Hawaiian Electric Game of the Week
No. 6 Mililani crushes No. 9 Kapolei, 35-0


  



KAPOLEI - A week after an abysmal offensive performance, Mililani used a balanced attack with running back Vavae Malepeai and quarterbacks McKenzie Milton and Robert Faleafine in a 35-0 win over Kapolei Friday night.

A crowd of about 1,300 at the Hurricanes' home field saw the Trojans, ranked sixth in this week's ScoringLive/OC16 Football Power Rankings, dominate from start to finish in the Oahu Interscholastic Association Red West conference opener for both teams. Mililani (2-1 overall, 1-0 Red West) pounded out 269 rushing yards and aired out another 182 passing while holding ninth-ranked Kapolei (2-1, 0-1) to just 130 total yards.

"We're happy to come out of here with the win," Trojans' coach Rod York said. "We were able to run the ball, like we have been all season, but our passing game was much better tonight, so that was good."

Malepeai, a sophomore running back, slashed the Hurricanes' defense for 153 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries. He now has seven rushing scores on the season.

"We're fortunate to have a really good offensive line, so they open up some big holes for me to run through," said Malepeai, who rushed for 143 yards in a loss against Punahou last week.

Despite 197 rushing yards against the Buffanblu, the Trojans completed just 7-of-18 passes for just 59 yards through the air. Friday night, Mililani racked up 21 first downs for the game, including 12 by rush. Milton started the game at quarterback and passed for 96 yards and a touchdown on 5-of-7 passing while Faleafine, who played much of the second half after his team had taken a 28-0 lead by halftime, completed 12 of his 21 pass attempts for 130 with an interception and one touchdown.

"We didn't really look at it as rebounding from the Punahou loss — that was preseason, but this is what counts. We didn't even scout Punahou, but we've scouted Kapolei for three weeks," York said."Kapolei showed us something different, so we were just taking what they were giving us and both Rob and McKenzie did a good job for that tonight," York said.

The Trojans opened the scoring just four plays into the game on a 46-yard touchdown pass from Milton to Kainoa Wilson to seize a quick 7-0 lead. Milton bought some time as he scrambled away from pressure, before he found Wilson wide open along the right sideline for the easy score.

After its defense forced a punt by Kapolei, Mililani's offense took possession at its own 35-yard line. Two plays later, Bronson Ader scampered 44 yards on a fly sweep left to set-up Malepeai's 1-yard touchdown run with six minutes and 32 seconds left in the first quarter. Mark Matas' PAT made the score, 14-0.

Five plays into the second quarter, Malepeai capped another Trojan scoring drive with his second 1-yard touchdown run. The scoring play was set-up by a 19-yard jaunt by Pakelo Lee two plays earlier.

The Hurricanes drove to the Trojans' 13-yard line on their ensuing drive, but turned it over on downs. Mililani took over from there and drove 87 yards on 10 plays, highlighted by Malepeai's 4-yard touchdown run. Matas added the extra point to extend Mililani's lead to 28-0 with 2:34 left in the second quarter.

"Our defense did a great job getting us the ball all game, so we wanted to make sure we capitalized on those opportunities," Malepeai said.

Kapolei turned it over on its next three possessions on an interception and two fumbles, the last of which led to Mililani's final score. Kaimana Padello recovered an Aizon Kahana fumble at the Trojan 26-yard line and 13 plays later, Faleafine found Timoteo Kalakaua for a 6-yard touchdown pass to close out the scoring.

The Hurricanes, who converted on just 1 of 10 third downs and picked up a total of 10 first downs, played without its leading rusher, Tristan Pebria, who was nursing a hamstring injury he suffered in a win against McKinley last week. Kapolei coach Darren Hernandez said he was a game-time decision.

"We wanted to keep pressure on the quarterback, because we thought that he wasn't so accurate when he was on his heels throwing or on the run," said Trojans' defensive end Kelii Padello, who recovered a fumble and recorded his fifth sack of the season in the game.

Slotback Bronson Ader caught eight passes for 149 yards — both game-highs — while safeties Jaren Zadlo and Ian Namu each intercepted a pass for the Trojans.

Hernandez was disappointed in the lack of execution from his team, which had outscored its two previous opponents 62 to 14.

"Mililani just outplayed us in every facet of the game," Hernandez said. "They were the better team tonight and we just came out flat. There's no excuse for it."

Kapolei, which finished third in the Red West last season, plays its final regular-season home game Friday against Waipahu.

Mililani, who won the conference in 2012, now leads the all-time series against Kapolei, 8 to 2. The Trojans, who visit No. 5 Waianae Friday, also shutout the Hurricanes, 45-0, in last year's meeting.



Reach Kalani Takase at [email protected].




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