Milton’s return sparks Mililani runaway

The defending state champs have their quarterback back.

Reigning All-State offensive player of the year McKenzie Milton returned from a four-game absence due to a shoulder injury to throw for 262 yards and three touchdowns in Mililani’s 62-18 win over Hilo on Friday night in the Division I opening round of the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Football State Championships at Aloha Stadium.

A modest crowd of 3,146 witnessed Trojans senior Vavae Malepeai rush for 127 yards and two touchdowns on the ground for the Trojans (10-2), who will face ILH champion Saint Louis in a highly anticipated semifinal game in the nightcap of next Friday’s doubleheader at Aloha Stadium.

Top seed Kahuku and Waianae, which beat Baldwin 21-6 in the first game Friday, will play in the first semifinal.

"Any time you get your leader back, it always feels good," Mililani coach Rod York said. "Let’s just say we missed him. Hilo is a great team and they gave us some trouble in the beginning. McKenzie came in and sparked our guys with some good throws."

Milton completed 14 of his 19 passes and threw one interception. He didn’t attempt to run once despite entering the game with 1,740 career rushing yards.

Mililani didn’t need him to. The Trojans’ 62-point total is the second-highest by a team in a state tournament game. Only Saint Louis (63-10 over Waianae in a 2000 semifinal) has scored more.

"I’m extremely grateful to be back and to have made a speedy recovery," Milton said. "The trainers did a good job getting me loose. (Playing Saint Louis) next week will be like a championship game. It’s do or die. They have a really tough offense and play hard on defense. We’ll have a good game plan and be ready to play."

Although he played a lot, Milton began the game on the sideline as Mililani started its fourth different quarterback this season. Freshman Cy Kuboyama-Hayashi — called up from the junior varsity team after another freshman, Dillon Gabriel, broke his collarbone last week — played the first series.

Milton came in for the second drive and led the Trojans on a 98-yard jaunt, finding Kalakaua Timoteo for a 12-yard score and a 7-0 lead.

The Vikings (7-5) turned the ball over on consecutive plays and the Trojans took advantage with two scores in three plays.

Malepeai, who left the game midway through the second quarter with a shoulder stinger, scored on runs of 19 and 2 yards to give him 70 career rushing touchdowns.

"I’ve never felt something like that. I’ve never had a shoulder injury," Malepeai said. "I just landed wrong. Over the weekend it’s going to be OK."

Mililani turned the ball over twice in the first half, on a fumble by Malepeai and an interception by Hilo’s Dallas Mata, who picked off Milton on a deep throw down the middle of the field.

Mililani’s defense held both times and the Trojans increased their lead on Milton’s 10-yard TD toss to Makana Tauai.

Defensive end Kaimana Padello forced a three-and-out with a third-down sack and Kuboyama-Hayashi threw his first career touchdown pass on a 43-yard screen to Tauai.

Bryson Ventura capped the first-half scoring on a 4-yard slant from Kuboyama-Hayashi to give Mililani a 41-0 edge at the break.

Milton played one series in the second half and threw a 69-yard touchdown pass to Ventura, who did most of the work. Ventura took a short pass to the right and cut back inside, outracing the Hilo defense to the other side of the field for the eventual score.

It was the 80th career touchdown pass in 33 games for Milton.

Ventura had 85 yards receiving, while Tauai had six catches for 109 yards and Timoteo finished with eight receptions for 87 yards.

Kuboyama-Hayashi was 7-for-8 for 76 yards and two scores.

Hilo quarterback Ka’ale Tiogangco threw two second-half touchdown passes and scored on a 75-yard run with 41 seconds remaining.

Tiogangco, a junior, finished 14-for-30 for 182 yards. Hilo amassed 351 total yards, while Mililani rolled up 576.

"We came out and we competed," Hilo coach Kaeo Drummondo said. "It doesn’t feel good to come out on the short end of the stick, but that’s a terrific team we were going against.

"It’s great that we got back (to the state tournament), but it’s getting old that we can’t crack through."

The 80 combined points were the fourth-most in state tournament history.

Mililani 62, Hilo 18

Mil–Kalakaua Timoteo 12 pass from McKenzie Milton (Isaiah Kuloloia kick)

Mil–Vavae Malepeai 19 run (Kuloloia kick)

Mil–Malepeai 2 run (Kuloloia kick)

Mil–Makana Tauai 10 pass from Milton (Kuloloia kick)

MI–Tauai 43 pass from Cy Kuboyama-Hayashi (kick failed)

Mil–Bryson Ventura 5 pass from Kuboyama-Hayashi (Kuloloia kick)

Mil–Ventura 69 pass from Milton (Kuloloia kick)

Hilo–Ke’aho Kaawa-Wilson 11 pass from Ka’ale Tiogangco (pass failed)

Mil–Nicholas Culp 5 run (Kuloloia kick)

Hilo–Isaac Lerma 26 pass from Tiogangco (pass failed)

Mil–Fabian Johnson-Slay 29 run (Kuloloia kick)

Hilo–Tiogangco 75 run (pass failed)

RUSHING–Hilo: Tiogangco 11-111, Pono Landford 8-26, Lerma 7-25, Kalei Tolentino-Perry 1-8 Kore Ohumukini 2-4, Malu Lapiliio 1-0, Kahale Huddleston 1-(-5). Mililani: Malepeai 12-127, Tauai 5-21, Culp 9-62, Johnson-Slay 1-29, Kingston Maae 1-(-1).

PASSING–Hilo: Tiogangco 14-30-1-182. Mililani: Milton 14-19-1-262, Kuboyama-Hayashi 7-8-0-76.

RECEIVING–Hilo: Lucas Kuipers 2-26, Tolentino-Perry 2-17, Ka’onohi’okala Boteilho 2-28, Kaawa-Wilson 2-23, Lapiliio 1-27, Lerma 1-26, Josiah Factora 1-12, Joe Pagan, 1-12, Ikaika Kamahele 1-6, Huddleston 1-5. Mililani: Timoteo 8-87, Tauai 6-109, Ventura 3-85, Rico Sallas 3-54, Keli Clemente 1-3.

Attendance: 3,146