With electricity problems plaguing No. 8 Moanalua’s football stadium, Na Menehune tried daytime football Saturday and brought their own juice.
With senior quarterback Nick Au throwing seven touchdown strikes, Moanalua showed off its crisp offense in the toasty, midday conditions and tuned up for next week’s playoffs by steamrolling Nanakuli 56-6 in the regular-season finale. Defensively, Na Menehune (8-0, 7-0 OIA D-I) imposed their will on the Golden Hawks, holding them to 116 scrimmage yards.
“We tried to play at a high level and a high tempo,” Moanalua coach Savaii Eselu said afterward. “Nanakuli’s a great squad and we wanted to make sure we did one last polish going into the playoffs.”
One lost fumble and one blown pass coverage were the only two discernible mistakes Moanalua made, with the latter leading to Nanakuli’s only touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Au played just three quarters, finishing with 385 passing yards and connecting with seven receivers for TDs — Ezra Grace, Javon Monico, Keanu Kekawa, Rudy Kealohi, Tim Ungacta, Drayden Von Oelhoffen and Jacob Richmond. Five of the TD passes — for 67, 61, 59, 51 and 40 yards — were big-gainers.
“We just listen to all our coaches and they tell us to do what we gotta do,” said Na Menehune cornerback Trequan Henderson, who capped the day’s scoring with a 65-yard kickoff return. “Now we’re in the playoffs and we gotta make sure we don’t do anything stupid. It’s really important because it can be one and done. If we lose, there’s no more playoffs.”
Moanalua led 35-0 at halftime and the mercy-rule running clock kicked in after the break.
Gavin Vea-Flint’s 20-yard TD reception on a pass from Lexsen Kunukau put the only points on the board for the Golden Hawks (0-10, 0-7). Kunukau is a converted wide receiver playing quarterback in place of injured starter Charles Hauhio.
“Moanalua is a well-coached, well-rounded team,” Nanakuli coach Kili Watson said. “We’ve had a rough season, but credit to the boys on this team. Every single week they come back fighting and don’t give up.”
Na Menehune move on to play Castle next week in the OIA D-I quarterfinals. Due to the electricity problem at their home field, the game will be played at a neutral field to be determined.
“We’re not sure where, but anywhere, anytime, we’ll show up and play,” Eselu said. “It could have been here. That’s why we played in the day. And it was perfect … we get a sunset now.”
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GAME SUMMARY
No. 8 Moanalua 56, Nanakuli 6
At Moanalua
>> Nanakuli (0-10, 0-7) 0 0 0 6 — 6
>> Moanalua (8-0, 7-0) 21 21 7 7 — 56
Moanalua — Ezra Grace 40 pass from Nick Au (run failed)
Moanalua — Javon Monico 22 pass from Au (Luke Palaylay kick)
Moanalua — Keanu Kekawa 59 pass from Au (Drayden Von Oelhoffen pass from Au)
Moanalua — Rudy Kealohi 20 pass from Au (Palaylay kick)
Moanalua — Tim Ungacta 5 pass from Au (Palaylay kick)
Moanalua — Von Oelhoffen 61 pass from Au (Palaylay kick)
Moanalua — Jacob Richmond 67 pass from Au (Palaylay kick)
Nanakuli — Gavin Vea-Flint 20 pass from Lexsen Kunukau (run failed)
Moanalua — Trequan Henderson 65 kickoff return (Griffin Motas kick)
RUSHING — Nanakuli: Holbin Cash-Meyers 13-60, Kaeo Aipia-Flood 5-11, Kunukau 15-6, Aalona Aleka 4-2. Moanalua: Au 5-26, Monico 1-16, Lawsen Lee 3-14, Makana Spencer 2-(minus-1), Cruz Day 1-(minus-3), Taylor Manlapit 1-(minus-5), TEAM 1-(minus-13), Kealohi 2-(minus-15).
PASSING — Nanakuli: Kunukau 2-5-0-37. Moanalua: Au 13-18-0-385.
RECEIVING — Nanakuli: Vea-Flint 1-20, Aipia-Flood 1-17. Moanalua: Von Oelhoffen 2-112, Grace 2-47, Monico 2-38, Kealohi 2-33, Richmond 1-67, Kekawa 1-59, Spencer 1-15, Lee 1-9, Ungacta 1-5.
* JV — Moanalua 27, Nanakuli 14
