Save a little bit of FieldTurf for the second game, boys.
Kahuku and Waianae will hook up for the second time this season tonight, but this one will mean a whole lot more with a spot in the state final at stake.
The two most potent rushing attacks in the state make no secret about what they are going to do: Run, run and run some more. The last time they hooked up Kahuku had little problem on the ground but Waianae struggled and the two teams combined for nearly 300 yards. If the Seariders can fix that tonight, the OIA rivals could make a run at the state record of 556 rushing yards in a game.
A list follows counting down the most run-heavy games since the tournament began in 1999. Kahuku will not be found on this list because although it has featured bruising running games in the past, the Red Raiders’ defense rarely gives its opponent a chance to match it. We’ll see what Waianae can do tonight.
2012 D-II title game: Iolani 36, Lahainaluna 33 (556 yards)
Walter Young and Waianae can take heart in the fact that an unstoppable running game doesn’t always mean a victory. The 2012 Lahainaluna offense was just as fearsome as Kahuku’s current unit, putting three backs over 100 yards and 441 as a team against ‘Iolani. The Raiders had the last laugh, though, getting 104 yards from Yuuya Kato and winning the game 36-33 on a pass from Reece Foy to Tanner Nishioka with 1:53 left. Jared Rocha-Islas led the Lunas with 106 yards, followed by Luke Filikitonga with 103 and two TDs and Christian Whitehead with 101 yards. Lahainaluna averaged 8.3 yards a carry that evening, but fumbled four times and losing one of them.
2010 D-I first round: Waianae 48, Miliani 41 (538)
The Seariders and Trojans hold the Division I record for combined rushing yards in a game, with Waianae’s Jaylen Mitchell going for 120 yards on 12 carries with two touchdowns and quarterback Puletua Wilson adding 81 yards and three scores. While the Seariders trusted six different players to carry the ball, Mililani relied on only Zachary Payomo and Trent McKinney. Payomo toted the load 23 times for 150 yards and two scores while the quarterback took off 15 times for 71 yards and two more touchdowns.
2001 first round: Waimea 41, Castle 20 (520)
The 2001 Menehunes did this damage almost all on their own, as the Knights ran for only 72 yards and quarterback Joel Botelho was their top ground gainer with 33 of them. Timmy Chang-Wo and Chelsey Barba did the damage between the 20s for Waimea, with Chang-Wo compiling 167 yards on 12 carries and Barba taking the handoff 30 times and churning out 152 yards. Neither of those guys scored touchdowns, though, relying on Jordan Dizon to punch it through twice and Brandon Malama to break the plane three times. Waimea’s single game mark of 520 yards last until 2007 when Danny Kekoanui and Waianae thrashed Kealakehe for 450 yards on the ground.
2012 D-I first round: Farrington 34, Kealakehe 25 (513)
There have been many great “thunder and lightning” tandems in state history, but Farrington’s Abraham Silva and Tyler Taumua might have been the best. Silva ran for 172 yards and two touchdowns against the Big Island champs and Taumua added 144 yards and three scores as they split 43 carries. The Governors would not be on this list without Kealakehe’s Lennox Jones, though. He led the way for the Waveriders with 141 yards and two touchdowns and David Fangupo and Kainoa Kipapa also added scores.
2003 D-II first round: Lahainaluna 21, Hawaii Prep 14 (512)
One of the few all-neighbor island games in state history was a slugfest with the boxer beating the slugger. Michael Kopra of Hawaii Prep thrashed Lahainaluna for 274 yards and two scores but HPA fell short to balanced Lahainaluna. The Lunas were no slouches on the ground, piling up 193 yards behind Paul Maielua‘s 69 and Nahiku Phillips‘ 66. Kopra returned to the state tournament the next year to put 201 yards on 32 carries with five touchdowns on Waipahu and gain 96 yards in a loss to Iolani.
1999 semifinal: Saint Louis 56, Waimea 0 (511)
The Crusaders had legendary Pesefea Fiaseu to ride in the first state tournament but he hardly got any run in the state’s biggest blowout. Fiaseu carried the ball only four times for 45 yards and a touchdown before taking a seat to watch Damien Cole go for 188 yards and three scores and Prince Brown to add 76 and a touchdown. Even quarterback Timmy Chang got in on the mix, gaining 10 yards on his only carry. Jesse Sablan led overmatched Waimea with 96 yards on 26 carries to help Na Menehune over 100 yards in garbage time.
