Mililani's Keli'i Padello celebrates after a play against Waianae. Eugene Tanner | SL

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Mililani QB McKenzie Milton drops back for a pass attempt against Waianae. Eugene Tanner | SL

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Waianae RB Mahvan Tau carries the ball in traffic against Mililani. Eugene Tanner | SL

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Running back Vavae Malepeai scored three total touchdowns to help Mililani rally Waianae. Eugene Tanner | SL

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Fri, Aug 30, 2013 @ Waianae [ 7:30 pm ]

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Mililani

44

Waianae

24

Final	1	2	3	4	T
Mililani (11-2-0)	0	14	13	17	44
Waianae (6-3-0)	0	17	0	7	24

• Pass
• Rush
• Rec

Kekoa Kaluhiokalani Jr. 130 yd 1 TD

McKenzie Milton 196 yd 2 TD

Mahvan Tau 138 yd 2 TD

Vavae Malepeai 115 yd 2 TD

Emil Muraoka 60 yd 1 TD

Dayton Furuta 32 yd 2 TD

WAI'ANAE - Vavae Malepeai and specials teams play jumped started Mililani's 44-24 come-from-behind win against Wai'anae Friday night at Raymond Torii Field.

It was a tale of two halves in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red West contest. The Seariders (3-1 overall, 1-1 Red West) were effective offensively in the first half, taking an early 14-0 lead on touchdown runs of 13 and 73 yards by fullback Mahvan Tau, who had 120 yards by the break.

Meanwhile, Malepeai was held to just 18 yards in the first half, but punished the Seariders for 97 yards and two TDs in the second half for the Trojans (3-1, 2-0).

"It all starts up front," Mililani coach Rod York said of the team's blocking adjustments in the second half. "Our offensive line played a hell of a game and our defense played good. I'm just proud of our kids' effort."

But it was Malepeai's 95-yard kickoff return for a TD right after the Seariders extended their lead to 14-0 and a fumble by Wai'anae at its 30 that the Trojans capitalized on to with a TD that tied the game at 14.

The first half was a close as their state rankings. The scoreless first quarter ended with the Trojans punting from their end zone and Wai'anae taking over at Mililani's 30. The Seariders' needed only four plays to score with fullback Mahvan Tau scoring on a 13-yard run on a trap play. The PAT failed and Wai'anae had a 6-0 lead at 10:23 in the second period.

Wai'nae's defense continued to frustrate the Trojans, forcing another punt with the Seariders taking over at their own 27. On first down, Tau scored on another trap play, going 73 yards up the middle. Kekoa Kaluhiokalani's pass to Vaaitino Atuatasi for the 2-point conversion made it 14-0.

But before anyone could say blowout, Malepeai returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for a TD; Marc Matas' PAT made it 14-7.

"We didn't cover our lanes," Wai'anae coach Dan Matsumoto said. "A lot of mis-tackles. We knew it was going to be a rough game. Their special teams did a much better than we did."

Wai'anae lost the ball on its next possession when it faced third-and-1 at its 29. Ronald Matautia, primarily a linebacker, fumbled and the ball was recovered by Mililani at the Wai'anae 30. Three plays later, McKenzie Milton hit Dayton Furuta on a swing out pass to the right flat and just like that, the game was tied at 14 with 5:20 left in the half.

The Seariders would regain the lead, 17-14, with 51 seconds left in the half on Stanton Spencer's 39-yard field goal.

Even though Wai'anae recovered the ensuing squib kickoff at the Trojans' 47, the Seariders failed to capitalize before the half ended.

The Trojans' defense made adjustments in the second half, especially on the trap, holding Tau to just 18 yards on five carries the rest of the game. Compounding matters for Wai'anae was that it had no tailback threat because Jemery Willes was out with an ankle injury he sustained in last week's 'Aiea game, said Matsumoto, who added that Tau played with sore ribs.

Wai'anae punted from its 16 after its first series. Bronson Ader's 48-yard return to the Wai'anae 1 set up Malepeai's first of two 2-yard TD runs. Matas missed the PAT, but Mililani had a 20-14 lead.

Mililani's defense once again held Wai'anae in check, forcing another punt to the Wai'anae 49. Five plays later, Malepeai scored his second 2-yard TD run to increase the Trojans' lead to 27-17 with 4:29 left in the third quarter.

On Mililani's next series, the Trojans converted a fourth-and 8 with a 32-yard pass from Milton to Tyler Hill to the Wai'anae 7. A sack and three penalties against the Trojans forced Matas to kick a 24-yard field goal to extend Mililani's lead to 30-17 with 8:33 in the fourth quarter.

Mililani's kickoff went out of bounds at the Wai'anae 40 and on first down, Kaluhiokalani hit a wide-open Emil Muraoka for a 60-yard TD pass with 8:21 left that pulled the Seariders to 30-17.

But Mililani responded quickly from its 25, thanks to a 56-yard run by Malepeai on first down. Two plays later, Milton hit Furuta again, this time on a 15-yard pass for another score to bump Mililani's lead to 37-24.

"He's a great runner," Matsumoto said. "We knew he was a great runner."

Later in the quarter, a low snap from center in punt formation by Wai'anae gave the Trojans the ball at the Seariders' 3. Running back Pakelo Lee scored on first down to make it 44-24.

Trojans' first-year starting QB Milton got off to a shaky start, completing one of his first seven attempts. But he finished strong, completing 10 of his last 13 passes. He finished with 196 yards.

It doesn't get any easier for the Seariders, who play Leilehua Friday. The Trojans hit the road again, as they visit Waipahu, also on Friday.