After the opening 12 minutes, Moanalua looked like the top-10 team, while Mililani seemed unworthy of its preseason No. 6 ranking.
By the time halftime rolled around, nothing was further from the truth.
Kaimi Wilson caught two touchdown passes from Jarin Morikawa, including a 54-yard score with no time left on the clock in the first half, to help the Trojans defeat host Moanalua 36-7 on Friday night in the preseason opener for both teams.
Wilson, a converted safety, hauled in nine receptions for 185 yards, helping Mililani score 36 unanswered points after Na Menehune controlled the first quarter.
"Just a hitch and go and I gave it my all," Wilson said. "It’s the route I was supposed to run and Jarin got the ball to me."
Morikawa, charged with the task of replacing Trent McKinney, now a freshman at Montana, finished 16-for-31 for 242 yards, two touchdowns and a pick.
The Trojans’ offense was outscored by its defense and special teams, which came up with three touchdowns.
Dakota Turner recovered a punt blocked by Justin Revilla in the end zone in the first half, and senior captains Cilvin Steward and Jonathan Makaiau returned interceptions for touchdowns in the second half.
"It’s a preseason game and we sat back and said, ‘hey, try beat us underneath,’ " Mililani coach Rod York said. "The score wasn’t an indication of how things went because we started off down and just had some big plays go our way."
Moanalua scored first when Dillon Turk, who threw the ball 32 times in the first half, hit Marciano Tauvela for an 8-yard touchdown pass midway through the first quarter.
Mililani bounced back to take a 13-7 lead and delivered the decisive blow when Wilson hauled in a pass with no time left on the clock and stretched the ball over the goal line before his knee hit the ground to put the Trojans up 20-7 at half.
"We knew he was always a receiver and decided to move him over because we need some playmakers in this offense," York said.
After controlling the opening quarter, turnovers did Na Menehune in.
Three different quarterbacks combined to throw four interceptions, and a blocked punt helped do Moanalua in.
"Lots of mental mistakes," Moanalua coach Arnold Martinez said. "Mililani’s got a lot of good players, tough team, but for us, shoot, special teams we have a lot of work to do.
"But we’ll get at it and come back next week and get better."
Mililani (1-0) |
0 |
20 |
6 |
10 |
— |
36 |
Moanalua (0-1) |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
— |
7 |
Moan–Marciano Tauvela 8 pass from Dillon Turk (Lee Arakawa kick)
Mil–Kaimi Wilson 37 pass from Jarin Morikawa (kick failed)
Mil–Dakota Turner recovered blocked punt in end zone (Ryan Tokunaga kick)
Mil–Wilson 54 pass from Morikawa (Tokunaga kick)
Mil–Cilvin Steward 21 interception return (kick failed)
Mil–FG Tokunaga 30
Mil–Jonathan Makaiau 27 interception return (Tokunaga kick)
RUSHING–Mililani: DJ Ota 5-20, Kamalii Olayan-Keawe 3-16, Kaimi Andres-Kamakau 11-6, Colton-Ray Dayacos-Keawe 1-1, Rayce Rojas 1-0, Akana Arquette 1-(minus 1), Deshawn Duncan-Benson 1-(minus 2), Taylor Dacuag 1-(minus 2), Bruno Ramos 1-(minus 10), Morikawa 3-(minus 13), Ryan Reedy 1-(minus 18), TEAM 1-(minus 26). Moanalua: Christian Akana 6-18, Hardy Tautolo 1-8, Jon-Michael Sharsh 2-8, Turk 7-3, Kaleo Yanai 2-(minus 4).
PASSING–Mililani: Morikawa 16-31-1-242. Moanalua: Turk 21-43-3-141, Akana 1-2-0-6, Maxwell FIatoa 1-5-1-5.
RECEIVING–Mililani: Wilson 9-185, Preston Sinn 3-37, Duncan-Benson 2-1, Dustin Camarillo 1-16, Ramos 1-3. Moanalua: Akana 8-43, Tauvela 5-35, Chad Aragon 3-22, Sharsh 3-11, Anthony Bowen 2-34, Sheldon Pagba 1-4, Yanai 1-3.
