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Two weeks after setting a school record against Moanalua, Mililani running back Vavae Malepeai picked up the pace a notch early in a rematch with Na Menehune on Saturday.
Malepeai closed the regular season by rushing for 282 yards and five touchdowns against Moanalua on Oct. 2. He opened Saturday’s OIA Division I quarterfinal game by bolting for a 70-yard score on the game’s first play from scrimmage and went on to run for 203 yards and four touchdowns — in the first quarter.
By the time the first 12 minutes were up, Malepeai had added touchdown runs of 3, 46 and 44 yards and the Trojans were well on their way to a 48-13 win at John Kauinana Stadium.
Malepeai ended the night with 245 yards on 16 carries and Mililani (8-1) advanced to a semifinal matchup with Waianae on Friday at Aloha Stadium.
"A lot of the touchdowns I was untouched. Credit not only to the O-line but the skills, because the wideouts are blocking too," Malepeai said. "Football’s the ultimate team sport and it basically shows on the field every day."
Malepeai accumulated his first-quarter totals on just eight carries and his production took the pressure off of freshman quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who ran for a score and threw for another as the Trojans built a 42-0 lead in the first half.
In his first varsity start, Gabriel completed a 38-yard pass to Andrew Valesteres on his first throw of the night and connected on 12 of 22 attempts for 140 yards and two touchdowns, both to Kalakaua Timoteo.
Mililani coach Rod York said he made the decision to start Gabriel two days before the game. Sophomore Kaysen Higa, took over late in the third quarter.
"(Gabriel) still has to work on his accuracy, but for the first start, not bad," York said. "But it’s because of the guys around him. They rally around him."
Mililani, the top seed out of the OIA Blue, had a bye in the first round of the playoffs following a 60-36 win over Moanalua to close the regular season and controlled from the opening play on Saturday.
"Defensively we tried a few things differently, but they attacked it even better this time," Moanalua coach Jason Cauley said. "Whatever you do, they’re going to counter it, they’ve got too many weapons. … It’s just hard to stop them."
While Malepeai got Mililani rolling, Moanalua (4-6) struggled to find any soft spots in a Mililani defense that sacked Na Menehune quarterback Alakai Yuen six times in Moanalua’s first seven possessions while allowing just two first downs.
With Mililani up 42-0 late in the second quarter, Moanalua broke through with a 26-yard touchdown pass to Rodson Kealohi and recovered an onside kick. Yuen then connected with Kaimi Kinni on a 14-yard score with 16.9 seconds left in the second quarter.
But Mililani opened the third quarter with an interception by AJ Burris and Gabriel’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Timoteo capped the scoring.
"It starts up front — that’s where we feel like we’re strong. Both our O-line and our D-line," York said. "It definitely helps that Vae is there, but he got great blocking and Vae did his thing."
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