Leilehua's Gwen Maeha was all smiles following a career-high score of 279 pins Thursday. Courtesy Gwen Maeha

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Punahou's Ephraim Tuliloa completed 22 of 35 passes for 428 yards and six touchdowns in the Buffanblu’s 55-7 win over Saint Louis. Reina Takaki | Special to SL

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Male Athlete of the Week: Ephraim Tuliloa, Punahou football
The talk before the game was about Saint Louis quarterback Tua Tagovailoa getting the starting nod. The talk after the game was on the big night that Punahou quarterback Ephraim Tuliloa had in his first start.

One of the biggest concerns for Punahou coming into this year was who would be replacing Offensive Player of the Year and three-year starting quarterback Larry “Tui” Tuileta. Any worry about the quarterback position should have been quelled after Tuliloa’s performance Friday night.

Tuliloa was magnificent in his 2014 debut, completing 22 of 35 passes for 428 yards and six touchdowns in the Buffanblu’s 55-7 win in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu showdown against the then fifth-ranked Crusaders.

Offensive coordinator Teetai Ane sees a lot of similarities between Tuileta and Tuliloa.

“I think Ephraim really watched Tui and learned a lot from Tui,” Ane said. “I think he watched how Tui was a quiet leader and I think that’s the way Ephraim is trying to be. That’s what he is naturally. He’s really mellow like Tui is, real even keel.”

The 6-foot-3 junior was a little shaky piloting the offense to start the game, turning it over on downs on the Buffanblu’s first two series, but he quickly settled down to torch the Saint Louis defense for the rest of the game.

Tuliloa hooked up with All-Hawaii first team wide receiver Kanawai Noa for his first three touchdowns of the game. Noa’s touchdown receptions went for 44, 43 and 80 yards.

“Ephraim did great. He’s been improving in practice and it showed in the game,” said Noa who finished with seven catches for 243 yards in addition to his three scores. “We kind of saw that the middle was wide open, but we (wanted) to test the boundaries a little bit. We went deep and it just seemed to work and then we just kept going at it and it just kept going for us.”

Tuliloa also tossed scoring strikes to Micah Ma’a, Heisman Hosoda and Kalanianakupuna Santons.

“You hope that it works out like this but you don’t expect it to, so that when it actually happens its extremely rewarding,” said Ane. “We anticipated it to be more like the first drive, hit and miss. After that first series (Tuliloa) really settled down and played like the way he can.”

After the game Tuliloa was calm and collected, showing veteran poise and not displaying any youth. He wasn’t overly excited about his performance and the win and instead deflected praise to his teammates.

“No, I don’t think so,” Tuliloa said when asked if he felt pressure about becoming the starter. “I think just having the players on offense, Kanawai Noa and all the receivers — our offensive line did a really good job so that took a lot of pressure off of me.”

Fans will have another chance to watch Tuliloa and the Buffanblu when they take on Damien at Hawaiian Airlines Field at Aloha Stadium Friday afternoon.

-Michael Lasquero

Female Athlete of the Week: Gwen Maeha, Leilehua bowling
Gwen Maeha was all smiles following a career-high score of 279 pins Thursday, but there was one person the Leilehua freshman couldn't wait to tell: her older brother, Gordon.

Gwen, 14, and Gordon, 19, have been competing — especially against each other for bragging rights — for the last five years, since Gwen picked up the sport. Both participated in the Schofield Junior Bowling Program and Gordon is a former Leilehua bowler as well.

"It's always been pretty competitive between us," said Gwen Maeha, whose single-game mark was tops amongst all bowlers at an Oahu Interscholastic Association Western Division match at Schofield Bowling Center. "I always used to want to go in and beat him, but everyone said I was going to be a better bowler than him."

After hearing the news, her older brother conceded as much.

"I tied my brother's high-score and he finally admitted that I am a better bowling than him throughout the years," Maeha said. "That's the best thing to come out of this."

Maeha's 279 came in the first of a three-game series in which she rolled a total of 699 pins.

