Moanalua looks to make most of 'second chance'


Richard Villasenor and Na Menehune face the Radford Rams in a first round OIA Red Playoff match up. ScoringLive file photo
The O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red (Division I) Tournament gets underway Friday with a pair of first-round games. Aiea, the West's fifth seed takes on East no. 4 Farrington at 7 p.m. at Roosevelt, while East no. 5 Moanalua visits West no. 4 Radford in the other contest.

The game between Na Menehune and the Rams is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff and will be televised live statewide on OC16.

Moanalua is 4-4 on the year and went 3-3 in the Red East. Na Menehune will try to make the most of a second chance after it appeared they would be on the outside looking in on the playoffs. However, as first reported by ScoringLive last week, the result of a an 18-0 loss to Roosevelt two weeks ago was reversed after it was discovered the Rough Riders used an ineligible player and forfeited the game.

Na Menehune have not won a game on the field since a 21-12 victory at Kaiser nearly a month ago, but have proven to be especially tough defensively. Moanalua has not given up more than 28 points in a game this season and allows less than 20 on average.

Seniors Richard Villasenor and Kainoa Kaholoa'a anchor Na Menehune on defense. Villasenor, a 6-foot-2, 240-pound senior, plays defensive line, tight end and is the punter.

Offensively, much of Moanalua's production has come from senior running back Charles Spencer. The 5-10, 195-pound senior has accounted for more than 35 percent of his team's total yards this season. Spencer averages 5.4 yards per carry and has rushed for 572 yards and three TDs.

While Na Menehune like to keep it on the ground with their triple-option offense, the Rams run a pass-heavy, spread offense with gunslinger Maika Ulufale at the trigger. The senior quarterback, who played at Campbell last season, has completed 56 percent (86 of 153) of his passes for 1,177 yards with 11 TDs against 8 INTs.

Running back Phil Hogan is the team's leading scorer with five TDs on the year. The senior has run for 345 yards (3.6 yards per attempt) with three scores and has caught 2 TD passes as well. Tight end Andrew Togialua is Ulufale's favorite target, having hauled in 19 receptions for 286 yards and also plays defensive back.

Radford, who is 4-4 overall and went 3-3 in the Red West, has been up and down all year. The Rams fell 21-3 in their season opener to Castle, but came back to rout Damien 47-0 the following week. Radford has not won back-to-back game since beating Kapolei (17-7) and Campbell (20-13) nearly a month ago.

The winner of the game advances to play at Kahuku in a quarterfinal contest next week. The top three teams from the OIA will earn state-tournament berths.


Reach Kalani Takase at [email protected].