There are few streaks that never end.
It’s just that Kahuku’s 51-game home winning streak seemed unbreakable. Omnipotent. It carried an aura of its own, and the invincibility permeated life on the North Shore. That came to a halt on Saturday night with a resounding 38-10 loss to No. 4 Mililani (6-2, 4-0 OIA Open).
No. 2 Kahuku (4-2, 1-1) simply couldn’t get access to the state’s all-time career record holder in passing yardage, Dillon Gabriel. The southpaw passed for 312 yards and two TDs. He threw the ball 47 times near and far, sideline to sideline, and completed 31 of those targets. Last week, he found 10 different teammates for completions. On Saturday, it was nine Trojans who hauled in Gabriel spirals.
“Mililani is who we thought they were, a well-coached team with a great quarterback,” Kahuku coach Sterling Carvalho said. “They had a great game plan and Dillon made me a believer. I had a chance to congratulate him and talk to him later.”
The protection was there all night. Kahuku did not record a sack, and though they controlled Mililani’s running game — the Trojans rushed for 31 yards on 21 carries — the Red Raiders clearly miss their standout middle linebacker, Miki Ah You.
Ah You had surgery to repair his ACL, which was injured three weeks ago against Saint Louis. He won’t be on the field physically with his teammates the remainder of the season, but in spirit, he is there 100 percent.
“Miki addressed the team when the MRI results came in the next day,” Carvalho said. “We had a team meeting. He said, ‘I’m just one person, one player. The next man up and we still play as a team. We win as a team, all 70 players.’ He gave a great speech. He’s our unquestioned leader on the team. You lose that example and intensity, but when he addressed the team and said he would be there to support them, our team rallied about them. It kind of showed in the Kamehameha game.”
Mililani became the first team to beat Kahuku at Carleton E. Weimer Field since Oct. 26, 2007, when coach Darren Hernandez’s Kapolei Hurricanes, sparked by quarterback Mason Koa, stunned the Red Raiders 14-7 in a playoff game.
The 28-point loss was Kahuku’s worst against a Hawaii opponent since opening the 2008 season with a 35-0 defeat against Kamehameha.
Saturday’s win, Mililani coach Rod York said, isn’t quite the same. Though Mililani won the turnover battle (2-0) and had two sacks, it won’t carry weight until the postseason, he noted.
“It doesn’t matter. It’s just regular season. (Kahuku) is missing guys, they have a new offensive coordinator. They’re not the same team Saint Louis faced,” York said.
Kahuku got going offensively in the third quarter when quarterback Robbie Sauvao started to work the left side with the option. He finished with 117 rushing yards on 13 carries, including a smooth 55-yard keeper that included a fake pitch that froze a Mililani defender.
Mililani made its tweaks and didn’t let the slippery Sauvao score again. Kahuku finished with 152 rushing yards on 33 carries, but averaged just 4 yards per pass attempt against Mililani’s stubborn defense.
“We just needed to play our keys better. We tried to take away the middle and we got exposed (by Sauvao),” York said. “It’s a chess match.”
The streak ends. Their stellar LB is out. Kahuku has a new OC, and the offense was dangerous at times. They even opened the game offensively in hurry-up mode. RB Wes Alo-Maiava rushed 12 times for 33 yards, and also caught six passes for 40 yards. That’s thrilling to think about, after seeing what he could do a year ago before he suffered a leg injury. Even bulldozing RB Toalei Lefau was targeted four times in the passing game. Mesmerizing.
Kahuku is in position to make another run deep into the playoffs and state tourney. It’s just going to take some time. Some patience.
“We’ve got time, but at the same time, we really need to focus and buckle down. That’s all it is. Now being able to fine-tune what we do best and work on what we need to, to get better,” Carvalho said.
Guess they’ll be looking for another HC in the offseason……..AGAIN. Kahuku, where the parents call the shots. AD is a joke. LOL!!
York understands this game didn’t mean much in the overall picture. Stay humble and hungry, because Kahuku will be angry the next time you meet.
… and no sacks by Kahuku???? That has to be another streak broken!!
This poor coach is DONE lol. The “Genius” Kahuku Adm. will fire this guy too! Don’t look now but kahuku is in its first little Slump In years! I wonder why? CAUSE U KEEP GETTING RID OF GOOD COACHES! U loloz!
Awesome job..Congrats Mililani.. Well deserved…As of now, they look like the team to beat in the OIA,…Like Coach York state the Red Raiders are working on player issues, hopefully they resolve this or it’s a early out…Good Luck to both teams…Go Big Red..