"I didn't think she would do that well for the series, because the first week she bowled part of her problem was her spares, so we worked on that in the next practice, mostly on the corner pins that she was having a hard time with, especially the 10-pin, and this week she was much more consistent. The 279 was almost perfect, but to get the 699 means picking up spares the other two games."

It was a huge improvement from a week ago, when Maeha rolled a "500-something series," said ninth-year Leilehua coach Keith Fukumoto, who noted Maeha left just two frames open for the series (both in the middle game) Thursday.

"Everything was solid, everything was in the pocket and even in the third game, when she didn't get all her strikes, she made her adjustments and picked up her spares."

Maeha credited Fukumoto for helping not only her bowling game but also her mental approach.

"Coach Keith helped me pick-up my 10-pin and not be afraid of it and find my confidence and my junior league coaches helped me find my marks and to calm down and just have fun, so they both help me all-around with my bowling," Maeha said.

Fukumoto defers the credit back to Maeha and her league coaches.

"Being in the junior program, where they teach and coach them a lot, it definitely helps them before they come to high school," said Fukumoto, whose fellow Mules' coach, Phil Weyl, runs the Schofield Junior Program. "She knows what she's doing, I just line her up a little bit better, but the rest of it was all her own."

Maeha, who Fukumoto describes as an "easy-going, fun person," who doesn't stress over much, said she didn't set any kind of personal goal for herself entering this season, but her coach thinks the sky is the limit for the freshman.

"I think she can eventually take the state (championship)," Fukumoto said. "I think she can be the number-one player in the state, not this year maybe, but I still think she'll be in good contention, maybe in the top 10 in the state as a freshman. She has that potential if she keeps it up."

Maeha and the Mules return to the lanes Thursday for week 3 of 8 in the OIA regular season.

-Kalani Takase

AIR RIFLERY
Maria Lausterer, Waialua — Shot a team-high 519 points in a loss to Leilehua Saturday

Jennifer Loui, Pearl City — Shot a team-high 523.15 points in a win over Radford Saturday

Robert Williams, Pearl City — Shot a team-high 515.03 points in a win over Radford Saturday

BOWLING
Ryan Kajihiro, Pearl City — Rolled a three-game series of 748 pins in an OIA Western Division boys' match Thursday

Keenan Kihara, Pearl City — Rolled a single game of 299 pins in an OIA Western Division boys' match Thursday

Chelsi Morishige, Pearl City — Rolled a three-game series of 687 pins in an OIA Western Division girls' match Thursday

Matthew Perry, Kapolei — Rolled a three-game series of 707 pins in an OIA Western Division boys' match Thursday

FOOTBALL
Rudy Agoot, Kapaa — Threw a pair of touchdown passes and ran for another score in a win over Waimea Friday

Kesi Ah Hoy, Kahuku — Rushed for 115 yards and three touchdowns on nine carries in a win over McKinley Friday

Kahana Albinio, Kailua — Recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown in a loss to Aiea Saturday

Tsubasa Brennan, Pac-Five — Caught 11 passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Saint Francis Friday

Karson Cruz, Moanalua — Caught 10 passes for 311 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to Farrington Friday

Challen Faamatau, Farrington — Rushed for 126 yards with a touchdown on 17 carries and caught a touchdown pass in a win over Moanalua Friday

Ace Faumui, Kalani — Rushed for 108 yards and four touchdowns on eight carries in a win over Anuenue Friday

Michael Feliciano, Moanalua — Caught seven passes for 132 yards and a touchdown in a loss to Farrington Friday

Kainoa Ferreira, Pac-Five — Threw for 273 yards and four touchdowns on 22-of-34 passing

Makoa Filikitonga-Lukea, Lahainaluna — Threw a pair of touchdown passes and ran in two other scores in a win over Kamehameha-Maui Saturday

Alohi Gilman, Kahuku — Scored on a 45-yard punt return in a win over McKinley Friday

Corey Imose-Lee, Kalani — Scored on a 20-yard fumble return in a win over Anuenue Friday

Austin Jim On, Iolani — Threw for 249 yards and two touchdowns on 17-of-24 passing in a win over Damien Friday

Kahewai Kaaiawaawa, Mililani — Recorded three tackles, including two sacks, in a win over Kapolei Saturday

