The Leilehua Mules are ready for prime time.
The state’s ninth-ranked team showed off its offense in a 41-27 win over ‘Iolani at Hugh Yoshida Stadium on Friday night, a week after being held without a touchdown in a 10-3 loss to Kamehameha. Both games were televised.
“It was always there,” Leilehua coach Mark Kurisu said. “I don’t think they realized how the moment can feel with television, but they responded. Experience is a great teacher. You put these kids in two TV games in the rain — it only rains in Wahiawa at night, and it is something to get used to. I’m wet. I’m cold. I’m on TV. But you have to play football.”
After a punt on their first possession, the Mules got a 43-yard run by speedster Kylin Rivera-Galbraith that helped set up quarterback Hanohano Plunkett’s TD pass to Talon Tarpley on a wheel route to open the scoring. After forcing the Raiders into their second straight three-and-out, Plunkett hit Cameron Keeve on a screen pass and watched him weave his way 49 yards for a touchdown to make it 13-0.
Shocked ‘Iolani finally moved the ball after that, with quarterback CJ Villanueva hitting playmaker Kekama Kane for a 6-yard touchdown.
The teams traded scores, but Leilehua’s defense finally broke through when linebacker Kevin Burke penetrated to swallow up Villanueva and force the ball to be popped straight up in the air. Fellow linebacker Braden Liua was waiting there and carried it 44 yards to pay dirt and a 27-17 lead. The Raiders benefited from Leilehua penalties, a roughing the passer and pass interference call, to boot a field goal with four seconds left before half.
Things settled down in the second half and the Mules didn’t completely shake the visitors until Keeve ran untouched straight up the gut for 21 yards and a touchdown to make it 41-20 with just over two minutes left.
Plunkett led the offense with 299 yards passing and three touchdowns, hitting nine different receivers. Rivera-Galbraith led the ground attack with 115 yards on 13 carries, the fourth straight time the Mules have run for more than 100 yards against the Raiders dating back to 2008. ‘Iolani hasn’t beaten the Mules in 24 years and has never won in Wahiawa.
Villanueva put the ball up 42 times and completed 29 of them, but he threw the third interception of his career in the fourth quarter. The junior has 37 touchdowns in his career. Kane was his favorite target with 106 yards on nine catches, but the Raiders were limited to 52 yards on the ground on 20 carries.
“‘Iolani got the ball out quickly and hit some big passes,” Kurisu said. “I love what they do, you can’t sleep on these guys and let them stay close.”
—
NO. 9 LEILEHUA 41, NO. 10 ‘IOLANI 27
At Hugh Yoshida Stadium
‘Iolani (1-1) 7 13 0 7 — 27
Leilehua (1-1) 20 7 7 7 — 41
LEIL—Talon Tarpley 10 pass from Hanohano Plunkett (run failed)
LEIL—Cameron Keeve 49 pass from Plunkett (Rodel Alano kick)
IOL—Kekama Kane 6 pass from CJ Villanueva (Austin Dang kick)
LEIL—Kylin Rivera-Galbraith 5 run (Alano kick)
IOL—Keon Preusser 9 pass from Villanueva (Dang kick)
IOL—FG Dang 29
LEIL—Braden Liua 44 fumble return (Alano kick)
IOL—FG Dang 36
LEIL—Carter McMillan 10 pass from Plunkett (Alano kick)
LEIL—Keeve 21 run (Alano kick)
IOL—Villanueva 2 run (Dang kick)
RUSHING—‘Iolani: Jones Vierra 16-38, Villanueva 4-14. Leilehua: RiveraGalbraith 13-115, Keeve 8-41, Plunkett 5-(minus 17).
PASSING—‘Iolani: Villanueva 30-42-1-217. Leilehua: Plunkett 22-32-1-299.
RECEIVING—‘Iolani: Kane 9-106, Preusser 8-80, Tyger Hayashi 9-57, Jaeden Park 1-9, Jadon Anzai 1-(minus 1). Leilehua: Miles Magoay 2-60, Keeve 2-57, Zaeven Newman 4-45, Tarpley 4-41, Romeo Tubon 5-46, McMillen 2-32, RiveraGalbraith 3-18.
JV-Leilehua 31, Farrington 7
