Leilehua wins thriller over Hilo to advance

Keaau >> Kona Andres powered his way for a 7-yard touchdown run with 6:07 left to give Leilehua a 26-25 win over Hilo on Friday night at Keaau High School field.

Leilehua (5-7) advanced to the semifinal round of the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Division I Football State Championships and will meet rival Mililani.

Hilo was on the verge of becoming the first Big Island Interscholastic Federation team to win a D-I state-tourney game after 17 defeats, but the Vikings couldn’t protect a 15-point lead.

“I’m excited and proud for our guys. It started with the O-line and Kalika (Anderson Seumanutafa Bryant) and the rest of our running backs, getting their footing on this field,” Leilehua coach Nolan Tokuda said of the soggy footing.

Anderson Seumanutafa Bryant, a 250-pound reserve running back, helped turn the tide with some key runs for first downs after Leilehua fell behind.

The visiting Mules spoiled a 216-yard rushing performance by Hilo junior Kahale Huddleston. Hilo finished with 428 yards of total offense to Leilehua’s 363, but the Mules proved to be clutch. On the winning drive, Andres (168 passing yards, two TDs) suffered a bad bruise to his shin as he picked up 14 yards, and then 16 yards during the crucial drive. He was down for a minute, left the game and then returned after one play.

After a Hilo holding penalty — yellow flags hurt the Vikings in the second half — Andres ran out of an empty backfield to the left, broke around end through two tacklers and dragged a third with him to the goal line. He reached out with the ball in two hands over the line for the TD.

“It was my team,” he said after the game in tears. “I did it for them.”

Hilo had time to drive for a potential go-ahead score and worked the football down to the Leilehua 21. On fourth-and-3 at the 21, Hilo ran down the clock, called time out and sent Kaleihalia Tolentino-Perry — who was 2-for-2 — out for a 39-yard field-goal attempt, But it was blocked by Damion Scandrick with just over a minute left.

Hilo had just one time out left, and Leilehua sat in victory formation to run out the clock.

It was a proper homecoming for Scandrick, who attended Keaau before moving to Oahu.

“My teammate Po‘okela (Banis Chun) picked up two blockers,” Scandrick explained. “That’s how I got through.”

For Hilo, it was a play that negated an otherwise heroic performance by senior quarterback Ka‘ale Tiogangco. He returned from an injury to spark the Vikings.

“For two days of actual practice, he did as well as we could’ve hoped,” Hilo coach Kaeo Drummondo said. “I feel dejected for our kids, but you’ve got to give credit to their coaching staff and players for executing.”