Leilehua QB Konapiliahi Andres passed for 228 yards and three TDs, two to Kawai Phifer, to knock off host Kailua. Steve Erler | SL

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Sat, Sep 10, 2016 @ Kailua [ 6:30 pm ]

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Leilehua

37

Kailua

15

Final	1	2	3	4	T
Leilehua (5-8-0)	7	20	3	7	37
Kailua (3-5-0)	0	13	2	0	15

• Pass
• Rush
• Rec

Mark Lagazo 75 yd

Konapiliahi Andres 228 yd 3 TD

Mark Lagazo 90 yd 2 TD

Kaleoaloha Piceno 94 yd 1 TD

Hapaki Kupahu-Phillips 39 yd

Kawai Phifer 153 yd 2 TD

KAILUA – It seems that everyone was in on the play except for the head coach.

Quarterback Konapiliahi Andres passed for 228 yards and three touchdowns, including an 80-yarder to Kawai Phifer and Leilehua toppled No. 10 Kailua, 37-15, Saturday night at Alex Kane Stadium.

The Mules improved to 2-4 overall and 2-3 in the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I Red, but remain a half-game behind the Surfriders (2-2) because they have played one fewer game.

In a matter of 13 seconds, the Mules stole momentum back from the Surfriders just before the half.

Kailua pulled to within 21-13 with 23 seconds left in the first half on QB Mark Lagazo's 1-yard TD run. After the ensuing kickoff went for a touchback, Andres hit a wide-open Phifer for an 80-yard TD pass with 10 seconds left to open a two-possession lead entering the half.

"That's a hell of a call by Coach Bobby (George, offensive coordinator)," Leilehua coach Nolan Tokuda said of the long scoring strike. "'Are you going to take a knee? What are we doing?'. He said, ‘You'll see.' The next thing you know it's a home run ball. That was a great call by Coach Bobby."

Even Phifer knew what was coming.

"He (Bobby George) told me before to run the play," Phifer said.

Phifer noticed the corner playing inside of him, so he went outside of the defender and took off.

"I was just focusing on catching the ball," Phifer added. "When I turned my head, I saw the DB way behind me and I just took off."

That ended a topsy-turvy first half.

Earlier in the half, the momentum seemed to be with Kailua. An interception by Ralph Laurence Castillo at the Mules' 41 helped set up 29-yard field goal attempt by Brysen Pedrina. But the the kick was blocked and Jerome Holliday returned the ball 75 yards for a TD. Akoni Makue's PAT put Leilehua ahead, 7-0, with 3:14 in the first quarter.

The Surfriders came back on their ensuing series and scored on Lagazo's 7-yard run to tie the game at 7 with 10:49 in the half.

The Mules then put together an 83-yard scoring drive that was aided by a personal foul against Kailua on Andres' 41-yard TD pass to Phifer to make it 21-7 with 5:24 in the half and led to the aforementioned events.

The Mules owned the second half and added to their lead with a 27-yard field goal by Makue with 3:05 in the third quarter to make it 30-13.

Leilehua found itself backed up to its 4 on its next series. On fourth-and-1 from the 13, a bad snap from punt formation rolled out of the back of the end zone for a safety to pull Kailua to 30-15.

On the free kick, the Surfriders' Chauncy Gonsalves had an apparent 75-yard kickoff return for a TD nullified by a holding call. Kailua wound up starting from its 30 and eventually punted.

Leilehua sealed the game with 3:25 left on Andres' 8-yard TD pass to Kaleoaloha Piceno that made it 37-15.

The Mules were particularly strong on defense in the second half, as Kailua scored only on the safety. Big losses to Punahou (70-9),  Kahuku (49-15) and Kapolei (44-13) might have strengthened the defense's resolve.

"Our defense is definitely playing better," Tokuda said. "Playing those tough teams early definitely made us better."

Andres and Piceno shared time at QB with the former doing most of the passing. Piceno is more of a threat as a runner or receiver. That combination seems to bode well for the Mules.

"It's a little wrinkle that we have," Tokuda said. "One is more of a runner and the other is more of a true passer," Tokuda said. "Coach Bobby put that in trying to spice up the offense. I think it was a great adjustment that he made."

The Mules will host Castle, while the Surfriders will visit Kapolei next Friday.