Mililani's Vavae Malepeai dives into the end zone for a touchdown against Kahuku. Jim Lebeau | Special to SL

Purchase image 1 of 1

Fri, Oct 31, 2014 @ Aloha Stadium [ 8:00 pm ]

---

Mililani

20

Kahuku

7

Final	1	2	3	4	T
Mililani (13-0-0)	6	14	0	0	20
Kahuku (9-3-0)	0	7	0	0	7

• Pass
• Rush
• Rec

Tuli Wily-Matagi 10 yd

McKenzie Milton 135 yd 2 TD

Salanoa-Alo Wily 68 yd 1 TD

Vavae Malepeai 57 yd 1 TD

Kesi Ah-Hoy 14 yd

Joshua Butac 40 yd 1 TD

No. 2 Mililani faced its toughest competition in No. 4 Kahuku and escaped with a 20-7 win for its second consecutive Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I football title Friday night at Aloha Stadium.

Mililani's third overall title - the first in 2010 was by forfeit - means it will draw a first-round bye in the Hawaiian Airlines Division I state football tournament. Kahuku is scheduled to open the tournament against Hilo, Friday at Aloha Stadium.

It was the closest margin of victory for the Trojans (11-0) this season. And it might have been closer or had a different outcome had the Red Raiders (8-2) not lost quarterback Tuli Wily-Matagi to a concussion early in the second quarter.

"We really didn't have any offense after Tuli got hurt," Kahuku coach Lee Leslie said. "He got a concussion…he's got a big heart. He did the best he can."

Wily-Matagi, who was 2 of 5 for 10 yards passing, did not suit up for the second half. Some 30 minutes after the game, he appeared to be coherent.

"I'm fine, but my head is a little sore right now," he said. "It's sad for the boys. They did a great job holding a great offense to 20 points and we weren't able to capitalize on the turnovers and the great field position that we had."

Kahuku became one-dimensional and predictable with sophomore backup Samuta Avea, who was 1 of 12 for 4 yards passing.

"It was a huge difference," Mililani coach Rod York said of the loss of Wily-Matagi.

Though he continued to play, Kahuku all-purpose player Kesi Ah Hoy hurt his shoulder early in the game and fullback Pua Falemalu got hurt on Kahuku's first play from scrimmage, Leslie said.

The Red Raiders defense was by far the best the Trojans had seen all season. Still, it was quarterback McKenzie Milton making plays, throwing two second-quarter touchdown passes after the Trojans fell behind, 7-6.

"Mililani's a great team," Leslie said. "This kid right here (pointing to Milton, who was being interviewed on TV) is the difference."

Yet, the Red Raiders defense kept Milton and running back Vavae Malepeai, who scored the Trojans' first TD on a 2-yard run in the first quarter, were held well below their season averages.

Milton, who averaged 269 yards passing per game, was 14 of 24 for 135 yards. He also was intercepted by Keala Santiago and Alohi Gilman. Malepeai, who averaged 118.3 yards per game, was contained to 57 on 21 carries.

"Kahuku's a great team," York said. "They're everything I thought they'd be. They're big, fast and athletic. They have speed on the edge. They stuffed our run, but we made the plays when we needed to. I'm proud of our guys. Our guys stepped up.

"Kahuku poses a big threat to us. It's the first time corners could bang with our receivers. These guys played us man-to-man."

Mililani had injury issues of its own when wide receiver Kainoa Wilson went down with an injury later in the game.

For Mililani, it was all about field position. All three scoring drives were from 58 yards or closer.

The teams exchanged punts after their first two series. But the Trojans' first break came when a 58-yard punt pinned Kahuku at its 6 midway through the first quarter. Kahuku lost one yard on its series was punted from its end zone at Mililani took over from the Red Raiders' 40.

The Trojans needed just five plays before Malepeai's 2-yard TD run.

Mililani's longest drive was 58 yards in five plays, ending with Milton's 23-yard TD pass to Bryson Ventura with 5:42 left in the half.

Mililani's final TD came after Kahuku was pinned at its 10-yard line after a holding penalty on Mililani's ensuing kickoff. Once again, the Red Raiders had to punt from their end zone, giving Mililani field position at the Kahuku 40. On first down, Milton connected with Joshua Butac to make it 20-7.

Kahuku's only scoring drive came after the Trojans' first score. The Red Raiders marched 75 yards in eight plays with 6-foot-1, 270-pound fullback Salanoa-Alo Wily scoring on a 13-yard run.

The closest Kahuku would come to scoring was early in the third quarter after Santiago returned the second-half kickoff 78 yards to the Trojans' 8. But a personal foul penalty moved the ball back to the Trojans' 23. Kahuku would reach the 9 on fourth-and-12. But Gabriel Piheiro-Alves missed a 32-yard field goal try.

Kahuku would not get inside Mililani's 47 the rest of the game. Kahuku finished with 128 yards of offense.

"It all started with great film," Mililani defensive lineman Rex Manu said. "Coaches breaking it down as always, helping us out."

Kahuku's defense was no slouch either, keeping the Trojans off the board in the second half.

"They have a lot of good players," Milton said. "They fly around to the ball."

Although he was sacked once (by Manaia Atuaia), Milton was often scrambling like Archie Manning - Peyton's and Eli's father - to escape the speedy Red Raiders.

Mililani is the first back-to-back champion since Kahuku won in 2011 and 2012.

"It's definitely something we're not going to take for granted," Milton said. "We're grateful for this. We beat a historic team in Kahuku. This is definitely a great feeling, but not quite satisfied."

Kahuku still has an OIA record 23 league titles.