Iosepa Lyman scored the tying and go-ahead touchdowns as Punahou rallied for a hard-earned 21-14 win over Mililani on Saturday night in the nonconference opener for both teams.
Lyman fumbled on a Punahou drive in the first half, but more than made up for it with a 1-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, followed shortly by an 18-yard pass from quarterback Ty McCutcheon to lift the visitors to a 21-14 lead late in the third quarter.
“Halftime, all the comfort the boys and coaches give me really helps me just flush it and move on. The main ones are my O-line and my running backs coach,” said Lyman, who had three targets for incompletions before hauling in his TD pass.
Punahou coach Nate Kia and his staff found a way to keep Mililani’s potent offense under some level of control.
“We did give up some big plays, we certainly did. It’s the first game and we’re kind of ironing out things offensively and defensively. We’re both going to get better from here. That was a heck of a game,” Kia said. “Kini (McMillian of Mililani) is a good leader and a good QB. You have to be prepared to defend the whole field against a guy like that.”
Ko‘o Kia was part of a relentless, blitzing defensive scheme for the Buffanblu.
“We were starting to get some pressure in the first half. We smelled that blood and went for it,” the linebacker said. “Our DBs really stepped up and started tackling in that fourth quarter. That was big. Donte Utu is a great player. Dillon Kellner did good. Aiden Takuma, all the DBs did good.
The Trojans had a different approach off the field, with coach and offensive coordinator Rod York in the press box instead of on the sideline. After years of coaching and running the offense from the sideline, he began to go to the press box during the 2022 playoffs. He was aghast with what he saw on Saturday night, particularly on a 74-yard touchdown run by punter Davyn Joseph that was called back.
“We have the technology now, Hudl, so we can see every play. The punt that went down. We didn’t block anybody, so I don’t know how he’s holding or blocking in the back or whatever they want to call it.”
Mililani drove 60 yards in 10 plays on its first series, scoring on a fourth-and-long toss to the left corner from McMillan to Makel Paiva for a touchdown.
Mililani was deliberate between plays, letting the play clock run down each time. Constant penalties, including five illegal procedure calls, bogged down the Trojans offense, however. After a Davyn Joseph coffin-corner punt pinned Punahou at its 5-yard line, the Buffanblu needed just two snaps to tie the game. McCutcheon spiraled a bullet down the right sideline to Astin Hange, who shook off a defender and raced home for a 93-yard touchdown. That tied the game at 7-all with 7:08 left in the first half.
Mililani’s offense took on a sense of urgency as McMillan orchestrated a nine-play, 80-yard march — penalty free — and ran the ball in from 3 yards out to give the home team a 14-7 lead with 1:43 remaining before halftime.
Punahou drove to the Mililani 32-yard line, but Lyman fumbled and Mililani linebacker Aizik Mahuka recovered with 42 seconds to go in the half.
Lyman made up for the turnover by blasting over the goal line for a 1-yard touchdown on Punahou’s opening series of the second half. That tied it at 14 with 8:44 left in the third quarter.
Mililani came up with a stunning 76-yard TD run by the punter Joseph on a broken play, eluding a heavy punt-block rush, but it was called back by an illegal-block penalty. Punahou seized momentum with a nine-play, 73-yard scoring drive. On third and 9, McCutcheon found Lyman wide open on the left sideline for an 18-yard touchdown. Punahou led 21-14 with 1:54 left in the third stanza.
Punahou melted time off the clock with a deliberate ground attack, but Mahuka came up big again with an interception at the Mililani 25-yard line, returning it to near mid-field. That gave Mililani possession with 7:30 remaining.
At the most crucial time, the penalty bugaboo hit the Trojans. First, a procedure call. McMillan scrambled for a first down, but holding was called. Before the next snap, unsportsmanlike penalty was called, followed by delay of game.
Everything turned, again when Punahou muffed a punt return at the Buffanblu 20-yard line with 4:08 to go. McMillan found Isaiah Padello for a completion at the Punahou 10, but the Trojans went backward on back-to-back sacks. On fourth-and-goal from the 29-yard line, McMillan escaped the first pass rusher, but linebacker Ko‘o Kia brought him down to end the series with 2:44 remaining.
Mililani got the ball back at its 15-yard line and 22 seconds left. The Trojans drove to Punahou 37-yard line, and McMillan found Onosai Salanoa open at the 12, but he was cornered and tackled as time expired.
The Buffanblu came into the contest with a three-game win streak over the Trojans, including a 52-24 victory over the Trojans last season. Mililani last beat Punahou in 2014, 53-45 at Aloha Stadium in the state championship final.
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Punahou 21, Mililani 14
At ’Iolani
Punahou 0 7 14 0 — 21
Mililani 7 7 0 0 — 14
Mil—Makel Paiva 17 pass from Treston McMillan (Sarae kick)
Pun—Astin Hange 93 pass from Ty McCutcheon (Beard kick)
Mil—McMillan 3 run (Lyric Sarae kick)
Pun—Iosepa Lyman 1 run (Carson Beard kick)
Pun—Lyman 18 pass from McCutcheon (Beard kick)
RUSHING—Punahou: Alai Williams 18-72, John Luke Twigg 4-7, Lyman 3-1, McCutcheon 3-(minus 5). Mililani: Nakoa Kahana-Travis 8-22, Davyn Joseph 1-18, McMillan 11-(minus 16).
PASSING—Punahou: McCutcheon 14-24-1-258. Mililani: McMillan 24-33-0-240.
RECEIVING—Punahou: Hange 7-192, Zion White 3-25, Lyman 2-30, Nelson Aau 2-11. Mililani: Paiva 7-63, Onosai Salanoa 5-47, Derek Tsuchiyama 3-31, Kahana-Travis 3-4, Joseph 2-35, Lehiwa Kahana-Travis 2-27, Kanoa Ferriera 1-23, Isaiah Padello 1-10.