Junior varsity–Moanalua 47, Mililani 22
Kapolei 54, Pearl City 0
The Hurricanes blew out the Chargers, rushing for 229 yards with five touchdowns, plus two fumble recoveries.
Kapolei’s Darrius Lopez racked up 13 carries for 58 yards, while quarterback Brandon Cambra threw for 78 yards and a touchdown.
Pearl City’s Kaimi Paredes threw for 103 yards, but gave up three interceptions.
At Kapolei
Pearl City (0-1) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
— |
0 |
Kapolei (1-0) |
7 |
21 |
7 |
19 |
— |
54 |
Kapo–Darrius Lopez 4 run (Demiana Gerber kick)
Kapo–Brandon Cambra 5 run (Gerber kick)
Kapo–Preston Wallace-Williams 25 pass from Cambra (Gerber kick)
Kapo–Dylan Keomaka 15 run (Gerber kick)
Kapo–Jacob Kukahiko 1 run (Gerber kick)
Kapo–Amana Leong 55 fumble recovery (kick failed)
Kapo–Keomaka 20 fumble recovery (kick failed)
Kapo–Kaeo Kanoa 32 run (Gerber kick)
RUSHING–Pearl City: Chayse Biven 2-13, Kaimi Paredes 14-11, Rakeel McMillian 1-8, TEAM 2-(-1), Dominic 2-(-3), Angel Aponte 2-(-3). Kapolei: Lopez 13-58, Keomaka 2-47, Kaeo Kanoa 3-42, Cambra 7-36, Kukahiko 4-30, Mana Reis 1-8, Denzel Davis 1-3, Micah Paris 1-3, Mitchell Moses 1-2, Keanu Kaina 1-0.
PASSING–Pearl City: Paredes 9-24-3-102; Aponte 0-1-0-0. Kapolei: Cambra 7-15-0-78.
RECEIVING–Pearl City: Daicorri Briscoe 3-85, David Laranol 2-11, McMillian 1-7, Tristin Kamaka 1-4, Shawn Lopez 1-(-2), Dominic 1-(-3). Kapolei: Devin Jenkins 2-40, Wallace-Williams 2-30, Reis 2-5, Davis 1-3.
Junior varsity–Pearl City 7, Kapolei 6
Campbell 68, Waipahu 0
Solomon Leaeno dominated on defense, scoring twice on interceptions as the Sabers routed the Marauders.
Justin Pago threw three touchdowns for Campbell.
At Waipahu
Campbell (1-0) |
21 |
21 |
19 |
7 |
— |
68 |
Waipahu (0-1) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
— |
0 |
Camp–Aries Pihi 32 pass Justin Pago (Jaelan Subia-Etrata kick)
Camp–Solomon Leaeno 16 interception return (Subia-Etrata kick)
Camp–Keoni Piceno 19 pass from Pago (Subia-Etrata kick)
Camp–Triston Bega-Pebria 5 run (Subia-Etrata kick)
Camp–Piceno 55 pass from Pago (Subia-Etrata kick)
Camp–Isaac Hurd 1 run (Subia-Etrata kick)
Camp–Pago 70 pass Hurd (Subia-Etrata kick)
Camp— Leaeno 25 interception return (kick failed)
Camp–Hurd 15 run (Subia-Etrata kick)
Camp–Paul-Andrew Rhoden 72 run (Subia-Etrata kick)
Individual statistics not reported.
McKinley 14, Castle 0
The Tigers rushed for 140 yards and found the end zone twice to defeat the Knights.
McKinley’s defense held Castle to just 23 rushing yards in the shutout.
At Castle
McKinley (1-0) |
7 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
— |
14 |
Castle (0-1) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
— |
0 |
Scoring summary and individual statistics not reported.
Also
Kamehameha-Hawaii 31, Kauai 28
Honokaa 19, Hilo 13
Kaiser def. Nanakuli, forfeit