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The rain came, but it was basic math that made this a bone-crunching, ground-and-pound attack for No. 2 Mililani.
The Trojans rode their offensive line through a deluge of showers at Aloha Stadium on Saturday night, and running backs Jasiah Alcover and Malosi Sam combined for 212 rushing yards as Mililani outlasted No. 9 Kamehameha 34-0.
Mililani left guard Sergio Muasau said the Warriors’ defense made the emphasis on running logical.
“We didn’t know it was going to rain, but I think Coach (Rod York) called it because they ran a 4-1 box,” Muasau said. “So then, it’s going to be five on five all the time, it’s always going to be open.”
Alcover led with 124 yards on 18 carries, and Sam found the end zone on runs of 1 and 12 yards. Sam finished with 88 yards on 19 attempts.
This was a comeback of sorts for Sam, who returned from an ankle injury.
“I feel great. Coaches told us the game plan is to run the ball,” said Sam, who played at Saint Louis last year. “I love it when we run the ball a lot. The line, they do all the work for us. It’s like a broken A/C, you notice it when it’s not working.”
Mililani (6-0, 4-0 OIA Open) limited Kamehameha to 100 yards of total offense, including minus-7 rushing yards.
It was a game of ball control in the first half, but even when Kamehameha (1-4, 0-4 ILH Open) had opportunities to end the scoring drought, the ball simply squirted away in the falling rain. With less than five minutes left, Kiai Keone found Blaze Kamoku open on a post route near the goal line, but he took a hit and fumbled into the end zone, where Mililani’s Kamalu DeBlake recovered for a touchback.
With just a minute left, Kamehameha drove to the Mililani 1, but Keone lost the snap and the ball flew out of the scrum into the hands of Vaisen Viloria, who returned the football 99 yards for a TD.
Kamehameha mustered 7 yards of total offense in the first half against a stingy Mililani front seven. Mililani’s first two series ended with an interception and a turnover on downs, but the Trojans got on the scoreboard with an eight-play, 67-yard drive. Brendyn Agbayani’s 24-yard strike to Kanoa Gibson on play-action broke the ice with 2:37 to go in the opening quarter.
The Trojans also milked the clock with a steady dose of Alcover and Sam. Alcover rushed for 96 yards on 13 carries by halftime, and Sam barreled his way in for a 12-yard run that gave the defending OIA champions a 14-0 lead with 6:51 to go in the second quarter.
Mililani broke the game open with the opening series of the second half, driving 80 yards in just four plays. Agbayani connected with Gibson for a 21-yard pickup, and then a 30-yard TD to open the lead to 21-0 with 10:35 left in the third period.
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No. 2 Mililani 34, No. 9 Kamehameha 0
At Aloha Stadium
>> Mililani (5-0, 4-0) 7 7 7 13 — 34
>> Kamehameha (1-4, 0-4) 0 0 0 0 — 0
Mililani — Kanoa Gibson 24 pass from Brendyn Agbayani (Kaulana Navares kick)
Mililani — Malosi Sam 12 run (Navares kick)
Mililani — Gibson 30 pass from Agbayani (Navares kick)
Mililani — Sam 1 run (kick failed)
Mililani — Vaisen Viloria 99 fumble return (Navares kick)
RUSHING — Mililani: Jasiah Alcover 18-124, Bam Amina 2-3, Malosi Sam 19-88, Agbayani 3-(-27), team 1-(-1), Arena Sagapolutele 2-(-16). Kamehameha: Kawika Clemente 7-8, Andrew-Lee Smith 4-(-1), Kiai Keone 10-(-7), Tanner Moku 3-8, team 1-(-19), Skyler Ramos 1-4.
PASSING — Mililani: Brendyn Agbayani 11-24-2-163, Sagapolutele 1-2-0-6. Kamehameha: Keone 16-33-3-107.
RECEIVING — Mililani: Sam 1-0, Kanoa Gibson 5-94, Kai Banks 2-14, Alcover 1-11, Jarin Kalama 2-44, Amina 1-6. Kamehameha: Harrison Donato 2-17, Kalanikuikahi Lorenzo 1-2, Kahekili Pahio 1-5, Clemente 3-11, Ramos 5-17, Smith 1-22, Moku 1-1, Kainoa Doctor 1-10, Blaze Kamoku 1-22.
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