Jordan Agasiva looked like he had just seen a ghost. Teammate Andru Tovi was bummed out.
The right side of the Mililani offensive line had just been part of a difficult 20-7 OIA Division I championship victory over Kahuku on Halloween night, yet they were a million miles away from being satisfied.
Agasiva, the right tackle, could barely utter words. Tovi, who missed most of the first half with a tweaked knee, spoke up.
"It didn’t happen up front for us," he said. "We’re (the Trojans linemen) all mad, angry. A bad day for us. This game is pau, so we can be grateful for the win and move on to the next game."
Kahuku (8-2) held high-octane Trojans running back Vavae Malepeai to 56 rushing yards and quarterback McKenzie Milton to 139 through the air.
Those figures, along with the 20 points, are low by Mililani standards in this high-flying season.
"We only scored 20 points, but we won the game," Trojans coach Rod York said. "We’ll take it. We didn’t play our best game, but Kahuku is a damn good team. It ain’t easy. We didn’t think it was going to be easy. Other people may have thought it was going to be easy. They are big, fast and physical."
Both teams are headed to the state tournament. The Trojans (11-0), the second-ranked team in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s Top 10, get a first-round bye, and will play MIL champion Maui or OIA third-place team Farrington in the semifinals in two weeks.
On Friday, the third-ranked Red Raiders take on Hilo at Aloha Stadium, with the winner getting a shot at No. 1 Punahou in the semifinals.
In the OIA title game, Kahuku’s offense appeared ready to come alive in the first half until starting quarterback Tuli-Wily Matagi went down with a concussion.
"I thought we had a shot," first-year Red Raiders coach Lee Leslie said. "We saw some things on film and we thought we could take advantage of them. I am frustrated. All year, we’ve had a great defense and tonight we were not able to get it done on offense."
Leslie pointed to two pinpoint touchdown passes by Milton — to Bryson Ventura and Joshua Butac — as being the difference in the outcome.
Without Wily-Matagi, Kahuku was without its senior leader, who is a running and passing threat.
Defensive lineman and running back Salanoa-Alo- Wily was emotional after the loss. He was crying, but it was sheer, natural emotion after going to war both ways against the Trojans.
"I’m excited," he said between bursts of minor sobs. "I’m ready to come back and fight stronger next time. This team needs to come closer and start clicking. We kept them to 20 points, but I wanted to keep it under 1, under 7, a goose-egg. It’s time to get back on the grind."
Malepeai credited Kahuku for its ability to contain him.
"In the end, we won and we’re blessed for that," he said. "It’s a process you go through. We’ve got to get our bodies ready and our minds right (for the states), move forward and correct our mistakes."
And so the entertaining and rigorous season continues.
"We didn’t play our best game, but we stepped up and won (the OIA title) and that was one of our goals," York said. "The ultimate goal is the state championship. We’ve got to play a lot better."
At Aloha Stadium
| MILILANI (11-0) |
6 |
14 |
0 |
0 |
— |
20 |
|
| KAHUKU (8-2) |
0 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
— |
7 |
Mil—Vavae Malepeai 2 run (kick failed)
Kah—Salanoa-Alo Wily 13 run (Gabriel Pinheiro-Alves kick)
Mil—Bryson Ventura 23 pass from McKenzie Milton (Jerrod Cunningham kick)
Mil—Joshua Butac 40 pass from Milton (Cunningham kick)
RUSHING-Mililani: Vavae Malepeai 20-56, Milton 8-28, Ventura 1-(-2), Team 2-(-5). Kahuku: Kesi Ah-Hoy 11-19, Salanoa-Alo Wily 9-70, Tuli Wily-Matagi 1-20, Lisiate Tovo 2-2, Pena Fitisimanu 4-13, Samuta Avea 5-(-22), Soli Afalava 3-10, Alohi Gilman 1-0.
PASSING-Mililani: Milton 15-25-2-139. Kahuku: Wily-Matagi 2-5-0-10, Avea 1-12-0-4.
RECEIVING-Mililani: Kainoa Wilson 2-21, Bronson Ramos 1-1, Malepeai 3-17, Ventura 6-26, Makana Tauai 2-34, Butac 1-40. Kahuku: Ah-Hoy 3-14.
OIA DIVISION II CHAMPIONSHIP
Nanakuli 37, Pearl City 36, OT
