‘Iolani rallies to beat Lahainaluna in thrilling D-II title game
2012 November 23 SPT - State D2 Football - Iolani players including quarterback Reece Foy, celebrate their win in the State Division II Football Championship over Lahainaluna. HSA photo by Bruce Asato
J.T. Los Banos had three interceptions and Reece Foy five touchdown passes Friday, leading ‘Iolani over Lahainaluna 36-33 for the Raiders sixth consecutive First Hawaiian Bank football state championship.
‘Iolani of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu finished at 9-3 and Lahainaluna of the Maui Interscholastic League ended at 9-2.
The thrilling Division II game full of big plays at Aloha Stadium preceded the Division I game between Kahuku and Punahou.
“This was a great game,” ‘Iolani coach Wendell Look said. “They are just as deserving to be state champions as we are.”
Los Banos’s third pick came with 27 seconds left and Lahainaluna driving, from the ‘Iolani 34.
Foy had just thrown his second 26-yard TD pass to Tanner Nishioka with 1:53 left.
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Chad Hanaoka caught the three other TD passes from Foy.
Lahainaluna got its first lead when Taylor Kohler-Fonohema scored on a 2-yard run with 7:21 left in the game.
The Lunas rushed for 441 yards, with Jared Rocha-Islas (11 carries, 106 yards), Makoa Filikitonga Lukela (14-103) and Christian Whitehead (11-101) all going over 100 yards each.
Foy, who led ‘Iolani to three state titles in three years as a starter, completed 22 of 36 passes for 299 yards. Yuuya Kato rushed for 103 yards on 19 carries.
‘Iolani led 22-14 after an exciting first half, capped by Chad Hanaoka’s second touchdown on a 2-yard pass from Foy — just 29 seconds after the Lunas closed the score to 15-14 on Scott-Isaac Medeiros-Tangatailoa’s 26-yard reception from Filikitonga Lukela.
Hanaoka opened the scoring on a 7-yard strike from Foy with less than a minute left in the first quarter.
‘Iolani quickly padded the lead to 15-7 as Foy hit Nishioka for a 26-yard TD, and Max Look rushed for a 2-point conversion. It was set up by the first of Los Banos’s two first-half interceptions.
Filikitonga Lukela’s 21-yard scoring run got the Lunas back into it, 15-7.
“It’s a big game. Sometimes things don’t go your way,” Lahainaluna co-head coach Garret Tihada said.
“We have to look ahead. We don’t have a choice. As soon as we get home to Maui, we have our banquet and we have to keep moving ahead.”
