Hawaiian Electric Game of the Week
Crusaders, Trojans set for Friday night showdown




Under its legendary coach Cal Lee, Saint Louis has long been considered the premier prep football program in the state with its 14 Oahu Prep Bowl titles in the pre-state championship era.

Recent history, however, favors the Crusaders' opponent Friday night in Mililani. The defending state-champion Trojans will be making their fourth consecutive appearance in the semifinals of the First Hawaiian Bank/Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division I State Championships when the teams face off Friday night.

Kickoff between the Crusaders (8-1) and Trojans (10-2) is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Hawaiian Airlines Field at Aloha Stadium.

Saint Louis, which is ranked atop the Hawaiian Electric/ScoringLive Power Rankings, will be playing in its first state-tournament game since 2010, when a Marcus Mariota-led team defeated Waianae, 36-13, in the title game.

"We're excited. I'm happy for the kids that they're getting this opportunity," said Lee, who is the winningest prep coach in state history with a career record of 253-37-5. "For our guys this is their first time being in the state tournament, but all we've got to concentrate on is what we've got to do in order to win. That's what we're focusing on right now: preparation. It's just full speed ahead."

The Crusaders' only loss this season was a 51-45 double-overtime thriller against Punahou back on Sept. 25. However, they captured the second-round title in the rigorous Interscholastic League of Honolulu — defeating the Buffanblu, 30-14, on Oct. 17 in the process — to force a winner-take-all playoff the following week.

In that game on Oct. 24, junior quarterback Tua Tagovailoa — a Second Team All-Hawaii selection in 2014 — threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns on 22-of-31 passing to lead Saint Louis to a 27-23 win over Punahou, snapping the Buffanblu's streak of four straight league titles.

The Crusaders, who are seeded second in the six-team, single-elimination state tournament and consequently had an opening-round bye last week, have not played in nearly three weeks' time, but that's not of concern to Lee.

"I think the layoff helped us regroup and get a little break and get those guys that are hurt back so it was nice to rest a little bit and we'll be ready to go," said Lee, who led Saint Louis to the inaugural state championship in 1999.

Tagovailoa, a 6-foot-1, 210-pound southpaw, has completed nearly 63 percent of his passes for 2,349 yards this year, which ranks third-best in all of Division I. He has thrown 21 touchdown passes against five interceptions and also leads the team in rushing with 391 yards and eight more scores.

"His arm strength is unreal," Mililani coach Rod York said of Tagovailoa. "Our defensive backs and linebackers are going to have to get used to his quick release and his strong arm because his ball is going to come faster than we've ever seen. His scramble ability is dangerous, but what he does differently than other quarterbacks is he scrambles to get separation, then plants his feet and throws 40-yard ropes. He can run to the left hash and still fire a 50-yard bomb to the right side of the field."

The Trojans have a heralded quarterback of their own in senior McKenzie Milton, last year's All-Hawaii Division I Offensive Player of the Year. The 6-foot, 180-pound Milton has played in just eight of his team's 12 games this year but still ranks fourth statewide in passing yardage with 2,225 yards. He has completed just over 68 percent os his attempts with 29 touchdowns and four interceptions.

"I think he's a smart kid," Lee said of Milton, who verbally committed to the University of Hawaii shortly after leading Mililani to its first state title in school history last year. "He's at the controls of the offense, he knows defenses, he reads well and he has a quick release. Now with that said, he also can run the ball — which is double the threat — so we not only have to worry about him throwing the ball, but running with it. He's a dual threat that would scare any defense."

Last week's 62-18 win over Hilo was Milton's first action since suffering a shoulder injury that forced him to miss four games, including all three of his team's Oahu Interscholastic Association tournament games. He did not start against the Vikings, but was efficient nonetheless, throwing for 262 yards and three touchdowns on 14-of-19 passing.

"He looked great on Friday," York said. "He's been having great practices this week. You can't tell that he's been injured, but at the same time we've just got to be smart about him coming back. He feels great though and he looks great."

In Milton's absence, the Trojans used a number of underclassmen — including two freshmen — at quarterback, but still managed to win three of four games during that stretch. With Milton at the controls, however, they execute at another level, Lee warns.

WHAT: 17th Annual First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Division I Football State Championships, semifinals
WHO: Mililani Trojans (10-2/OIA runner-up) vs. Saint Louis Crusaders (8-1/ILH champion)
WHEN: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Hawaiian Airlines Field at Aloha Stadium
TICKETS: Adults $9, students (grades K-12) $5, seniors (62-and-over w/ID) $5
PARKING: $3 (no tailgating permitted)
STATE TOURNAMENT HISTORY—Mililani: Eighth appearance (2003-2004, 2006, 2010, 2012-2015), 5-6 all-time, 2-2 in semifinals. Saint Louis: Ninth appearance (1999-2003, 2006-2007, 2010, 2015), 17-5 all-time, 8-0 in semifinals.

"I really do think with McKenzie in there they're a totally different team," Lee said. "I mean, for any team you take away your quarterback and guess what, you're a different team. I think they're a better football team with him, there's no question about that."

Friday won't mark the first time the teams have met on the gridiron this year. Mililani hosted Saint Louis in a controlled scrimmage on the first weekend in August and came away with a 41-21 "win," but both coaches said that has little bearing on this weekend's showdown.

"It might as well have been five years ago," York said. "They're different and we're different. It helps that we've played against them already, but it works in both teams' favor."

Lee concurred with York's assessment.

"I mean you look at it, but it was so long ago," said Lee, whose team allowed six sacks in the scrimmage. "Like every team, you look at when you start and where you're at right now and they've gotten better, no question, and the same goes for us. We've gotten better. A lot changes from August to November. Now we've just got to compete and see what happens."



Reach Kalani Takase at [email protected].




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