Lahainaluna High School’s John Kaililaau-Balisco (42) tackles Kamehameha Maui’s Trenton Kiesel with help from Kahi Magno (from left), Chester Albiller and Anu Kaina during the Lunas’ 35-7 victory over the Warriors on Saturday night at Sue Cooley Stadium. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photos
LAHAINA — The Lahainaluna High School football team is in polishing mode as it closes in on a second straight Division I state tournament berth.
The Lunas rolled past an undermanned Kamehameha Maui team 35-7 on Saturday night at Sue Cooley Stadium to close within one win or Maui High loss of clinching that state tourney spot.
With defending state champion Iolani unbeaten at 8-0 in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu and Waialua at 7-1 atop the Oahu Interscholastic Association, the Lunas (7-0 overall, 6-0 MIL) are also possibly playing for one of the two byes in the six-team D-I state tournament.
“We’re really happy with what we did, there were some small little mental errors, mental breakdowns here and there, but for the most part what we were trying to accomplish was ball control, keeping our defense off the field as much as possible, and just sustaining drives, which we really didn’t have throughout the season up until this game,” Lahainaluna co-head coach Dean Rickard said. “Again, you know, against a great foe, no doubt.
“We were satisfied, right now we’re in the mode where we’re thinking of preparing for a state tournament and getting ready for whoever we need to go against.”
Lahaialuna’s James Lukela-Kobatake breaks a long first-quarter run as Kamehameha’s Keegan Gantala gives chase Saturday.
The Lunas simply had too much talent and depth for a Kamehameha Maui team that is most likely headed to a championship playoff game against King Kekaulike on Oct. 29 for the MIL D-II state berth.
The Warriors (2-5 overall, 1-1 MIL second round) had just 33 players dressed for the game due to injuries and players away from the team, several of them for family trips.
“That just comes with the territory, whoever shows up and whoever is dressed out, that’s who we go with — I mean we ask a lot of them, but it is going to test their resolve a little bit,” Kamehameha Maui coach Ulima Afoa said. “We have a bunch of kids who are out, plus it’s … basically this is our fall break. We’ve just got to convey to the parents, ‘Hey, they’ve made a commitment.’
“And some of them, they can’t help it because plans were made a couple years in advance, but it doesn’t help that we’re missing six or seven more guys. … You know, in games like this you could use all of your personnel.”
The Lunas took control early to cruise to their 37th MIL win in a row, dating to the 2016 season.
Lahainaluna’s Kaulana Tihada drags Kamehameha Maui’s Ramzee Fruean into the end zone for a first-quarter touchdown Saturday.
Teva Loft caught a 14-yard scoring pass from Lyric Kahula with 7:16 left in the first quarter to give Lahainaluna a 7-0 lead, and Kaulana Tihada’s 3-yard run made it 14-0 just over 3 minutes later.
The Warriors showed off their passing attack that carried them to the D-II state final last year when Frank Abreu hauled in an 18-yard touchdown pass from Makana Kamaka-Brayce with 9:14 left in the first half to pull within 14-7, but that was most of the offense they would muster on this night.
Tihada added a 2-yard scoring run before halftime and Ian-Jay Cabanilla had two TD runs in the third quarter to complete the scoring.
“We were concerned with that passing game, defensively we tried to make sure that we could stop that, and for the most part the defense did well,” Rickard said. “I’m sure our defensive coordinators, coach Kenui Watson and coach Bobby Watson, will do the necessary adjustments to get ready for the next game against Baldwin and then as we move into, hopefully, the state playoffs.”
Rickard was impressed with the Warriors, who also saw several players leave the game slightly banged up, including Kamaka-Brayce for the last couple of possessions.
Warriors wide receiver Po‘o Aiu makes a diving catch in front of the Lunas’ Kade Cunningham in the second quarter.
“Their coaching and their players know what is needed and they come out and play every single game, so hats off to them,” Rickard said. “We knew that regardless of who they had out on the field, it wasn’t going to be easy. … They really brought it.”
The Lunas were missing running back/defensive back Avery Baybayan and quarterback Noa Gordon due to injuries. Starting offensive guard Bula Montgomery is out for the season with a knee injury.
Rickard expects Baybayan back as soon as this week, while Gordon is most likely out until the state tournament — the quarterfinals are Nov. 11 and the semifinals are Nov. 19.
The Lunas used 12 ballcarriers on Saturday and James Lukela-Kobatake led the way with 108 yards on eight carries — he entered the game with 50 yards on six carries this year.
Cabanilla played much of the game on defense and added 61 yards rushing on nine carries. T.J. Borges added 51 yards on six carries through the thick of traffic.
Lahainaluna quarterback Lyrik Kahula throws a first-quarter completion to TJ Borges.
“That’s the mindset that we are trying to establish in these kids, is that we have got to be in that state tournament mode already,” Rickard said. “Because from this point on it’s going to be one and out, that’s it. And we don’t know where we’re going to be seeded. We just want to prepare for Baldwin and then have a good showing against King Kekaulike.”
