Trojans turn over Sabers to get back on track

Mililani CB Aiden Manutai runs back an interception 47 yards to give the Trojans a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter. Michael Lasquero | SL

EWA BEACH — The Mililani football team wasted no time putting its first loss of the season in the rearview mirror.

The fifth-ranked Trojans recorded six interceptions en route to a 48-14 win over No. 4 Campbell in an Oahu Interscholastic Association Open Division contest Saturday night.

Mililani (4-1), who was coming off a 55-20 loss to top-ranked Kahuku, scored all of its first-half points off of turnovers as it built a 28-0 halftime lead and never looked back.

The Sabers dropped its first game of the year and fell to 4-1.

Mililani coach Rod York was proud of how the Trojans responded after their first loss of the year.

"The effort was there. We had a good week of practice and we was able to see what we're made of," he said.

"We proved it to ourselves that we can do good things if we play together. We got better on our attitude and we coached a lot better."

Freshman cornerback Aiden Manutai, who had two picks and scored on a 47-yard interception return, echoed York's sentiments.

"Honestly we got to keep working every week," he said. "We really needed that loss, we just got to bounce back every time."

Manutai added that the defense's success came from preparation before the game.

"Everything had to do with practice in the film room, making sure our alignment was right. We came out to play today."

A fumble recovery deep inside Campbell territory led to Mililani's first score of the game, a 12-yard pass from Emana Tarape to Gavin Hunter. Makel Paiva's PAT made it 7-0 with 8:25 to play in the first quarter.

Hunter notched the Trojans' first interception of the game on a deep pass down the left sideline on the ensuing drive. Mililani marched down the field and cashed in with a 5-yard touchdown run by Makanalea Meyer to double its lead.

Manutai jumped a comeback route early in the second quarter to make the score 21-0 at the 10:49 mark of the period.

Soon after, the defense added another defensive score when Tye Barbour returned an interception 34 yards, making the score 28-0 with 10:26 remaining in the second quarter.

The Trojans scored three more times in the third quarter to put the game out of reach for the Sabers.

Campbell's Dominick Espinda prevented the shutout with a 65-yard catch-and-run on the Sabers' first play of the second half and a 80-yard TD reception late in the fourth quarter.

The Trojans host Farrington (0-5) to close out the regular season while the Sabers take on Kahuku (5-0). Both games are slated for Saturday.