Great game plan and execution by Mililani, confused at what my Red Raiders were trying to do. Keep your heads up Big Red, it’s games like these that can help refocus and center your energies to become better. Rest up, Work hard and next team up. We’ll be ready for states. Go Big Red.
Look at all the red raider haters, not only here but on the other blog post. Complete lack of humbleness. The mililani fans last night were even worse. I was there. Some people just have no class and don’t know what it means to win and lose with class. That’s what happens when you’re enemies of the state though. RRFL!
anywaays wasn’t there. all the uso’s would murder this clown.
#RRFL
Congrats to mililani! They just dominant in every phase of the game. They manhandled us in the trenches both offense and defense. Mililani is the only team that can match up with st.louis. kahuku is not the same on both sides if the ball. I think kahuku is missing makoa freitas coaching the oline.
Stick a fork in them. They’re done. All the coaching changes and reapplying for the head coaching position has finally comeback to bite Kahuku in the butt. It’s not that Carvalho is a over his head, but the kids have had to go through so many changes and coaching styles from season-to-season which has hurt them. The lack of consistency shows. Also, why would you choose to change the OC in the middle of the season, before an important game? Kahuku will barely make the OIA playoffs, but eliminated early. Sad for Red Raider Nation.
Too busy to watch the game yet. But doesn’t matter. Millz was ready, Big Red wasn’t. And no, Miki does not = a 28-point difference. I don’t even need to see tape to know that the magnitude of this loss is on the coaches. Plenty of talent to avoid losing this badly at home for homecoming.
Congrats Trojans. Great game. See you in the playoffs. Hopefully our coaches get their act together by then.
RRFL.
I don’t have any of the inside scoop. Can someone shed some light on why Kahuku’s admim does let so many head coaches go? Even the ones who had won state championships. It can’t all be politics or pressure from the parents (just what I read) can it?
Punahou exposed Mililanis secondary and would beat Mills again in a rematch. Kahukus is not the same team that beat Punahou earlier in the season and if they dont heal up by playoffs the OIA has no chance. The old OC was still calling plays. My guess is that the new OC said “no way am I stepping into this mess, Ill wait till next year”.
STL is a 95% lock to repeat.
..oh yeah and btw STL recruits! bwhaahahahahaha!
Toomeke go back outside and shoot marbles cause you dont know anything about football.
@Awrite, TOOMEKE/ANYWAAAYS/NOTES is da same uso!
#RRFL
Looking at the replay I saw at least 3 sacks and 4 hurrys if Miki was playing. If that is our best replacement then you cant blame the coaching.
@88, it looked like some of the coaches and players gave up once they got behind and had no clue how to get back into the game. There was a lot of confusion on the offensive play calling. If they want to go no huddle and up tempo they need to get the plays in quicker. They should just huddle, send in the plays and just establish the running game from the start. Ball control and time management will keep teams like Mililani’s offense off the field.
The once dominant Kahuku defense is just not as strong as previous years. They couldn’t even get to the quarterback. Part of the problem was Mililani’s offensive line’s stellar play. Can’t play man-to-man if there is no pressure on the quarterback. Got beat deep too many times.
@goodtimes. Too much outside interference. All the coaching changes have finally come up and bite them in the butt. There is a consensus that the community wants a coach/alumnus from outside the program to return and coach but it hasn’t and might not happen. There are rumblings already of coaching changes and back-stabbing going on. Sad because it affects the boys.
Mililani played good but there’s no need to bad mouth kahuku they have some problems hopefully the coaches figure out remember these are high school guy’s many of them will go on and represent hawaii it’s all right the cheer for your team but at the end of the day they all local brothers I am for saint louis but I hope kahuku works things out and at least nobody got seriously injured in the game
Big win Mililani !!!
Coach Torres is available, just saying!!
Mililani won straight up! No excuses
ILH has nothing to worry about.
Funny, no one talks about all the GE recruits Mililani has on their team. They have the best recruits in the OIA, starting with Gabriel and Malepeai.
Dude it went from football to Jesus Christ 😂 I love Reading the comments hahaha
Why would Coach Reggie want to go back to that. There is lots of room for Coach Carvalho in the ILH if he want to be surrounded by professionals. Kahuku should hire one of the crabs that are in the same bucket as the other crabs.