The Warriors are trying to make sure that they are as healthy as possible for the likely playoff against King Kekaulike, but have not yet nailed down the MIL D-II second-round title yet.
King Kekaulike is 1-2 in the MIL second round, meaning the Warriors need a King Kekaulike loss to the Lunas or one more win to lock in the playoff game — Kamehameha Maui finishes the regular season with Maui High and Baldwin.
“You know, it’s a long time between now and then, so we worry about each week and how we can get better,” Afoa said.
* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com.
Kamehameha Maui 0 7 0 0– 7
Lahainaluna 14 7 14 0–35
First Quarter
LL–Teva Loft 14 pass from Lyric Kahula (Owen Garcia-Olea kick), 7:16.
LL–Kaulana Tihada 3 run (Garcia-Olea kick), 4:13.
Second Quarter
KSM–Frank Abreu 18 pass from Makana Kamaka-Brayce (Makaha Pang kick), 9:14.
LL–Tihada 2 run (Garcia-Olea kick), 4:06.
Third Quarter
LL–Ian-Jay Cabanilla 9 run (Garcia-Olea kick), 9:19.
LL–Cabanilla 4 run (Garcia-Olea kick), 2:35.
KSM LL
First downs 9 16
Rushes-yards 26-16 43-299
Passing yards 101 9
Total offense 117 308
Return yards 18 104
Comp-Att-Int 12-22-1 2-5-0
Fumbles-lost 2-0 1-0
Penalties-yards 2-10 4-30
Punts-avg 7-32.1 3-32.7
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING–Kamehameha Maui, Teiva Kauhaa-Po 11-33, Joshua Kerr 6-9, Heno Stone-Han 1-6, Kolten Waikiki-Caldeira 1-0, Kamaka-Brayce 5-(minus 6), team 2-(minus 26); Lahainaluna, James Lukela-Kobatake 8-108, Cabanilla 9-61, Kaulana Tihada 10-46, T.J. Borges 6-51, Kanaau Castro 1-16, Kade Cunningham 1-11, Kahula 1-5, David Hong 1-4, Kuola Watson 3-3, Chester Albiller 1-3, Lehia Tihada 1-(minus 4), Michael Rayray 1-(minus 5).
PASSING–Kamehameha Maui, Kamaka-Brayce 11-21-1–96, Waikiki-Caldeira 1-1-0–5; Lahainaluna, Kahula 2-5-0–9.
RECEIVING–Kamehameha Maui, Po’o Aiu 5-47, Abreu 5-45, Stone-Han 1-5, Waikiki-Caldeira 1-4; Lahainaluna, Loft 1-14, Borges 1-(minus 5).
MISSED FIELD GOALS–none.
Junior varsity–Lahainaluna 8, Kamehameha Maui 0.
*****
Friday’s Result
MAUI HIGH 27, KING KEKAULIKE 7
Maui High 0 13 9 5–27
King Kekaulike 0 0 7 0– 7
Second Quarter
MH–Piercen Evans 18 run (Sevy Sconfienza kick), 11:08.
MH–Devontae Myrick 21 (pass failed), 4:53.
Third Quarter
MH–Safety, snap out of end zone, 9:14.
MH–Braden Albrecht 16 pass from Joe Cariaga (Sconfienza kick), 7:41.
KK–Jacob Poouahi 24 fumble return (Kaleo Gallen kick), 2:14.
Fourth Quarter
MH–FG Sconfienza 30, 10:01.
MH–Safety, snap out of end zone, 0:38.
MH KK
First downs 17 8
Rushes-yards 36-214 40-64
Passing yards 111 16
Total offense 325 80
Return yards 66 79
Comp-Att-Int 6-13-0 1-3-0
Fumbles-lost 2-2 5-2
Penalties-yards 8-62 3-22
Punts-avg 3-41.7 4-37.5
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING–Maui High, Evans 19-109, Myrick 3-46, Aizley Lakalaka 5-31, Cariaga 5-15, Keoni James Ihu-Rodrigues 4-13; King Kekaulike, Ikea Sumibcay 9-42, Kalani Puu 10-35, Tysin Zackious 9-17, Ahe Sumibcay 2-12, Kamakalei Stone 2-6, Gallen 3-(minus 3), Cassie Rosaga 2-(minus 7), team 3-(minus 38).
PASSING–Maui High, Joe Cariaga 6-13-0–111; King Kekaulike, Zackious 1-3-0–16.
RECEIVING–Maui High, Braden Albrecht 3-66, Jonah Cariaga 1-33, Ihu-Rodrigues 1-9, Charlie Peterson 1-3; King Kekaulike, Oakley Dillon 1-16.
MISSED FIELD GOALS–none.
Junior varsity–King Kekaulike 20, Maui High 14.