No. 1 Kahuku blitzes No. 3 Mililani in second half to earn top seed in OIA Open playoffs

The only thing that drew bigger cheers on this night was the senior dance.

No. 1 Kahuku claimed the top seed in the OIA Open Division on Saturday with a 29-17 homecoming win over No. 3 Mililani before a packed house at Carleton E. Weimer Field.

Kahuku did its haka after the game, then celebrated its seniors as they did a choreographed five-minute dance that drew the biggest screams of the night.

The Red Raiders finished regular-season play 6-0 (8-2 overall) and will host fourth seed Kapolei in the playoffs on Saturday.

Mililani (6-3, 5-1) will entertain third seed Campbell at John Kauinana Stadium on Friday.

“They’re loaded with talent. They have great coaching and great heart. It’s not often you’ll see a 300-pound defensive tackle track down our running back from behind,” Mililani coach Rod York said. “They’re bringing the heat and we call the screen, and we only get 3 yards. We made a few mental mistakes. Our turnovers turned into points for them. We got three (points) when we needed seven.”

Kahuku trailed 9-7 in the third quarter, but broke the game open with big plays, including a 58-yard pick-six by Brock Fonoimoana.

“Our coaches told me to drive back. It was in our game plan,” Fonoimoana said. “I got a nice block from Aiden (Manutai). I’m excited for the playoffs.”

That capped a string of three unanswered touchdowns, and after Zayden Mariteragi’s field goal, the home team led 29-9 in the fourth quarter. After Mililani scored late on a punt return by Raymond Roller, starting QB Waika Crawford and RB Va’aimalae Fonoti returned to close the night out.

Kahuku had Mililani QB Kini McMillan on the move all game long, sacking him four times. He still tallied 259 yards (24-for-31) through the air.

“We want to make sure we finish the game right. Our game plan was solid. Keep them contained, control the clock, control the ball,” Kahuku coach Sterling Carvalho said.

Led by Fonoti’s 97 rushing yards and two TDs, Kahuku finished with 199 yards on 33 carries.

After a punt on Mililani’s game-opening series, Kahuku drove 89 yards in 11 plays, overcoming a first-and-26 after a holding call near midfield. A 20-yard catch by Fonoimoana on third-and-17 kept the drive alive. Fonoti bulldozed over the goal line out of the wildcat formation from 1 yard out with 1:54 left in the first quarter.

Mililani answered with a 10-play, 76-yard drive, benefiting from three encroachment penalties by the home team. McMillan found Salanoa open three times in a row, connecting for an 11-yard TD in the left corner of the end zone. The PAT kick was wide left, and Mililani was within 7-6 with 10:17 to go in the first half.

Kahuku drove to the Mililani 5-yard line, but on fourth-and-1 with Fonoti at wildcat QB, he dropped the snap, picked it up and was stuffed for no gain with 5:29 left in the first half.

Mililani got out of its own end zone with a 36-yard strike from McMillan to Davyn Joseph. When the drive stalled and McMillan punted out of the shotgun, Kainoa Carvalho was positioned to return the punt for Kahuku. It was his first game appearance in nearly two months due to an ankle fracture.

Kahuku drove to the Mililani 31-yard line and had a TD pass from Crawford to Fonoimoana wiped out by a holding penalty with nine seconds remaining in the half.

Kahuku opened the second half with a turnover on its first play from scrimmage. Kayden Anzaldo dove for a deflected pass by Crawford and came up with the interception at the Kahuku 40-yard line. Mililani took the lead on a 24-yard field goal by Makel Paiva with 7:15 left in the third quarter.

Kahuku drove 85 in nine plays to pay dirt. Crawford’s 32-yard strike to Kache Kaio on a post route gave the lead back to Kahuku. The 2-point conversion pass failed, and it was 13-9 with three minutes left in the third stanza.

On the next play from scrimmage, Manutai picked off a pass by McMillan intended for Salanoa. After an unsportsmanlike conduct flag, Kahuku had the ball at the Mililani 35-yard line.

Fonoti and his bulldozing linemen went to work. He picked up 19 yards, dragging tacklers all the way to the 16-yard line. Two plays later, Fonoti scored on an 8-yard run to the left. After a missed PAT kick, Kahuku led 19-9 with 1:15 to go in the third.

The Trojans gained some momentum back on a tremendous escape by McMillan, who found a diving Joseph for a 32-yard gain. On the next play, however, Fonoimoana picked a McMillan pass and returned it 58 yards to pay dirt. Kahuku led 26-9 with eight seconds left in the third stanza.

The third period ended with Liona Lefau sacking McMillan, who collapsed untouched under the a massive rush.

Kahuku added a 26-yard field goal by Mariteragi for a 20-point lead with 7:37 remaining.

Roller’s 74-yard punt return down the right sideline gave the Trojans their first touchdown since the second quarter. His 2-point run on a reverse cut the lead to 29-17 with 2:29 to go.

———

NO. 1 KAHUKU 29, NO. 3 MILILANI 17

At Carleton E. Weimer Field

Mililani (6-3, 5-1) 0 6 3 8 — 17

Kahuku (8-2, 6-0) 7 0 19 3 — 29

Kah—Va’aimalae Fonoti 1 run (Zayden Mariteragi kick)

Mil—Onosa’i Salanoa 11 pass from Kini McMillan (kick failed)

Mil—FG Makel Paiva 24

Kah—Kache Kaio 32 pass from Waika Crawford (pass failed)

Kah—Fonoti 8 run (kick failed)

Kah—Brock Fonoimoana 58 interception return (Mariteragi kick)

Kah—FG Mariteragi 26

Mil—Raymond Roller 74 punt return (Roller run)

RUSHING—Mililani: Nakoa Kahana-Travis 1-4, McMillan 4-(minus 30). Kahuku: Fonoti 18-97, Crawford 7-63, Lamana Tapusoa 4-18, Kaimana Carvalho 1-14, Keona Poouahi-MacPherson 2-12, TEAM 1-(minus 5).

PASSING—Mililani: McMillan 24-31-2-259. Kahuku: Crawford 10-20-0-139, Sitani Suguturaga 0-1-0-0.

RECEIVING—Mililani: Davyn Joseph 6-98, Derek Tsuchiyama 7-76, Salanoa 7-61, Sisco Kaleopaa-Ancheta 1-8, Kahana-Travis 1-7, Paiva 1-5, Roller 1-3. Kahuku: Carvalho 4-49, Manulele Ah You 2-43, Fonoimoana 2-28, Fonoti 1-16, Poouahi-MacPherson 1-(minus 6).

Junior Varsity—Mililani 21, Kahuku 18