Oahu – be happy Mililani is sheltering gabriel and malepeai and all the other 30 samoans on that team, cause if not they be at STL or PUn and the OIA really have no chance.
I guess its Kahuku that can’t play in the Mud.
Win or Lose ” The Kahuku RedRaiders , The Pride of the North Shore ” !
Instead of losing your minds and trying to run yet another coach out of town, maybe just accept the fact that you’re gonna have a down season every so often.
Awrite you don’t get it. If these athletics stayed at their home school, more schools would be competitive and could even move up a division. Could Leilehua be in the open division if Dillion stayed home? Could Moanalua move up a division if Malepaei stayed home? If these kids wanted to go to an ILH school, they would have gone. Too many complain about the ILH recruiting, what about the OIA recruiting kids within their own? Campbell took a few from Kapolei this year to build their program, but they have been getting bachi, as they have been getting blown out. Mililani’s time will come.
Kahuku could’ve had everyone healthy and it still would’ve gone Mililani’s way. Gabriel is the best QB in the state, hands down. He put on a clinic against Kahuku. Give props where props is due. Excuses so’o. smh.
Here we go again with the stupid recruiting excuses. Kahuku recruits
Heavily from Utah, but no you say “He’s coming back home”. Mililani does not recruit they seriously reload with what they got. @Oahu Gaberiel lives and is from Mililani you monkey hahaha, Malepeai may not be from Mililani but he was rooted there since his freshman year. If you guys want facts about where these kids are from go do your homework and find out before you look stupid on here. These recruiting excuses is such childish excuses you make up. Just shut yo mouth and swallow this lost.
You know I do sense more humbleness and humility in alot of the RR4L posts over the past days. I admire that. Just goes to show you can still have swag without being arrogant. I am not a RR4L. However, I do have the highest respect for Kahuku’s program. Good luck on the remainder of the season.
@ millvill you better get your facts straight cause I know of one kid a starter catches bus every morning from Wahiawa to go to Mililani! We all know Mililani is one of the top schools that recruit along with Kahuku and others schools! So don’t make like Mililani doesn’t recruit! I’m born and raised Wahiawa and seen over these years classmates and graduates of Leilehua who live in Wahiawa send their kids to Mililani. when saint Louise mentioned on here stating “they don’t recruit” then Kahuku mentioned “they don’t recruit” and now Mililani says “they don’t recruit” it’s just the joke of the day!!! WE ALL KNOW WHO RECRUITS! Doesn’t help when the kid and parents wants to go to a better school that has better chances for a championship and betterchances to get recognize to play at next level.
There sure is a lot of HATE in paradise. Luckily, the kids on both teams handle themselves with a lot more class than the “wanna bees” voicing derogatory commentshere.
Put it bluntly, this is not the Year Kahuku will dominate and it happens…can’t be up there every year and the expectations are too demanding by the Red Raider fans. Kahuku is known and respected to be a power house but this year, for obvious reasons, there’s a lack football savvy (offensively and defensively) enthusiasm and cohesiveness by coaches and players. Where does it start… the ability to coach and keep everything in perspective. Coach Carvalho is a nice guy but there’s a big difference between coaching JV and Varsity. It starts from the top (head coach) and the reason for mentioning these issues is because there hasn’t been any improvements since the Punahou game. Its going to be a long season and “it’s very important to lose gracefully.” You know, no bitterness, no anger, no remorse….Red Raiders need to learn to take the bitter with the sweet and cut out all the excuses especially when problems are internally.
@OIA: Hold you to your statement. “We all know (who’s we) Mililani is one of the top schools that recruit along with Kahuku and other schools.” You gave us examples of Mililani recruiting and just for the sake of mentioning Kahuku as the top schools that recruits, provide places where recruits are coming from locally to play for kahuku. I know that athletes return to their roots (family) in Laie are from the mainland, Samoa and New Zealand and end up playing for Kahuku and athletes from Kahuku have also relocated to the mainland and ILH.
Who cares who recruits. If the school stunk then no one would go there. If the football team sucked no one would go there. At the end of the day the parents and children choose where they want to attend.
All this talk of recruiting sounds like sour grapes. We should all cry in Hawaii since UH cannot get the same kind of talent that Alabama has.
Who cares? Make yourself better and improve. Stop all the crying. Recruiting happens. Deal with it. I am sure if your child had that opportunity you would pounce on it.
Don’t be jealous cuz your kid isn’t good enough to be recruited.
