizutani completed 40 of 57 passes and had three receivers top 100 yards.

"I think Kamehameha has the best defensive line in the state and our offensive line gave me time to make reads, make throws and our receivers made excellent plays," Mizutani said.

Nick Kennedy (14 catches, 159 yards), Keoni-Kordell Makekau (11-169) and Conor Hannum (9-107) all caught touchdown passes from Mizutani, who was intercepted once.

Makekau, who also kicked a field goal, returned after missing the last game with a dislocated shoulder.

The three-year starter finishes his career fifth on the all-time receiving list with 167 catches for 2,457 yards and 22 touchdowns.

"I’m going to miss this. That’s all I can say," said an emotional Makekau, who has D-I offers from Navy, Washington State and Hawaii. "I never really started as a wide receiver before I played varsity football and I really learned a lot."

The Raiders took an early 9-0 lead before Kamehameha scored the next 31 points.

Noa took a quick slant 66 yards for the first Kamehameha touchdown and scored the Warriors’ final TD on a 23-yard pass from Yap.

The 6-foot, 180-pound receiver went over 100 yards receiving in all six ILH games despite playing with four different quarterbacks this season.

"I just try to play hard every play and do what the coaches tell me and play hard, even with our fourth-string quarterback," Noa said. "It’s not tough. It’s just getting in the rhythm first."

Kamehameha senior Fatu Sua-Godinet, who started at QB this season, had five catches for 110 yards and scored on a 72-yard reception and an 11-yard run.

Cosbie said junior Justice Young, who started the last three games at QB, could have played, but he elected to give the senior, Yap, a shot.

Sophomore Thomas Yam started three games before suffering a season-ending injury to his collarbone.

Mizutani’s 485 yards broke the ILH D-I record held by Saint Louis’ Jeremy Higgins, who threw for 484 yards in a 55-28 win over Kamehameha in 2008.