Kale Kanehailua, Nanakuli — Threw for 279 yards and three touchdowns on 15-of-29 passing and ran for 74 yards and two more scores in a win over Roosevelt Friday

Micah Kanehailua, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Threw a pair of touchdown passes and rushed for another score in a win over Konawaena Friday

Kalei Kealoha-Machado, Kailua — Recorded a pair of interceptions in a loss to Aiea Saturday

Kawika Keama-Jacobe, Moanalua — Threw for 552 yards with three touchdowns on 26-of-47 passing in a loss to Farrington Friday

Sean Kinel, Pac-Five — Caught five passes for 85 yards, including two touchdowns, in a win over Saint Francis Friday

Maika Koko, Waianae — Recorded four sacks and caught a touchdown pass in a loss to Leilehua Friday

Nayton Kuresa, Waianae — Recorded three sacks in a loss to Leilehua Friday

Seufagafaga Luafatasaga, Farrington — Recorded a pair of sacks and recovered two fumbles, including one he returned for a 10-yard touchdown, in a win over Moanalua Friday

Lauriano Lucas, Leilehua — Caught two passes for 127 yards and a touchdown in a win over Waianae Friday

Keoni-Kordell Makekau, Iolani — Caught nine passes for 155 yards with a touchdown and kicked three field goals in a win over Damien Friday

Vavae Malepeai, Mililani — Rushed for 149 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries in a win over Kapolei Saturday

Ranan Mamiya, Farrington — Rushed for three touchdowns in a win over Moanalua Friday

Dominic Maneafaiga, Pearl City — Rushed for 170 yards with two touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass in a win over Kaimuki Friday

Kyler Mano, Pearl City — Recorded a pair of sacks in a win over Kaimuki Friday

Rex Manu, Mililani — Recorded five tackles, two sacks and a fumble recovered in a win over Kapolei Saturday

Ronald Matautia, Kapolei — Made nine tackles, one sack and recovered a pair of fumbles in a loss to Mililani Saturday

Scott-Isaac Medeiros-Tangatailoa, Lahainaluna — Caught a pair of touchdown passes in a win over Kamehameha-Maui Saturday

Christian Mejia, Kailua — Forced a fumble and recovered a fumble in a loss to Aiea Saturday

McKenzie Milton, Mililani — Threw for 296 yards and three touchdowns on 29-of-37 passing and rushed for 113 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries in a win over Kapolei Saturday

Austin Molina, Leilehua — Caught a pair of touchdown passes in a win over Waianae Friday

Randy Neverson, Leilehua — Rushed for a touchdown, caught a scoring pass and threw another touchdown in a win over Waianae Friday

Chase Newton, Kamehameha-Maui — Rushed for a pair of touchdowns and threw for another score in a loss to Lahainaluna Saturday

Kanawai Noa, Punahou — Caught seven passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Saint Louis Friday

Randon Ota, Punahou — Scored on a 44-yard interception return in a win over Saint Louis Friday

Ikaika Paaoao-Ahina, Waianae — Scored on a 32-yard interception return in a loss to Leilehua Friday

KJ Pascua, Iolani — Rushed for 137 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries in a win over Damien Friday

Bronson Ramos, Mililani — Caught six passes for 99 yards and a touchdown in a win over Kapolei Saturday

Jordan Taamu, Pearl City — Threw three touchdown passes in a win over Kaimuki Friday

Wayne Taulapapa, Punahou — Rushed for 167 yards on 16 carries in a win over Punahou Friday

Kawika Ulufale, Saint Francis — Threw for 158 yards and two touchdowns on 17-of-28 passing in a loss to Pac-Five Friday

Sione Vea, Kalani — Scored on a 25-yard fumble return in a win over Anuenue Friday

Cory Walton, Aiea — Recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown in a win over Kailua Saturday

Tuli Wily-Matagi, Kahuku — Threw a pair of touchdown passes in a win over McKinley Friday

Isain Wong, Nanakuli — Caught four passes for 105 yards and a touchdown in a win over Roosevelt