The Kahuku tears taste salty. Much saltier than David Shaw’s after stanford’s Whooping. Haha. Keep crying little Red. You guys put your program in its current state. No wonder SolJay left. Smart move by him.
IF YOU KNOW N PLAYED THE GAME OF FOOTBALL,NOTICE MILILANI O LINE COMMUNICATING BETWEEN EACH OTHER WAS THE KEY OF DOMINATING KAHUKU D NO SACKS N QB HAD TIME TO HIT HIS TARGETS…GOOD GAME.
Wow some of these comments is a trip especially coming from grown adults..Why all the low blows and smack talking towards mililani cause they won?!?! A win is a WIN..Mililani won that game PERIOD! They ALL played their game right, communication was KEY if you really watched the game..LET THESE BOYS ENJOY THEIR WIN 💛
Humble Yourselves Guys!!
Like I posted on the other article, congrats to the Trojans. The team came out focused and with purpose.
Big Red is in a state that we haven’t seen in awhile. I said it over on the the post, and I will say it here, this coach has got to go. He is over his head at the varsity level, especially at the top tier level. I don’t like York, and I can’t stand Cal Lee, but they know what they are doing. I love my alma mater, but right now, Mililani and St Louis are the top 2 football programs in the state. Right now, Kahuku is just a football school that has been blessed and will continue to be blessed with talented kids. Coach Doug, Siuaki, and Livai all ran programs. Coack Vavae would’ve had a program, and same for Coach Makoa. Sterling just doesnt’ have what it takes(based on what we’ve seen so far). Oahu football is a different animal than neighbor island football, maybe go back to Kauai; or, maybe go back to JV and win a few championships before coming back up to Varsity.
Anyways, big ups to the Trojans again, you guys are the definite front runners to take OIA.
Back to work Big Red! Win or lose, you know we love you guys. Expectations always high, but we all know(at least us grown ups), that sometimes, it’s just not our year.
RRFL!!!
Enough with the recruiting, everyone has the recruiting excuse (OIA and ILH), yes ALL schools recruit and more than likely the good schools will get the good players, but you can have a team full of great players and still lose. Team coherence, players confidence in their coaches and communication among other factors make great teams. Its not just great players.
My kids go to a school that is not their home school. I didn’t send them out of our district for their sports program, I sent them there because academically they are one of the top public high schools on the island every year, its icing on the cake for me that they have a great sports program. If my kids home school had a great academic program, I would send them there because life would be so much easier for them to walk to school then for them to catch the bus everyday. My family cant afford to send them to private school but I want the best education I can get for my kids.
Stop with the excuses everyone, you win some, you lose some. Overcoming adversity is what these kids need to become better adults. When you continuously win, its a hard pill to swallow when you lose, let them deal with it.
@OIA Get your facts straight Dillon lives in Mililani, not no Wahiawa or Schofield those are rural areas. You know damn well Coach York would not recruit these kids from Wahiawa. They choose Mililani to get a better education, and opportunity not no athletics. Also, you forgot that military Kids from Schofield come to Mililani too. Kahuku recruits Samoan, Utah that it, almost Campbell is starting to take over talent from Kapolei. Kapolei gets their talent from Leeward, the only time Mililani get there players is Waipio. Farrington and Waianae are the only teams that don’t recruit any players. So what’s your point. I live in Launani Valley there are half students that go to Leilehua or Mililani. I believe you salty or even Kahuku fan that always comes up excuses, instead of accepting an L, and move on.
to 39 ???, well said!!
Austin change you need to get you facts straight! You mentioned Dillon but I didn’t!! If you looked into more you will find one that I know of! I’m not mentioning names cause that’s what that kid and parents want. I’m all fine with that but don’t say Mililani doesn’t recruit.
Jesus loves you all..have a blessed day
I crack up reading the comments… always the same guy crying bout the same thing….. waaaahhhhh recruiting waaaahhhh. LMAO you really think these coaches have time to go out and “recruit”? You’s a special kind of stupid. One guy saying he see’s a kid catching bus from Wahiawa to mililani… stalk much? And then contradicts his whole statement with his last sentence “doesn’t help when the kid and parents wants to go to a better school” 🤔 how is that recruiting again? bunch of clowns! Congrats to mililani on the win and keep ya heads up Kahuku! It’s a tough division this year!
This lost was necessary. The rivalry continues! You already know it’s a good game when it’s Mililani VS Kahuku. Good job both sides! Y’all will meet again…OIA CHAMPIONSHIP!