2014 D-I title game: Mililani 53, Punahou 45 (508)
“Big Game” Wayne Taulapapa and Vavae Malepeai hooked up in last year’s state final and didn’t disappoint. Punahou’s Taulapapa carried the ball 36 times for 260 yards and three touchdowns against Mililani’s formerly stiff defense, but the Trojans came out on top when Taulapapa was stripped at the goal line in the last minute. Balanced Mililani split carries evenly between Malepeai and quarterback McKenzie Milton each with 13. Malepeai covered 89 yards in his chances and Milton had 38 yards but the wild card, and possibly the difference maker, was Cheyne Constantino‘s 41 yards on nine carries with three huge first downs in relief of a banged-up Malepeai in the second half.
Here are a few state rushing records to keep in mind:
Carries, game
Billy Masima, Kaimuki, 42
Jayson Rego, Kamehameha, 39
Wayne Taulapapa ,Punahou, 36
Ammon Baldomero, Iolani, 34
Chester Sua, Kaimuki, 33
Michael Kopra, Hawaii Prep, 32
Aofaga Wily, Kahuku, 32
Ammon Baldomero, Iolani, 31
Chelsey Barba, Waimea, 30
Jayson Rego, Kamehameha, 30
Malosi Teo, Kahuku, 30
Alex Daniels, Radford, 30
Yards, game
Michael Kopra, Hawaii Prep, 274
Algene Kelekolio, Konawaena, 263
Malosi Teo, Kahuku, 262
Wayne Taulapapa, Punahou, 260
Harry Tuimaseve, Farrington, 239
Chester Sua, Kaimuki, 229
Mike Hirokawa, Iolani, 217
Jayson Rego, Kamehameha, 212
Mulivai Pula, Kahuku, 209
Michael Kopra, Hawaii Prep, 201
Danny Kekoanui, Waianae, 198
Touchdowns, game
Michael Kopra, Hawaii Prep, 5
Tyler Taumua, Farrington, 4
Aofaga Wily, Kahuku, 4
Fewest rushing yards allowed, game
2009 Kamehameha vs. Leilehua, -46
2013 Kauai vs. Iolani, -29
2010 Saint Louis vs. Leilehua, -27
2008 Kahuku vs. Leilehua, -21
2011 Kahuku vs. Leilehua, -17
2007 Leilehua vs. Baldwin, -12
2012 Lahainaluna vs. Nanakuli, -7
2014 Kahuku vs. Punahou, -4
2004 Kamehameha vs. Leilehua, -4
2007 Kaimuki vs. Ks-Hawaii, -3
2013 Kaiser vs. Konawaena, 0
team yards in a game
450: 2007 Waianae vs. Kealakehe
448: 2001 Waimea vs. Castle
425: 2006 King Kekaulike vs. Iolani
402: 2009 Farrington vs. Honokaa
397: 1999 Saint Louis vs. Waimea
374: 2001 Kailua vs. Waiakea
Carries, career
1. Ammon Baldomero, Iolani, 119
2. Aofaga Wily, Kahuku, 112
3. BJ Batts, Saint Louis, 95
4. Pesefea Fiaseu, Saint Louis, 87
5. Keelan Ewaliko, Baldwin, 82
6. Michael Kopra, Hawaii Prep, 77
7. Vavae Malepeai, Mililani, 76
8. Justin Yamamoto, Iolani, 74
9. Jordon Dizon, Waimea, 73
9. Mulivai Pula, Kahuku, 73
9. Wayne Taulapapa, Punahou, 73
Yards, career
1. Pesefea Fiaseu, Saint Louis, 668
2. Aofaga Wily, Kahuku, 650
3. BJ Batts, Saint Louis, 642
4. Mulivai Pula, Kahuku, 580
5. Michael Kopra, Hawaii Prep, 571
6. Harry Tuimaseve, Farrington, 527
7. Ammon Baldomero, Iolani, 479
8. Malosi Teo, Kahuku, 475
9. Tyler Taumua, Farrington, 427
10. Chester Sua, Kaimuki, 423
Current: Vavae Malepeai, Mililani, 390
Touchdowns, career
1. BJ Batts, Saint Louis, 12
2. Tyler Taumua, Farrington, 9
2. Aofaga Wily, Kahuku, 9
4. Prince Brown, Saint Louis, 7
4. Pesefea Fiaseu, Saint Louis, 7
4. Michael Kopra, Hawaii Prep, 7
4. Mulivai Pula, Kahuku, 7
Current: Vavae Malepeai, Mililani, 4
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