Punahou’s Perfect

The phrase "unfinished business" popped up at various points in Punahou’s season.

After coming up short in the state tournament final the previous two years, the Buffanblu took care of business Saturday night at Aloha Stadium — but not before having to survive an anxious fourth quarter in the Division I final of the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA State Championship.

After Punahou built a 20-point lead early in the final period, Mililani charged back with two trick plays to close to within six with 3:53 left in the game. But an interception by Joseph Augafa sealed a 28-22 win as the Buffanblu completed an undefeated season by capturing the program’s second state title before a crowd of 20,934.

"It’s great for our program, it’s great for the kids and coaches. They’ve worked so hard and they’ve come so close the past couple years, it was very difficult," Punahou coach Kale Ane said. "So I’m very grateful for our seniors and coaching staff and our kids and school, because they’ve put up with a lot of heartbreak and to finish it tonight against a great Mililani team really makes it satisfying."

Making its third consecutive appearance in the state final, Punahou (11-0) added to the title the Manti Te’o and Cayman Shutter-led Buffanblu captured in 2008.

The outcome also provided a crowning achievement on the career of Buffanblu quarterback Larry Tuileta. The senior completed 16 of 29 passes for 265 yards and three touchdowns in his final high school game and claimed the state title that had eluded him as a sophomore and junior.

"It feels awesome finally getting the victory," said Tuileta, who threw scoring passes to Trent Sitar, Kanawai Noa and Dakota Torres as Punahou built a 21-0 first-half lead. "The third time is the charm and I couldn’t have done it without everyone else."

"I miss him," Ane said moments after the game. "I feel great for him, but I’ll miss him and it’s going to be difficult to replace him."

As Tuileta did in 2011, Mililani sophomore McKenzie Milton helped lead the Trojans to the season’s final game in his first varsity season. Milton went 20-for-35 for 127 yards and threw Mililani’s first touchdown pass with 16 seconds left in the second quarter.

But the Trojans’ final two scores came from the arm of receiver Kainoa Wilson, who twice pulled up after taking a handoff and fired downfield to a wide-open Bronson Ramos. The first went for 36 yards and cut Punahou’s lead to 28-15 with 10:45 left in the game.

Mililani coach Rod York called the same play later in the fourth quarter with the same result, the connection this time going for 62 yards to bring the Trojans within six at the 3:53 mark.

"We practiced it, so I was pretty confident it would work," Wilson said. "The second time I was a little sketchy at first, but (Milton) told me just believe in it and Bronson made a hell of a catch.

"We’re brothers, we never did give up on each other and never will and that was the mentality right there."

The Mililani defense stopped Punahou on fourth-and-1 to regain possession at the Trojans’ 46 with two minutes left. But Augafa came down with the clinching interception, allowing the Buffanblu to finally start their celebration.

"It’s just a rush of all kinds of feelings, excitement, happiness, sadness, all of it," Augafa said.

"I have nightmares already," Ane said of the conclusion. "(The Trojans) were great; we had to come up and stop the run and they took advantage of that. But our defense hung in when they had to and made some great plays."

Mililani, the OIA Red champion, ended the season at 12-2, both losses coming against Punahou, which bookended its run with wins over Mililani on Aug. 15 and again on Saturday.

York went for it on fourth down three times in the first half and called a fake punt.

"We tried everything against these guys. We tried to run the ball, tried to throw the ball, we tried everything," said York. "The kids executed. It is on me. I take all of the blame, put it all on me. I am so proud of my kids. … Coaches, kids, community."

In the duel of dynamic sophomore running backs, Punahou’s Wayne Taulapapa contributed 74 yards on 19 carries and scored a touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter to give the Buffanblu the 28-8 lead.

The Punahou defense contained Mililani’s Vavae Malepeai — the leading rusher on Oahu with 1,342 yards entering the game — holding him to 33 yards on 16 attempts.

Pun—Trent Sitar 13 pass from Larry Tuileta (Charles McDonald kick)
Pun—Kanawai Noa 26 pass from Tuileta (McDonald kick)
Pun—Dakota Torres 20 pass from Tuileta (McDonald kick)
Mil—Kalakaua Timoteo 6 pass from McKenzie Milton (Ian Namu pass from Ryan Reedy)
Pun—Wayne Taulapapa 1 run (McDonald kick)
Mil—Bronson Ramos 36 pass from Kainoa Wilson (Marc Matas kick)
Mil—Ramos 62 pass from Wilson (Matas kick)

RUSHING—Mililani: Milton 10-57, Vavae Malepeai 16-33, Dayton Furuta 1-3. Punahou: Taulapapa 19-74, Noa 1-6, Kotoni Sekona 5-5, TEAM 2-(minus-2), Tuileta 6-(minus-36).
PASSING—Mililani: Milton 20-35-2—127, Wilson 2-2-0—98. Punahou: Tuileta 16-29-1—265.
RECEIVING—Mililani: Wilson 8-80, Bronsen Ader 8-19, Ramos 2-98, Reedy 1-19, Timoteo 1-6, Kelii Padello 1-3, Malepeai 1-0. Punahou: Torres 4-66, Combs 3-79, Noa 3-51, Luke Morris 2-23, Taulapapa 1-17, Micah Ma‘a 1-13, Sitar 1-13, Reu Fitisemanu 1-3.