LIVE BLOG: Kahuku 20, Mililani 7, F

The time for talking is over.

The top two teams in the OIA all season collide Friday night at Aloha Stadium as No. 2 Kahuku faces No. 3 Mililani for the OIA D-I title. The Red Raiders had never lost to the Trojans until 2013, when Mililani beat Kahuku in the OIA semifinals. A year later, the Trojans were better than the Red Raiders again, winning the OIA title by a 20-7 margin.

As pointed out here Friday, if the season ended today, Kahuku’s 3.2 points per game allowed would be the best of all-time while Mililani’s 56.5 points per game average would be No. 1 all-time. Will it be Kahuku’s defense or Mililani’s offense that shines brightest at the end of the night?

Live in-game updates with videos will follow below. Kickoff will likely be more like 8:25 p.m.:

Mililani senior QB McKenzie Milton is not in pads and will not play.

TEAM CAPTAINS
Kahuku: Keala Santiago, Pesa Lefau, Hirkley Latu, Jed Hefernan
Mililani: McKenzie Milton, Ramsey Tacadena, Kyle Chinen, Andru Tovi, Kahe Kaaiawaawa, Kalakaua Timoteo, Vavae Malepeai

Kahuku will receive. It’s getting tense in here. Both sides are jacked up. Here we go with the 2015 OIA D-I title game.

Trojans have won 22 straight games against teams from Hawaii since losing to Punahou in the 2013 state final.

Short kick and Kahuku will start from the 32. Kesi Ah-Hoy starts at QB and hands it off to Harmon Brown for 1 yard. Ah-Hoy keeps for 3 and keeps for 2 and Kahuku will punt. Trojans call timeout first as Mililani doubles both gunners and left the middle open in case Kahuku wanted to fake it. Kahuku will get flagged for interference and Mililani will have the Red Raiders punt again after the 15-yard penalty. Big punt and Rico Sallas drops it. Pesa Lefau recovers for Kahuku at the 33.

Ah-Hoy out of the big-boy set for 7 yards right up the middle. Kahuku jumps early. Brown in at QB and keeps for 5. He’s stopped for no gain to force fourth-and-3. They run Brown up the middle and he finds a hole, breaks a tackle, and he’s off to the races. 26-yard TD run. Kahuku 7, Mililani 0, 8:21, Q1.

First chance to see Mililani freshman Dillon Gabriel at QB tonight. Mililani starts on its 19. Quick pass outside is to Sallas for 12. Vavae Malepeai is swallowed up for no gain on his first run as he is tackled by about five guys. Kalakaua Timoteo with a reception for 7 yards. Same play and Timoteo gets 8 more. Timoteo again for 8. Now Malepeai busts loose for 41 yards to the 6. Gabriel tries the fade to Timoteo but throws it way long. Hard count by Gabriel draws Kahuku offsides. Second-and-goal from the 3. Option to Malepeai loses a yard as Keala Santiago makes the stop. Gabriel overthrows Timoteo again and it’s fourth down. Trojans will call timeout. Fourth-and-goal. Kahuku is whistled for offsides. That moves it to the 2. They go to the fade again to Timoteo and he’s out of bounds. Turnover on downs.

Kesi Ah-Hoy back in at QB. He jumps over the pile for 2 yards. Injured Kahuku OL on the play. Replay shows the Mililani interior defensive lineman go straight to the legs on the play. It’s legal. Tamatoa Neher is the injured player. Ah-Hoy picks up 1. Third-and-7. Third-and-9 as Kahuku moves early. Ah-Hoy gets out to the 8 for a 5-yard gain but that’s it. Kahuku will punt. Sallas with a nifty punt return of 16 yards to the Kahuku 34 but a block in the back is called.

Mililani will start at the 50. Gabriel tries to throw a screen to Malepeai but Kahuku is all over it and he has nowhere to go but down for a team sack of 5 yards. Gabriel misses Makana Tauai. Third-and-15. Same play it looked like and Sallas drops it. Mililani will punt.

Kahuku ball on its 35. Make that 30. Another early movement call on Kahuku. Red Raiders with a lot of penalties early. Another flag. Illegal procedure again on Kahuku. Didn’t see this last week out of the same formation against Farrington. It’s a little different with an OIA title up for grabs. Kahuku goes three-wide on first-and-20. Now it’s an illegal shift on Kahuku. Red Raiders timeout. Mililani declined the third penalty so it’s second-and-20. Ah-Hoy keeps for 8. Now Mililani will use its third and final timeout of the half with 1:44 left in the first quarter. Ugly on both sides so far. Third-and-12 at the 33. Ah-Hoy has time but has nobody to throw too. He finally throws late and it’s incomplete. Kahuku will punt.

Fair catch. Mililani starts on its 29. Gabriel works two short 1-yard passes with a 27-yarder to Timoteo. Gabriel then drops it in to Timoteo for an apparent 34-yard catch but Timoteo was out of bounds before he caught it and it’s ruled illegal touching. Hard to see. Refs change the call to illegal participation and it’s a 15-yard penalty. Second-and-19 from the 43. Gabriel is pressured and tries to throw it away but LB Aaron Tapusoa makes a diving catch for a pick. Bad throw by the freshman and Kahuku takes advantage.

