Steve Erler | SL

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Athlete of the Week: Tai-John Mizutani, Iolani football
Tai-John Mizutani provided the hot start that Iolani needed to get past Campbell Friday night.

Mizutani, a junior quarterback, threw three first-half touchdown passes in the Raiders' 35-12 win over Campbell in the semifinal round of the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Division I Football State Championships.

Iolani scored in just a matter of minutes, capping their first possession with Mizutani's 29-yard touchdown pass to Rayden Kaneshiro. Mizutani completed 6 of 8 passes on the drive, including a pivotal 2-yard completion to Justin Genovia to move the chains on fourth-and-1.

"You talk about it at any level, that you always want to start the game off with a good tempo and that's what we always try and do," Raiders coach Wendell Look said. "(Mizutani) got into a good groove and rhythm, so it kind of helped us through that first half."

Iolani got takeaways on three consecutive drives — all coming on interceptions — in the second quarter and recycled all of them into touchdowns.

Mizutani's 7-yard scoring strike on third-and-goal to Jonah Miyazawa was set-up by his 25-yard completion to Genovia. Just before the half, Mizutani hit Kaneshiro for a 3-yard TD to give his team a commanding 35-0 lead.

"I think in the first half he was sharp," Look said of the 6-foot-2, 180-pound Mizutani. "He took what they gave him, he was very efficient with the ball, he managed our offense for us, made the right reads.

Mizutani finished 25-of-37 passing for 197 yards. He completed passes to seven different receivers and was not sacked.

Campbell coach Amosa Amosa credited Mizutani's decision-making.

"We were trying to put pressure on him, but that ball comes out so fast or he will use his legs to extend plays and hurt us deep," Amosa said.

Look added that mobility is one of the areas that Mizutani has improved over the course of his two seasons as the starter.

"He runs when he needs to run and he's being a little bit smarter about when to go, when to extend the play and when to kill it," Look said. "It's going to extend his playing career if he's smart about it."

The Raiders went scoreless in the second half against the Sabers, which didn't sit well with Look.

"With kids, you get up that much and then whether it's just they relaxed or he wanted to gamble a little bit, but we kind of got out of our rhythm, so offensively in the second half I wasn't too happy with how we performed," Look said.

One area Look has been pleased with is ball security. Mizutani has not turned it over in either one of Iolani's two state tournament games after a string of six straight games with an interception in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu.

"That's been key for us," Look said. "You look at the Moanalua and Campbell games and our defense created turnovers for us and gave us field position, and so looking at it that way, (Mizutani) knows that he needs to take care of the ball and make good decisions."

As a sophomore last year, Mizutani completed 57.5 percent of his passes for 1,940 yards with 12 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. This year, he has 2,282 passing yards and 15 touchdowns to 7 interceptions.

"There's been tremendous growth from last year to this year, just in his confidence level in himself and making the correct decisions," Look said. "I think everybody respects how hard he works and the kind of person he is, so I think where the growth still needs to happen is becoming more of a vocal leader, but I think with him being an underclassman, I think that'll come. When he becomes a senior that part of him will mature and come out."

Under Look and the guidance of co-offensive coordinator Joel Lane, Iolani has had a long line of talented quarterbacks from Kiran Kepoo, Kela Marciel, Jarrett Arakawa and Reece Foy.

"We've had a few pretty good ones and I think he's a little bit of a combination of them all," Look said. "I think mentally he ranks up there with all of them. I think they all were pretty sharp in understanding the system and understanding what we wanted to do and that's a credit to Joel."

Mizutani and the No. 10 Raiders (5-7) will take on eighth-ranked Mililani (8-3) in the D1 state final at Hawaiian Tel FCU Field at Aloha Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday and will follow the D2 title game between Kapaa and Lahainaluna.

ScoringLive reporter Brandon Ching contributed to this report.

FOOTBALL
Austin Aukai, Konawaena — Caught seven passes for 126 yards in a loss to Lahainaluna

Helam Baldomero, Iolani — Made 10 tackles, including two for losses, and broke up two passes in a win over Campbell

Michael Banagan-Brock, Konawaena — Made 11 1/2 tackles in a loss to Lahainaluna

Shawn Borges, Damien — Made 11 tackles, including two for losses, in a loss to Kapaa

Harmon Brown, Kahuku — Rushed 15 times for 106 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Kapolei

Jonah Buchanan, Iolani — Recovered two fumbles in a win over Campbell

Jeriah Cacal, Konawaena — Intercepted two passes and made four tackles in a loss to Lahainaluna

