---

WAILUKU - No Andrew Manley, no problem for Leilehua.

Junior left-hander Kenan Sadanaga picked up where two-time state Offensive Player of the Year left off by passing for 478 yards and five touchdowns to fuel the Mules to a 35-26 win against Baldwin before a surprisingly sparse crowd at War Memorial Stadium

It was the third consecutive year Leilehua (8-3), ranked fourth in the SL-OC 16 Power Rankings, beat No. 5 Baldwin (9-2) in First Hawaiian Bank Division I State Football quarterfinals on the Valley Isle. It was the fourth year in a row the Mules ended the Bears' season in states. In 2007, the Mules ousted the Bears in the semifinals at Aloha Stadium.

The Mules will take on top-seeded and No. 2 Saint Louis (9-1) in the 7 p.m. semifinal Friday at Aloha Stadium. It will be aired on OC 16.

The Mules were able to win despite six turnovers and a staggering 19 penalties totaling 157 yards.

"We're just so fortunate enough to move on after making those kind of mistakes at this stage of the season," Leilehua coach Nolan Tokuda said. "I'll take the blame for this. It's when I get fired up, the kids kind of take it to the next level and they shouldn't. They should just within themselves. The six turnovers, we were just forcing things. Baldwin's defense is tough. They forced us into quicker throws."

Despite pressure from the Bears, Sadanaga was 32 of 41 for 478 yards, but was picked by Ryan Silva and B.J. Wilhelm-Ioane and lost two fumbles. But more than once, he pinpointed passes to receivers in double coverage. Also, he wasn't sacked.

"Was kind of mind-boggling," Sadanaga said. "But my line did a great job protecting me the whole night. Zero sacks. My hat goes off to my linemen. I love them a lot."

But the Bears made Sadanaga pay for those yards. Twice he was knocked out of the game. Yet, he returned each time to wreak more havoc on the Bears.

"He's tough a kid," Baldwin coach A.J. Roloos said. "He took shots tonight and he got up from it."

The previous two years as the JV QB, Sadanaga got to watch Manley lead the Mules. Now, it's his turn and he's enjoying the ride.

"It's kind of surreal.," Sadanaga said. "Just living the dream right now, just having a great time out there and making the best of the opportunity we have."

Although Manley (6 feet 3, 220 pounds) and Sadanaga (5-7, 155) are of different statures, they have a similar trait.

"This kid is like Andrew Manley in a sense of toughness," Tokuda said. "These guys know it's more than just them. When they get hit, they're not thinking about their injury. They're thinking about their teammates. He knows he needs to go back out there and lead his teammates. He'll take a play off or two, but he'll get right back in there and help his teammates."

The Mules stormed out of the gates, taking a 14-0 first-quarter lead on the first two TD passes by Sadanaga. He tossed a 29-yarder to Jeremiah Andrade, who had 12 catches for 228 yards, and a 10-yarder to Fred Padrones, who was seven for 102.

But Bears' sophomore QB Keelan Ewaliko cut the deficit in half when he connected with Ro Wilson on a 26-yard TD in which he tipped the ball away from the defender before grabbing it again.

The Mules responded quickly, scoring on their next series on a 29-yard TD catch by Padrones to make it 21-7.

But with 2:41 left, Wilson broke loose for a 59-yard punt return for a TD to pull the Bears to 21-14 at the half.

The Mules opened the second half by scoring on their first series on Sadanaga's 20-yard TD pass to Andrade to make it 28-14.

But later, Leilehua lost a fumble at the Baldwin 42 and the Bears cashed in with a one-yard TD run by Ramsey Pacubas. But the usually accurate CeeJay Santos missed the PAT, keeping the game 28-20.

Leilehua answered again, this time on a 33-yard TD catch to Alan Racette to make it 35-20 with 3:01 left in the game.

The Bears scored on a six-yard run by Ewaliko with 25 seconds left in the game to pull to 35-26. But Santos again missed a PAT, keeping it a two-score game. But any comeback was extinguished when the Bears were unsuccessful on their ensuing onside kick that Dillon Pauu returned 34 yards to the Bears' 17. The Mules took a knee to run out the clock.

The Mules' defense also created problems for the Bears. Leilehua intercepted Ewaliko three times, twice by Ryan Pasoquen and once by lineman Shawn Lagpacan. Two of the picks came inside the Mules' 20. Ewaliko also was sacked five times, three by lineman Penitito Melei.

"We turned over the ball in the red zone and that hurt us the most," Roloos said. "We're� proud of the kids. They played hard until the very end."

Note: Sadanaga's 478 passing yards is only surpassed by P.J. Minaya's 513 set in 2008 vs. Word of Life and 481 by Andrew Kamana'o set in 1991 vs. Kalani. Sadanaga's 32 completions is second to Minaya's 36 in the same game against WOLA.