There are ways to travel from the continent to the islands.
To check in. Practice. Take in the sights. Play football. Find a way back home.
A month ago, Vincent Massey of Winnipeg, Canada, arrived on a Thursday. A morning workout the next day. Then off to Waialua. Playing a game 24 hours after a long trip, that’s tough. They went home the following Wednesday. Business first, recreational fun after.
Three weeks ago, national powerhouse Bishop Gorman (Nev.) arrived on a Wednesday night, got acclimated to the humidity of Oahu. On Friday, Saint Louis stifled the Gaels, who finally hit the beach on Saturday before flying back to Las Vegas on Sunday. Liberty (Nev.) played Mililani that same weekend and lost to the Trojans.
St. John Bosco is a different animal. Ranked No. 2 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25, the Braves are following a similar itinerary, but hoping for a different result when they meet Mililani (6-0, 4-0 OIA Open) on Saturday at John Kauinana Stadium. Coach Jason Negro’s team will do battle on enemy territory for the first time this season. A year after the Braves trounced Mililani 52-14 in Bellflower, Calif., Negro and his staff have taken every precaution.
“Especially having to play a team like Mililani that’s playing super well. Coach (Rod) York’s doing a pretty good job there,” Negro said.
On Aug. 31, 2018, Mililani was supercharged by then-quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who went on to Star-Advertiser All-State Offensive Player of the Year honors. Gabriel is gone now, leading UCF to a 3-0 mark as its starting QB the past two games.
“I thought I’d get them on a down year,” Negro said. “I’ve stressed to the team, all week we have to stay focused. We cannot take for granted that Mililani is going to roll over for us and not play hard. Our kids can’t allow these guys to sneak up on us. They played us tough last year. They competed and played with us toe to toe for a lot of the game and we pulled away.”
Oahu teams are 11-0 against out-of-state teams this season and 8-0 against mainland schools. So here comes the nation’s No. 2-ranked team, St. John Bosco. This is the Braves’ first visit to Hawaii since 2014, when they toppled Saint Louis. The Braves are on edge. Even with seven of California’s top 50 players (according to 247sports) and FBS scholarship offers for virtually every offensive and defensive starter, they remain second in their own state to Mater Dei.
They have routed four potent opponents: DeMatha (Md.) (35-7), Don Bosco Prep (N.J.) (56-21), Liberty (Nev.) (49-7) and Our Lady of Good Counsel (Md.) (31-8).
“The ultimate difference will be the speed. Basically every player on that first-string offense and defense is getting a Division I scholarship, multiple offers, because of their speed,” York said. “Their D-line is running sub-4.9. Quick. Explosive. Bosco’s D-line will be the best D-line that we’re going to face.”
At 6 feet, 41⁄2 inches and 246 pounds, quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei leads Bosco. The five-star recruit has 24 offers and is a commit to Clemson. Rated the top QB in the nation, Uiagalelei has passed for 1,154 yards and 15 touchdowns without a pick, and has rushed for 94 yards (10.4 per carry) and two more TDs.
“He’s difficult to tackle. He’s a big kid, athletic. He’s a baseball player, also, and he’s seasoned. These type of guys normally end up in the NFL,” York said.
Wide receiver and Oregon commit Kris Hutson leads a reliable pass-catching corps (19 receptions, 382 yards, four TDs). Logan Loya (16, 277, one) has 13 offers and 6-3 junior Beaux Collins had four of his six TDs against Liberty.
With UCLA commit Nathaniel Jones back on the field after an ACL injury last year, sophomores Rayshon Luke and Jabari Bates have led the backfield with a combined 383 rushing yards and five TDs.
Stanford commit Drake Metcalf, a 6-2, 276-pound guard, leads the offensive line.
Mililani’s defense has been stellar, quite possibly the best in school history from linebackers Muelu Iosefa (commit to Cal), Bam Amina (11 offers) and junior Wynden Ho‘ohuli (seven) to edge rusher Shane Kady (Oregon State) to defensive backs Fatavalu Iosefa and Asher Pilanca.
Mililani has run the ball more often this season, including 45 carries for 171 yards in a 34-0 win over Kamehameha last week. Running behind an O-line led by Jake Tuatagoloa and Sergio Muasau, running backs Jasiah Alcover and Malosi Sam combined for 212 yards and two TDs in the victory. First-year starting quarterback Brendyn Agbayani has answered every new challenge.
“Once Brendyn is in a rhythm, he’ll be OK. We’ve definitely got to play at a new level. We find ways to get it done. Our defense is playing so well, a lot of times we get a short field,” York said. “In the Liberty game, we were creative at finding ways to move the ball.”
On paper, there is one common opponent: Liberty. Mililani got past the Patriots 34-22 three weeks ago. Bosco beat Liberty by six touchdowns.
“We want to compete against the best teams,” York said. “We want to improve and the way we improve is playing good teams. We love to compete against teams like Kahuku, Punahou and Saint Louis. We’re looking forward to it.”
The Braves are, quite possibly, the most loaded team in the nation, but Negro has weighed every ounce of difficulty.
“The game is starting like 10 p.m. our time. It will finish after midnight. We’ll have disrupted sleep, we’re not in school. It’s all a bad recipe for a football ga me,” he said. “We as a staff have to do a good job communicating we’re playing a 6-0 football team, and Coach York and his staff are doing a great job.”
ST. JOHN BOSCO BRAVES (3-0) vs. MILILANI TROJANS (6-0)
Saturday, 6:30 p.m., John Kauinana Stadium
>> Series history: Bosco leads 1-0
>> Only meeting: Quarterback DJ Uiagalelei threw six touchdown passes in a 52-14 home win over the Trojans on Aug. 31, 2018. Mililani QB Dillon Gabriel threw a 47-yard TD pass to Kai Banks on Mililani’s opening drive and the Braves, playing their third game, trailed for the first time all season before rattling off 52 of the next 59 points.
