Bring up Mililani football and visions of a finely tuned passing game are likely to pop up. That was the case against Castle on Saturday, but a potent running attack took center stage in a 42-0 victory at John Kauinana Stadium.
The Trojans (2-0, 2-0 Oahu Interscholastic Association Red) rushed for 335 yards to complement sophomore quarterback Dillon Gabriel’s 209 yards passing in the runaway.
It took a while for the hosts to get going, though. No. 6 Mililani led just 7-0 after one quarter before opening it up early in the second.
“They are definitely the cream of the crop here,” Castle coach Nelson Maeda said. “Boy did they execute well and perform well in all phases of the game and really took it to us. In the beginning, we were helped by some of their penalties. It showed signs of promise and then they just overwhelmed us. We had some breakdowns, which compounded the problem. They are rolling really well.”
The Trojans had 30 yards in penalties on their first possession before Gabriel found a streaking Ryan Chang down the right sideline for a quick 87-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead.
After that, both teams did little offensively until the second play of the second quarter, when Jalen Olomua found an opening for an 85-yard touchdown run and a 14-0 Trojans lead. Olomua finished with 126 yards rushing, and teammate Kailiohu Kila added 117. Both players had just six carries each.
“All of us (running backs), we just work hard during the week, pushing sleds during practice, after practice,” Olomua said. “Working on our speed and stamina.”
Olomua went on to credit all five starting offensive linemen for Mililani’s rushing onslaught: right guard Scotty Agasiva, center Noah Williams, left guard Sergio Muasau, left tackle Rio Claytor and right tackle Josiah Chang-Kamealoha.
Mililani coach Rod York also pointed to the offensive line as the catalyst.
“We don’t go unless the O-line goes,” he said. “The penalties killed us early. We will look at the film and try to correct it. A lot of it was holding.
“Olomua came out explosive and hit the hole like we wanted and showed speed and finished.”
Mykah Tuiolemotu’s fumble recovery set up the Trojans’ next touchdown. Wide receiver Andrew Valladares found the end zone this time on 4-yard inside reverse run for a 21-point lead en route to a 35-0 halftime edge.
Kila scored twice for Mililani, including one from 49 yards out in the second half.
No. 2 Saint Louis 49, Hilo 0
The Crusaders scored on their first three possessions in the first quarter and never looked back, routing the Vikings at Wong Stadium in Hilo.
After taking a commanding 35-7 lead into the half, Saint Louis elected to sit senior quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for the entire second half. Tagovailoa finished with 285 yards passing, with three passing touchdowns and another on the ground.
Kalani 26, Kaimuki 22
Ikaika Holden’s 5-yard touchdown run with 1:11 remaining gave the Falcons a heart-pumping comeback victory over the Bulldogs at Kaiser Stadium on Saturday night.
The Falcons (1-1, 1-1 OIA D-II) earned just their third victory in 27 tries against Kaimuki (1-1, 1-1), which lost in the final two minutes a week after pulling out an overtime win against Waialua.
Daniel Nguyen caught a 50-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jordan Solomon and Ieke Seei-Cleveland ran in the 2-point conversion with 2:20 remaining to put Kaimuki in front 22-19.
Kalani’s Ikaika Andaya set up the go-ahead score with a 59-yard kick return to the Kaimuki 20. He caught a 13-yard pass to the 7 and Holden broke two tackles to score the winning touchdown two plays later.
“I was thinking my team worked really hard for this and I want to get that first win,” Holden said. “I stuck my arms out and dove for it and thought this was my last chance.”
Kaimuki’s Calton Joseph scored on an 81-yard kickoff return to open the second half for the first points of the game.
Andaya’s return to set up the winning score turned out to be the game’s biggest play on special teams.
“We had a designed play for it, but as soon as I got the ball, it was crashing on that side and it was instinct,” Andaya said. “I did what I could.”
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Billy Hull, Star-Advertiser
