After distributing the ball with stunning efficiency, ‘Iolani quarterback Tai-John Mizutani spread the credit for a record-breaking performance.
The Raiders senior completed passes to six receivers — with four snagging at least five catches — and finished with a school-record 503 passing yards in the Raiders’ 57-34 win over Kaimuki in the 54th Father Bray Classic on Saturday at Kozuki Stadium.
“The majority of the plays were all run after the catch. All that’s props to our receivers,” said Mizutani, who threw for three touchdowns and ran for another. “We’ve got six or seven guys who can all make plays at any given time.
“Give all the credit to the line. They gave me time to put the ball in the receivers’ hands and from there it was all of our playmakers.”
Mizutani completed 30 of 45 attempts while breaking the ‘Iolani record he set as a sophomore in a 485-yard performance against Kamehameha and becoming the sixth Oahu quarterback to pass for 500 yards.
‘Iolani senior Justin Genovia caught nine passes for 153 yards, including a 65-yard throw short-run long touchdown. Jonah Miyazawa ignited Mizutani’s run at the record with a 55-yard gain on a crossing route on the game’s first completion and finished with six catches for 115 yards with a 36-yard score.
Running back Kaua Nishigaya ran for two short touchdowns and added a 76-yard touchdown reception.
“(Mizutani) executed the offense,” ‘Iolani coach Wendell Look said. “He didn’t try to make plays; he let the offense make plays and he used his people. He got great play out of his linemen … and he was able to let the offense do its thing.”
Mika Makekau, the sister of former ‘Iolani standout receiver Keoni-Kordell Makekau, finished ‘Iolani’s first two drives with field goals from 32 and 26 yards and added a 35-yarder just before halftime.
With the ILH Division II opener against Damien a week away, Saturday’s win provided an injection of confidence two weeks after the Raiders opened the season with a 62-35 loss to Hilo on Eddie Hamada Field.
“Two weeks ago against Hilo we were terrible,” Look said. “So we wanted to take small steps and get better every day and just build some confidence in ourselves and a little bit of belief in what we can do and I thought we did a good job today.”
The ‘Iolani defense forced four turnovers to offset a 296-yard, two-touchdown passing performance by Kaimuki quarterback Jordan Solomon, who also ran for two scores in the Bulldogs’ first loss of the season.
“(‘Iolani) executed on the smallest things and they made us pay for the things that we didn’t do,” Kaimuki coach David Tautofi said. “Missed tackles were costly for us.”
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