Kahuku holds off Skyline

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

KAHUKU — In a regional football showdown that lived up to its advanced billing, defending state champion Kahuku High School held off Skyline of Salt Lake City, 19-14, last night in thrilling fashion.

Kahuku running back Travis Kaka is broadsided by Skyline's Roman Groebbeck in the second quarter during a preseason game at Kahuku. The defending state champion Kahuku Red Raiders defeated the school from Utah, 19-14. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

But Skyline rallied for two late touchdowns and threatened to score again when Kahuku's Trumaine Oto intercepted a pass from Dustin Barker with 52 seconds remaining to preserve the victory.

Skyline, which won five straight Utah 5A (top level) championships from 1995-99 and was state runner-up in 2000, beat Kahuku 24-21 in Salt Lake City last year on a touchdown with 18 seconds left.

"I hate these kind of games," Kahuku coach Siuaki Livai said. "We had it going and going and going, and then they come back on us."

The Red Raiders (1-0) dominated much of the game, using a surprising aerial attack and going deep into the playbook to supplement their traditionally strong run-oriented offense.

Kahuku scored on its first offensive play with all-state running back Mulivai Pula shooting through off tackle and rambling 62 yards for a touchdown with 10:16 left in the first quarter.

The Red Raiders made it 13-0 with 9:16 left in the half on a 6-yard pass from quarterback Inoke Funaki to all-state defensive lineman Jonathan Mapu on a tackle-eligible play.

Skyline, however, came up with a big goal-line stand just before the half ended after Kahuku advanced to the 1-yard line.

The Red Raiders outgained the Eagles, 356 yards to 30 in the first two quarterbacks with Funaki completing 7 of 9 passes for 117 yards.

Skyline, meanwhile, fumbled five snaps from center and failed to gain a first down in those 24 minutes.

"We didn't take care of the ball; and we left our defense out there too long," Eagles coach Roger Dupaix said.

Kahuku's Sola Soliai has Skyline's Tom Jensen in his grasp as Trumaine Oto moves in for a tackle. Oto made a fourth-quarter interception to help preserve Kahuku's victory. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

Kahuku stretched the lead to 19-0 on the final play of the third quarter, a hook-and-lateral.

Funaki completed a 10-yard pass to James Kamerer, who then flipped the ball to Pula, who raced 46 yards down the right sideline for the score.

The Eagles (0-1) finally got on the scoreboard with a five-play, 88-yard drive early in the fourth quarter.

Barker ran it in from 7 yards out on an option keeper, and Casey Kaiser's extra point made it 19-7 with 7:21 left.

Skyline's Sam Barnes recovered a Kahuku fumble on the Red Raiders' 27-yard line to set up the Eagles next touchdown — a 3-yard run by Danny Copinga with 3:54 remaining.

On Kahuku's next possession, Nate Stevens intercepted a Funaki pass to give Skyline the ball on the Red Raiders' 33 with 2:41 left.

But on fourth-and-7, Oto stepped in front of a Skyline receiver and sealed the win for Kahuku.

"I gotta give the game to our defense," Livai said. "We needed them to come through and they stepped it up."

Skyline (0-1) 0 0 0 14—14
Kahuku (1-0) 7 6 6 0 —19

Kah—Mulivai Pula 62 run (Solomon Lee kick)
Kah—Jonathan Mapu 6 pass from Inoke Funaki (kick blocked)
Kah—Pula 46 run with lateral after James Kamerer 10 pass from Funaki (run failed)
Sky—Dustin Barker 7 run (Casey Kaiser kick)
Sky—Danny Copinga 3 run (Kaiser kick)

• Campbell 21, Roosevelt 20: Shauncey Saito scored on a 50-yard run with about a minute left and the Sabers withstood a late score and a two-point try by Roosevelt for a victory.

After Saito's score with 1:14 left to play, Roosevelt drove 65 yards with Chris Mols passing 18 yards to Shown Francis for a touchdown with 20 seconds left.

But Roosevelt's pass for two points an the victory was deflected.

Saito rushed for 125 yards on 17 carries for Campbell.

Mols, who passed for two touchdowns, completed 24 of 49 passes for 293 yards.

