Stacy Kaneshiro | ScoringLive
October 31, 2015, 6:54am
Kahuku's defense denies Mililani of title three-peat
Kahuku defensive back Keala Santiago picked off three passes in a win over Mililani. Steve Erler | Special to SLKahuku's defense pulled off what no other team had done this season: keep Mililani's offense out of the end zone.
The Red Raiders (11-0) kept their record unblemished with a stout defense to take down two-time defending champion Mililani, 20-7, Friday night to take its first Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I championship since 2012 and league record 18th in 25 title games since 1970.
Mililani's only score came when Isaac Liva returned a fumble 26 yards to tie the game at 7 with six minutes, 50 seconds left in the third quarter. Otherwise, it was a long day for the vaunted Trojans offense – playing without All-Hawaii quarterback McKenzie Milton since a Sept. 26 shoulder injury against Kailua, then without up-and-coming freshman Dillon Gabriel, who suffered an apparent shoulder injury when he took a hit after throwing an incomplete pass early in the second quarter – that was limited to a season-low 180 yards of offense and no scores.
"It was tough," Kahuku first-year coach Vavae Tata acknowledged on Gabriel's injury that sent him to the hospital. "I hope Gabriel is fine; I hope he'll be able to make it back. But that's football. Injuries happen, life happens. You just have to live with it."
Tata should know. He lost his starting QB, Jordan Mariteragi, in preseason and has been playing "wildcat" football with three running backs most of the season, including Friday night.
One of the big playmakers for Kahuku was veteran Keala Santiago, who intercepted three passes off three different passers and was in on three tackles.
"Keala's phenomenal," Tata said. "Talk about a quintessential student-athlete, the total package. I want him to go to Stanford."
Santiago's first pick came when Mililani drove from its 1 to the Kahuku 7. Santiago jumped in front of wideout Kalakaua Timoteo two yards deep in the end zone and returned the ball to the Kahuku 15 to stall the Trojans' drive.
Santiago later made up for muffing a punt that gave Mililani possession at the Red Raiders' 37 with his second pick of the game, this one off Kaysen Higa. That turnover set up Kekoa Sasaoka's 42-yard field goal that put the Red Raiders ahead, 10-7 with 9:51 left in the game.
After Kahuku increased its lead to 17-7 with 2:24 on Harmon Brown's two-yard run. Mililani's ensuing possession started with Santiago intercepting a pass off of Bryson Ventura. That led to Sasaoka's second field goal of the game, a 37-yarder as time expired.
"It was just doing our assignments and executing on our plays," Santiago said of the defense's success.
Santiago had to defend tough receivers, such as Timoteo and Ventura.
"It's a challenge just to defend their whole offense," Santiago said. "It's not just one person (to defend). We really worked hard this week to prepare ourselves for this game."
The Red Raiders will receive one of the seeded byes for the Division I state tournament, which starts Nov. 6. The Trojans, who are the defending state champions, are also qualified for the tournament.
The winner of Saturday's third-place game between Waianae and Farrington at Mililani will get the league's third and final state berth.