Ah-Hoy comes back and throws one right into the hands of LB Aijalon Kolone-Falaniko, who drops it. Ah-Hoy runs for no gain. END 1.

Incomplete pass and Kahuku punts. Red Raiders down it at the 1. Delay of game but I’m not sure it’s even possible to move the ball back. Gabriel throws a long ball that drops in perfectly to Bryson Ventura, who picks up 56 yards on the reception. Latu forces Gabriel out of the pocket and puts a mean hit on him as he throws and Gabriel is down. Flag on the play. Gabriel is hurt. Kahuku is whistled for unsportsmanlike conduct. Gabriel holding his right arm and it doesn’t look good. Sophomore Kaysen Higa in at QB. First-and-10 at the 23. Delay of game on Mililani. Higa has a wide open receiver for a TD and misses him. Second down. Screen goes to Malepeai for no gain and he’s bumped late by Latu. Latu is called for a personal foul. Malepeai runs for a first down to the 5. More whistles. Malepeai loses 2 yards. Higa is now picked in the end zone by Keala Santiago. Santiago returns to the 15.

Brown runs for 6. Brown gets outside now and runs for 20. Third-and-30 after a 15-yard illegal block and two losses. Timeout Kahuku. We’re almost unwatchable at this point. So Mililani gets called for a low block but the 6-yard run by Ah-Hoy counts but the down doesn’t count. Now Ah-Hoy is stopped for no gain but a Mililani player is hurt. It’s fourth-and-8 at the 42 with 6:05 remaining in the half.

Meanwhile, Gabriel is in a sling and taken off on a cart. He looks done for the night. Mililani without its top two quarterbacks now.

Mililani three-and-out. Malepeai runs for 1, late throw to Timoteo is knocked away and Ventura with a 3-yard reception on a quick pass. Illegal formation on the punt. This is just bad, bad football. Now Kahuku completely blows up the punter and is going to get called for roughing. Mililani will have it first-and-10 on the 44. Also, an illegal formation on Mililani. Penalties offset and we will recheck again.

Mililani called for another low block on what otherwise would have been fourth down and Kahuku moves it to the Mililani 45. Brown almost breaks one, getting 11 instead. And he’s a little slow to get up. Ah-Hoy gets 2 and now he’s slow to get up. And a Mililani defender down. DL Elias Pritchard hurt on the play but looks like he’ll be OK. Ameperosa gets 2 on second-and-8 and ANOTHER flag. Long discussion and Kahuku is called for a hold. Add on 15 more for a personal foul after the play. Second-and-31. A holding call is declined. Fourth-and-27 at the 49. Kahuku punts.

Thankfully it’s halftime. Kahuku with 14 penalties in the first half.

HALFTIME BOX
at Aloha Stadium
Kahuku (10-0) 7 0
Mililani (9-1) 0 0
Kah—Harmon Brown 26 run (Kekoa Sasaoka kick)
RUSHING—Kahuku: Brown 9-73, Kesi Ah-Hoy 15-42, Sefa Ameperosa 2-(minus 1). Mililani: Vavae Malepeai 8-56, Dillon Gabriel 2-(minus 5).
PASSING—Kahuku: Ah-Hoy 0-4-0-0. Mililani: Gabriel 8-15-1-119, Kaysen Higa 2-5-1-3.
RECEIVING—Kahuku: none. Mililani: Kalakaua Timoteo 4-50, Bryson Ventura 2-59, Rico Sallas 2-13, Makana Tauai 1-0, Malepeai 1-0.

Second half should kick around 10:20. Teams combined for 20 penalties in the first half.

INJURY UPDATE: Mililani’s Dillon Gabriel suffered a fractured right shoulder and is obviously out for the game and the rest of the season.

Also, Kahuku OL Tamatoa Neher is getting his left knee bandaged up but it looks like he might try and get back out there. Trainers are really checking him over though.

Mililani to receive. Malepeai runs twice for 4 yards and Higa scrambles for 2. Punt.

Kahuku starts on its 36 and we have a flag on the first play after a Kahuku penalty on the punt return. Mililani called for a personal foul. First down Kahuku at the Mililani 49. Neher back in at right guard. Third-and-8 at the 47. Brown picks up 6 and it’s fourth-and-2. Kahuku FB LeRod Tongi is down on the play. He has to be helped off by teammates. Kahuku will go for it. Brown is down right at the marker. Depends on the spot. The head ref signaled first down and the down markers started to move but then York got on the field to yell and now the head ref wants to measure after the markers had moved. Just an unbelievably bad night for the guys in black and white. They measure and Brown is short. Mililani ball. I thought that was the right call.

Trojans trying to get fired up. First-and-10 at the 40. Now Kahuku is calling timeout.

Pesa Lefau is in and blows up Higa for a 6-yard sack. Another play for negative yards but Higa is hit and they call roughing the passer. Penalty no. 15 for Kahuku. Meanwhile a ref still has his mic on. First-and-10 on the 48. Now a false start on Mililani. Higa bounces a throw. Now a low throw. He looks shaken back there. Malepeai runs for minus-3 yards. Illegal shift on Mililani anyway. Punt.