Campbell (1-0) 0 0 15 6—21
Roosevelt (0-1) 6 2 6 6—20

Roos—Jerry Perreira 25 pass from Chris Mols (kick failed)
Roos—Safety, Hercules Kahooilihala tacked Shauncey Saito in end zone.
Camp—Interception Abraham Lobetos 20 interception return (Romeo Mayrena pass from Aliikea Basham)
Roos—Corey Higa recovered fumble in endzone (kick failed)
Camp—Saito 14 pass from Basham (Saito kick)
Camp—Saito 50 run (kick failed)
Roos—Shown Francis 18 pass from Mols (pass failed)

JV—Campbell 0, Roosevelt 2

• Kaiser 20, Kalaheo 10: David Chu ran for a score and passed for another to lift the host Cougars.

Kaiser built a 20-0 halftime lead.

Chu scored on a 1-yard run and passed 20 yards to Ikaika Pai for another score. Gerard Collier's 14-yard touchdown run started the Kaiser scoring.

Kalaheo (0-1) 0 0 2 8—10
Kaiser (1-0) 13 7 0 0—20

Kais—Gerard Collier 14 run (kick failed)
Kais—David Chu 1 run (Landon Beers kick)
Kaiser—Ikaika Pai 20 pass from Chu (Beers kick)
Kala—safety, punter runs out of end zone
Kala—Mike Garcia 5 run (Ryan Simmons run)

JV—Kaiser 26, Kalaheo 8

• Mililani 50, Pearl City 13: Jose Santos scored three touchdowns, including an 85-yard kick return, and Billy Barbour added three more as the Trojans trounced Pearl City at Mililani.

Santos scored on a 30-yard run to open the scoring, and after Pearl City tied the game at 7, Santos' kickoff return put Mililani ahead again.

Santos later scored on a 20-yard pass from Mana Au.

Jarrett Lorenzo of Pearl City ran 80 yards for the touchdown in the first period to tie the score at 7.

Pearl City 7 6 0 0—13
Mililani 21 7 15 7—50

Mili—Jose Santos 30 run (Chris Castell kick.)
PC—Jarrett Lorenzo 80 run (Brandon Lorenzo kick.)
Mili—Santos 85 kick off return (Castell kick.)
Mili—Thompson Ah Loo 10 run (Castell kick.)
Mili—Santos 20 pass from Mana Au (Castell kick.)
PC—Kiko Riego de Dios 5 run (kick failed.)
Mili—Saftey Kaipo Patoc.
Mili—Billy Barbour 13 run (kick blocked.)
Mili—Barbour 17 run (Brown kick.)
Mili—Barbour 25 run (Castell kick.)
JV—Pearl City 13, Mililani 12

Yesterday's games

Kahuku 19, Skyline (Utah) 14
Kaiser 20, Kalaheo 10
Mililani 50, Pearl City 13
St. Louis 42, Nanakuli 0
Campbell 21, Roosevelt 20
Konawaena 31, Waialua 7
Kaua'i at Maui, not reported

Today's games

Junior varsity 5 p.m., varsity 7:30 p.m., unless noted

Kamehameha at Wai'anae, 5 p.m. JV
A.J. Dimond (Alaska) at Wai'anae, 7:30 p.m. varsity
Castle at 'Aiea
Kailua at Snow Canyon (Utah), 7:30 p.m. (MST)
Kaimuki vs. Kapolei at 'Aiea, 3 p.m. JV only
Kalani at Kohala, 3 p.m. varsity only
Lutheran (Calif.) at Hawai'i Prep, 2 p.m. varsity only
Lahainaluna vs. Waiakea at Wong Stadium, 7 p.m.
Kapa'a at King Kekaulike, 7 p.m. varsity only
Waimea at Punahou, 3 p.m. varsity only
Kamehameha vs. Baldwin at War Memorial, Maui, 7 p.m. varsity only
St. Anthony vs. Damien at Kaiser 6 p.m. varsity only

Father Bray Classic
At Aloha Stadium
Radford vs. McKinley, 11 a.m.
Pac-Five vs. Farrington, 2:15 p.m.
Waipahu vs. Leilehua, 5 p.m.
Iolani vs. Kaimuki, 7:45 p.m.