Funaki pilots Kahuku air attack in 57-14 victory over Lahainaluna
| • | St. Louis dominates in 54-7 romp over 'Aiea |
| • | Menehune run wild over Knights, 41-20 |
| • | Kailua's size too much for Waiakea, 53-8 |
By Kyle Sakamoto
Advertiser Staff Writer
In years past, Kahuku dominated games by running the ball right through opponents' defenses.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser
The 2001 edition of the Red Raiders, however, is perfectly comfortable going to the air.
Lahainaluna’s Kainoa Casco bulls his way through Kahuku defenders and into the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown run that helped tie the game at 14. After that, it was all Kahuku, which won, 57-14.
Inoke Funaki completed 11 of 15 passes for 307 yards and four touchdowns as Kahuku routed Lahainaluna, 57-14, in a quarterfinal game of the Chevron State Football Championships last night at Aloha Stadium.
Funaki did most of his damage in the first half, completing 10-of-12 for 265 yards and three touchdowns.
"He responded to 80 percent of what we wanted him to do," Kahuku coach Siuaki Livai said. "We came out trying to run a bit and they (Lunas) adjusted well. We had to spread it out and make it a wide-open game."
Three Funaki scoring passes went to James Kammerer (18, 35 and 30 yards), who tied a state playoffs record for most touchdown receptions in a game. St. Louis' Frank Rivers also caught three touchdown passes in 1999.
"He was putting the ball on the money," Kammerer said. "All I had to do was put out my hands and the ball was there."
Funaki also threw a 62-yard touchdown pass to Travis Kaka in the first half. Kaka caught a 15-yard scoring pass from Ferron Fonoimoana in a 29-point Kahuku second quarter.
Mulivai Pula provided Kahuku (12-0) with ground support, carrying 10 times for 83 yards and two touchdowns.
Lahainaluna (8-3), the Maui Interscholastic League champion, hung tough early and tied the score at 14 on a 5-yard run by quarterback Kainoa Casco with 9:52 left in the half.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser
"I'm proud of our kids," Lahainaluna coach Robert Watson said. "They had to go through the air to beat us. We're out-sized, and you can say whatever you want (Kahuku) is the best out here."
Lahainaluna’s Laulile Latu breaks through for a first-quarter touchdown that helped tie it a 7-all.
Kahuku, the O'ahu Interscholastic Association champion, scored 21 unanswered points in the final 8:37 of the first half.
Funaki first connected with Kammerer from 35 yards.
Kahuku (12-0) then used trickery to score its final two touchdowns of the half.
Fonoimoana took a pitch from Funaki and threw a 15-yard pass to Kaka with 3:02 remaining to make the score 28-14.
On the final play of the half, Funaki hit Kammerer on a hook route 14 yards down field at the Lunas' 40. Kammerer then lateralled to Pula, who avoided a few defenders in the secondary and scored to complete a 54-yard play. Pula ran in the two-point conversion to make the score 36-14 at the half.
"If they had to use trick plays to beat us, I have to give our kids credit for being in the ball game," Watson said.
In the third quarter, Pula scored on a 7-yard run and Funaki completed a 30-yard pass to Kammerer to make it 50-14. That started the enforcement of the 35-point mercy rule. Funaki and many of his fellow starters didn't play in the fourth quarter.
"We felt they were going to run the ball down our throats," Watson said. "We came out to stop the run, but we didn't train the kids well enough against the pass."
Kahuku will play the winner of the Waimea-Castle game in a semifinal on Nov. 23 at Aloha Stadium.