Brown runs for 1 yard and it’s a fumble. DL Isaac Liva picks it up and returns it 27 yards for a Mililani touchdown. We’re tied 7-7, 6:50, Q3.

Trojans try an onsides kick but Kahuku recovers at midfield. Offsides on Mililani though and it will rekick.

Kahuku first-and-10 on its 42. Brown runs for no gain and then Ameperosa can’t handle the snap and loses 10 yards. Illegal substitution on Kahuku. Red Raiders are coming apart. Or maybe not. New QB Cameron Renaud throws one up and Kekaula Kaniho makes a diving catch for 37 yards. That is Kahuku’s first completed pass in at least two games. First down on the Mililani 42. Tongi, who was hurt earlier in the game and came back, is down again on the play. Meanwhile Ah-Hoy is getting his left ankle iced down. He might be done as well. Kahuku lines up a 54-yard field goal and Sasaoka is WAY short. Mililani ball on its 20.

Malepeai runs for 5 and then 10. First-and-10 on the 35. Delay on Mililani. Malepeai up the middle for 13. Third-and-2 on the 43. BAD SNAP. It’s a loss of 17 yards. Mililani’s momentum killed as the Trojans punt with 35 seconds left in the third quarter. Punt hits a Kahuku player and Ramsey Tacadena recovers it on the Kahuku 37.

Higa is hit as he throws and Santiago with his SECOND INT of the game. Ball is thrown right at him as Higa was drilled.

Kahuku ball on the Mililani 44. Meanwhile, Kamehameha just jumped to third in my top-10 vote. (I’m half serious).

Renaud to Kaniho for 17 yards to end the third quarter. Kahuku first-and-10 on the Mililani 39.

Stokes Botelho with a 9-yard reception and then Brown runs for 2. First-and-10 on the 28. Kahuku uses its final timeout. Two incomplete passes as Mililani brings the pressure. Brown gets 3 yards to the 25. Sasaoka to attempt a 42-yard field goal. IT’S GOOD WITH PLENTY OF LEG. Kahuku 10, Mililani 7, 9:51, Q4.

Trojans start on the 20. Malepeai picks up 3. He grabs 4 more but then has to come out on third down because of a helmet and Bradlee Anae stuffs Tauai for a loss of 5. Punt.

Renaud throws one up for grabs and Keala Santiago with the great catch for a 26-yard gain to the Mililani 33. Renaud 5-8, 91 yards, has brought something this Kahuku offense needs.

Brown gets 6 but then loses 6 on the tackle for loss by Kaimana Padello. Third-and-10 at the 33. Brown runs for 6 to set up the field goal try. NO GOOD. Mililani ball on the 20.

Mililani moves early. First-and-15. Timoteo with a drop. Now Higa almost has one picked off over the middle. Higa 2-for-11. Third-and-15. Pass is incomplete. Punt.

Kahuku ball with 4:59 left on its own 49. Reverse to Santiago is good for 21 yards but there’s a flag. Flag is picked up, No hurdling, which is the right call. Ball on the Trojans 30. Renaud sacked but illegal hands to the face penalty. Brown run its down to the 14. First down. Kahuku grinding this one out. Brown to the 7. He has 110 rushing yards now on 24 carries. Brown to the 2. Brown 2-yard TD run with 2:24. That will probably do it. 17-7.

Ventura in at QB and Santiago with his third interception on Ventura’s first pass. That will do it.

Sasaoka adds a 38-yard field goal.

Last time Mililani was held without an offense TD was Oct. 7, 2005 in a 7-0 win over Leilehua. Trojans also will end a 53-game streak of scoring double digits.

Kahuku 20, Mililani 7

at Aloha Stadium
Kahuku (11-0) 7 0 0 13 — 20
Mililani (9-2) 0 0 7 0 — 7
Kah—Harmon Brown 26 run (Kekoa Sasaoka kick)
Mil—Isaac Liva 27 fumble return (Isaiah Kuloloia kick)
Kah—FG Sasaoka 42
Kah—Brown 2 run (Sasaoka kick)
Kah—FG Sasaoka 38

RUSHING—Kahuku: Brown 29-125, Kesi Ah-Hoy 15-42, Keala Santiago 1-21, Ted Kenese 2-1, Sefa Ameperosa 3-(minus 11), Cameron Renaud 2-(minus 12). Mililani: Vavae Malepeai 16-92, Makana Tauai 1-(minus 5), Kaysen Higa 2-(minus 5), Dillon Gabriel 2-(minus 5), team 1-(minus 17).
PASSING—Kahuku: Renaud 5-8-0-91, Ah-Hoy 0-4-0-0. Mililani: Gabriel 8-15-1-119, Higa 2-12-2-3, Bryson Ventura 0-1-1-0.
RECEIVING—Kahuku: Kekaula Kaniho 3-56, Santiago 1-26, Stokes Botelho 1-9. Mililani: Kalakaua Timoteo 4-50, Ventura 2-59, Rico Sallas 2-13, Tauai 1-0, Malepeai 1-0.