Vavae Tata promised from the start that Kahuku football would be basic and no-frills.
He has kept his word. Fourth-ranked Kahuku ran 51 times for 249 yards, led by Sefa Ameperosa’s 115 yards, for a 41-6 win over Leilehua on Saturday night at Hugh Yoshida Stadium.
Kahuku improved to 5-0 in the OIA Red (6-0 overall), using that smashmouth mentality and a stingy defense that picked off Mules quarterback Kona Andres six times.
Three of the interceptions were by safety Kekaula Kaniho, and one of the swipes was a pick-6 by Stokes Botelho.
Quarterback/running back Kesi Ah-Hoy finished with 72 rushing yards on 15 attempts. He threw the ball just four times, completing one pass for 33 yards.
"Not even close to where we need to be," Red Raiders coach Tata said. "We just need to execute on all levels."
The only minus for the visitors: 14 penalties for 162 yards.
"Yes, that’s worrisome," Tata added.
The 35-point margin running-clock rule shorted the game drastically in the second half.
While Ameperosa was a workhorse, it was fullback LeRod Tongi who was rewarded for his lead blocking. He scored on touchdown runs of 6, 17 and 6 yards in cannonball-like fashion.
"It’s all right, I guess. I like blocking. It’s putting in work for the team," Tongi said. "It’s just what the O-line does. I think they’re the top in the state."
Leilehua (2-4, 2-3) broke the ice with a 16-yard TD pass from Andres to versatile Charles Watson. The Mules managed to gain just 98 yards of total offense the rest of the way. Leilehua finished with 133 total yards, facing a fierce pass rush led by Aaron Tupusoa and Hirkley Latu.
"Defensively, we’re still not even close. Yeah, we got six turnovers, but it should’ve been 10," Tata said. "We’ll look at the tape and move on to Waipahu next week."
After fumbling away their first series due to a low snap, the Red Raiders scored three TDs in a row in ground-and-pound fashion to take a 20-6 lead early in the second quarter. By then, Ameperosa had 94 rushing yards on 12 carries.
Kahuku led 27-6 at the break, and nearly every time they scored, kicker Kekoa Sasaoka landed his kickoffs in the end zone or beyond for touchbacks.
Damien 21, St. Francis 6
The Monarchs improved to 4-0 and moved into a tie for first place in ILH Division II with the victory over the Saints at Roosevelt.
Damien will face Pac-Five for the top spot in the standings next week.
The Monarchs outclassed the Saints in the first half, scoring three times, including one on a lateral pass that went from quarterback Marcus Faufata-Pedrina to receiver Bransen Apao and then downfield for 37 yards and a TD to a wide-open Austin Ballesteros.
St. Francis came out fighting in the second half, whittling the score to 21-6 on Dustin Pakele’s 4-yard run.
The Saints drove as far as the Damien 24 late in the game, but the Monarchs’ Jarin Manuel ended the threat with an interception at the 1-yard line.
ILH
Damien 21, St. Francis 6
| At Ticky Vasconcellos Stadium |
| St. Francis (2-4, 0-2) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
— |
6 |
| Damien (4-0, 2-0) |
7 |
14 |
0 |
0 |
— |
21 |
Dam–Kepono Kawaakoa 2 run (Cameron Kaimana kick)
Dam–Shaun Apiki 4 pass from Marcus Faufata-Pedrina (Kaimana kick)
Dam–Austin Ballesteros 37 pass from Bransen Apao (Kaimana kick)
StF–Destin Pakele 4 run (kick failed)
RUSHING–St. Francis: Pakele 7-43, Jonah Luis-Mateo 4-34, Tyson Shimabukuro 7-34, Sefa Finau 6-20, Pensiman Haunga 1-1, Wembley Mailei 9-1. Damien: Kawaakoa 10-83, Justice White 14-71, Faufata-Pedrina 13-49, Akila Arrechi 1-2, Grayson Bueno 1-(minus 3), TEAM 2-(minus 14), Apao 4-(minus 42).
PASSING–St. Francis: Mailei 3-14-1-29. Damien: Faufata-Pedrina 8-17-0-55, Apao 4-5-0-46.
RECEIVING–St. Francis: Zachary Alcos 2-22, Micah Kalei 1-7. Damien: Apiki 3-26, Kawaakoa 3-13, Ballesteros 2-39, White 2-9, Apao 1-11, Faufata-Pedrina 1-3.
Junior varsity
Kamehameha 39, Punahou 24
OIA RED
Kahuku 41, Leilehua 6
| At Hugh Yoshida Stadium |
| Leilehua (2-4, 2-3) |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
— |
6 |
| Kahuku (6-0, 5-0) |
14 |
13 |
14 |
0 |
— |
41 |
Lei–Charles Watson 16 pass from Kona Andres (run failed)
Kah–Harmon Brown 12 run (Kekoa Sasaoka kick)
Kah–LeRod Tongi 6 run (Sasaoka kick)
Kah–Tongi 17 run (run failed)
Kah–Kesi Ah-Hoy 3 run (Sasaoka kick)
Kah–Stokes Botelho 38 interception return (Sasaoka kick)
Kah–Tongi 6 run (Sasaoka kick)
RUSHING–Kahuku: Sefa Ameperosa 21-115, Ah-Hoy 15-72, Tongi 7-41, Brown 4-23, Michael Mauai 1-5, Cameron Renaud 2-2, Team 1-(minus 9). Leilehua: Anthony Ugalino 8-3, Jadan Gilliland 1-(minus 1), Andres 3-(minus 10).
PASSING–Kahuku: Ah-Hoy 1-4-0-33. Leilehua: Andres 17-34-6-141, Ugalino 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING–Kahuku: Pua Falemalu 1-33. Leilehua: Watson 4-51, Ty Keough 4-34, Gilliland 4-27, Ugalino 3-0, Kawai Phifer 1-19, Kaleoaloha Piceno 1-10.
Junior varsity–Kahuku 40, Leilehua 0
OIA WHITE
Kaimuki 30, Kalani 20
| Kaimuki (3-3, 3-2) |
0 |
18 |
0 |
12 |
— |
30 |
| Kalani (3-4, 3-3) |
0 |
6 |
14 |
0 |
— |
20 |
Kaim–Jaren Feary 1 run (kick failed)
Kaim–Andries Toussaint 41 pass from Keanu Pratt (run failed)
Kaln–Jaemi Harris 13 run (kick failed)
Kaim–Andrew Neves 53 pass from Pratt (kick blocked)
Kaln–Sean Silas 33 run (Kota Nakayama kick)
Kaln–Silas 19 run (Nakayama kick)
Kaim–Pratt 1 run (run failed)
Kaim–Ivan Maio 4 run (kick failed)
RUSHING–Kaimuki: Billy Masima 19-183, Maio 10-49, Neves 1-4, Feary 1-1, Pratt 9-(minus 3). Kalani: Silas 29-192, Harris 2-40, Seth Tina 8-26, Team 7-18.
PASSING–Kaimuki: Pratt 9-21-1-174. Kalani: Tina 6-18-2-38, Harris 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING–Kaimuki: Neves 3-73, Torey Faimealelei 3-42, Toussaint 2-48, Ieke Seei-Cleveland 1-11. Kalani: Ikaika Andaya 2-15, Brandon Kim 2-8, David Dennis 1-11, Kai Reed 1-4.
Also
MIL
Maui 9, Kamehameha-Maui 0
BIIF
Hilo 45, Honokaa 6
8-man
Kohala 30, Kau 8
