Kahuku's Kekaula Kaniho recorded three interceptions in a win over Leilehua. Steve Erler | Special to SL

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Sat, Sep 19, 2015 @ Leilehua [ 7:00 pm ]

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Kahuku

41

Leilehua

6

Final	1	2	3	4	T
Kahuku (13-0-0)	14	13	14	0	41
Leilehua (3-6-0)	6	0	0	0	6

• Pass
• Rush
• Rec

Konapiliahi Andres 127 yd 1 TD

Kesi Ah-Hoy 33 yd

Anthony Ugalino 12 yd

Sefa Ameperosa 118 yd

Charles Watson 51 yd 1 TD

John-Raymond Falemalu 33 yd

WAHIAWA - Kahuku amassed 290 yards of offense and intercepted six passes to run away from Leilehua, 41-6, Saturday night at Hugh Yoshida Stadium.

The Red Raiders, fourth in the Hawaiian Electric Division I Power Rankings, improved to 6-0 overall and 5-0 in the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I Red, while the Mules fell to 2-4 and 2-3). The game went into running clock mode when 5-foot-7, 220-pound fullback LeRod Tongi scored his last of three touchdowns on a six-yard run with 5:54 left in the third quarter.

Running back Sefa Ameperosa was Kahuku's workhorse with 20 carries for 118 yards, but it was his fellow backfield mates who did all the scoring. Running back Harmon Brown and quarterback Kesi Ah Hoy each scored one. Kahuku's other score came on Stokes Botelho's 38-yard interception return early in the third quarter.

Botelho had two interceptions and Pesa Lefau had another. But Kekaulia Kaniho led the way with three. All were against Leilehua QB Konapiliahi Andres.

Despite the dominating performance, first-year Kahuku coach Vavae Tata felt there was room for improvement, especially when it came to penalties. The Red Raiders were called 13 times for 157 yards.

"That's worrisome," Tata said. "That's what I'm worried about."

One of the penalites led to the ejection of offensive lineman Spencer Pahulu. Barring an appeal, he will have to sit out Kahuku's next game at Waipahu.

Ironically, it was a Kahuku turnover that led to Leilehua's only score of the game.  After taking the opening kickoff, the Red Raiders drove to the Leilehua 48, but quarterback Kesi Ah Hoy fumbled and the ball recovered and returned five yards by Devin Griffiths to the Kahuku 43. The Mules needed only four plays to take the lead when Konapiliahi Andres tossed a high arcing pass to Charles Watson in the end zone. The pass was underthrown but Watson came back for the ball against two Kahuku defenders to make the catch. The Mules missed the PAT and it was downhill after that.

Kahuku scored on its next three possessions in taking a 20-6 lead early in the second quarter.

Following Leilehua's score, the Red Raiders' 10-play drive - all runs - that started at their own 29 ended with running back Harmon Brown scoring on a 12-yard run. Kekoa Sasaoka's PAT with 3:31 in the first quarter put Kahuku up, 7-6.

Kaniho's first interception was returned 18 yards to the Leilehua 19. Three plays later, Tongi scored his first TD on a six-yard run with 2:06 left in the first period to increased the Red Raiders' lead to 14-6.

Leilehua's next series ended with a three-and-out. What did not help was a 20-yard punt to the Leilehua 45. Four plays and 66 seconds later, Tongi scored on a 17-yard run. The Red Raiders missed the PAT to keep it 20-6 with 11:37 in the half.

The Mules again had to punt on its next series, but this time Kahuku muffed the return and Leilehua recovered at the Kahuku 40, but the series ended at the Kahuku 23.

Kahuku punted on its next series, but Leilehua took over from midfield. A sack and a penalty moved the Mules back to their 35. 

Still, Leilehua had to punt again. This time Keala Santiago returned the ball 37 yards to the Leilehua 26. Three plays and 70 seconds later, Ah Hoy went up the middle for a three-yard TD run to make it 27-7 with 2:44 in the half.

Leilehua received the second -half kickoff, but two plays into the quarter, Botelho's interception return for a TD gave Kahuku a 34-6 lead. In fact, Leilehua's next two series also ended after two plays because of interceptions by Lefau and Kaniho. The latter interception set up Kahuku's final score of the game, a six-yard TD run by Tongi to make it 41-6 and start the running clock.

Late in the game, Cameron Renaud and Kekona Neuman shared plays at quarterback for Ah Hoy, who stayed in as a running back. He was Kahuku's second-leading rusher with 73 yards on 17 carries.

"He's our quarterback-slash-running back," Tata said. "He's a versatile player. We don't obviously have a (true) quarterback. He's our best option right now. He's one of the best 11."

It was Leilehua's last home regular-season game. The Mules will play McKinley at Roosevelt next week and close the regular season at Kaiser.