Kamakana Ching, Konawaena — Caught two touchdown passes in a loss to Lahainaluna

Desmond Dawkins, Leilehua — Scored on a 91-yard kickoff return in a loss to Mililani

Donovan Defang, Lahainaluna — Rushed for two touchdowns, made 5 1/2 tackles, intercepted a pass and broke up another in a win over Konawaena

Noah Empron, Campbell — Made five tackles, broke up four passes and recovered a fumble in a loss to Iolani

Keawe Fox, Mililani — Made seven tackles, including one for a loss, and recovered a fumble in a win over Leilehua

Dillon Gabriel, Mililani — Threw for 227 yards with four touchdowns on 16-of-25 passing and rushed 11 times for 56 yards and another score in a win over Leilehua

Dustin Gapusan, Mililani — Made seven tackles, intercepted a pass and broke up another in a win over Leilehua

Justin Genovia, Iolani — Caught eight passes for 67 yards in a win over Campbell

Preston Grace, Konawaena — Made 8 1/2 tackles in a loss to Lahainaluna

Jerome Holliday, Leilehua — Made eight tackles in a loss to Mililani

Bailey Honda, Lahainaluna — Intercepted a pass, recovered a fumble and made 2 1/2 tackles in a win over Konawaena

Dante James-Faiga, Mililani — Made eight tackles in a win over Leilehua

Chavison Kalamau, Waianae — Made seven tackles and forced a fumble in a loss to Saint Louis

Hunter Kam, Iolani — Made seven tackles, including one for a loss, in a win over Campbell

Rayden Kaneshiro, Iolani — Caught two touchdown passes in a win over Campbell

Kekaula Kaniho, Kahuku — Scored on a 56-yard interception return, made three tackles, forced a fumble and broke up two passes in a win over Kapolei

Keanu Kelly, Kapolei — Made 8 1/2 tackles in a loss to Kahuku

Cy Kuboyama-Hayashi, Mililani — Caught two touchdown passes in a win over Leilehua

Makana LaBoy, Iolani — Intercepted two passes and made three tackles, including one for a loss, in a win over Campbell

Kanai Mauga, Waianae — Made three tackles, one sack, and recovered a fumble in a loss to Saint Louis

Stokes Nihipali-Botelho, Kahuku — Made eight tackles and broke up a pass in a win over Kapolei

Jalen Olomua, Mililani — Rushed 13 times for 86 yards with a touchdown and made six tackles, including two sacks, in a win over Leilehua

Unaloto Pahulu, Lahainaluna — Made 6 1/2 tackles, including one sack, and forced a fumble in a win over Konawaena

Kawai Phifer, Leilehua — Caught seven passes for 233 yards and a touchdown in a loss to Mililani

Hoaka Phillips, Lahainaluna — Made five tackles, including 3 1/2 for losses, two sacks, and recovered a fumble in a win over Konawaena

Kaleoaloha Piceno, Leilehua — Threw for 205 yards and a touchdown on 10-of-13 passing in a loss to Mililani

Asher Pilanca, Mililani — Made 12 tackles, including one for a loss, and forced a fumble in a win over Leilehua

Noa Purcell, Saint Louis — Scored on a 36-yard interception return and made six tackles, including one for a loss, in a win over Waianae

Dusten Ramseyer-Burdett, Kapaa — Scored on a 79-yard interception return in a win over Damien

Samson Reed, Kahuku — Had two sacks in a win over Kapolei

Jaymin Sarono, Kapolei — Caught 12 passes for 77 yards and a touchdown in a loss to Kahuku

Damion Scandrick, Leilehua — Made eight tackles, including one for a loss, in a loss to Mililani

Isaac Slade-Matautia, Saint Louis — Made four tackles, including two sacks, in a win over Waianae

Deshayne Stevens, Leilehua — Scored on a 50-yard blocked punt return in a loss to Mililani

Tyrese Tafai, Campbell — Made seven tackles, including 1 1/2 for losses, and recovered a fumble in a loss to Iolani

Tua Tagovailoa, Saint Louis — Threw for 162 yards with three touchdowns on 13-of-15 passing and rushed four times for 67 yards with another score in a win over Waianae

Kapena Texeira, Kapaa — Rushed for a touchdown, made 5 1/2 tackles, including one for a loss, and forced a fumble in a win over Damien

Joshua Tihada, Lahainaluna — Rushed nine times for 103 yards and a touchdown in a win over Konawaena

Akio Tolenna, Kapaa — Recovered two fumbles and made 2 1/2 tackles in a win over Damien

Elvis Vakapuna, Kahuku — Rushed for two touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass in a win over Kapolei

Ronson Young, Saint Louis — Caught three touchdown passes in a win over Waianae