Menehune run wild over Knights, 41-20
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By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
LIHU'E, Kaua'i — Waimea rolled up 455 yards in offense in wrecking Castle, 41-20, in a quarterfinal of the Chveron State Football Championships last night.
An estimated crowd of 5,000 at Vidinha Stadium watched running back Brandon Malama tie a tournament quarterfinal record by scoring three rushing touchdowns.
The eighth-ranked Menehune (8-1) will play defending state champion Kahuku in a semifinal Friday at Aloha Stadium. Last year, the Red Raiders beat the Menehune, 43-17, in a quarterfinal.
"We know we're playing against bigger guys, so we just have to step it up," said Menehune running back and defensive back Timmy Chang-Wo.
It is the second time the Menehune has advanced to the state semifinals. Two years ago, they beat Kailua, 20-18, in a quarterfinal.
The fifth-ranked Knights end their season at 9-4.
Chang-Wo led the Menehune with 167 yards on 12 carries. Though he did not score, he had runs of 46 and 66 yards that set up two scores. Chesley Barba had 152 yards on 30 carries.
Jordon Dizon had 73 yards on five carries, including a 57-yard TD. He also recovered a Menehune fumble in the end zone for Waimea's first touchdown of the game.
Malama scored his three touchdowns on goal line situations, twice from the 1 and the other from the 2. He had 55 yards on eight carries.
"They're very well-coached and very quick," Castle coach Nelson Maeda said. "They didn't make mistakes and they capitalized on all of ours."
Waimea coach Jon Kobayashi stuck to his game plan of running, but credited his players, most of them two-way performers, as well as special team players, for executing.
"All of the credit goes to the young men," he said. "As coaches, all we can do is come up with the game plan. They have to execute it."
Waimea used a steady stream of quick dives and traps against Castle's defense, which is generally quick itself.
Castle took a 7-0 lead, rolling up 64 yards on eight plays with Loren Lum scoring on a 7-yard run.
But the Menehune stormed back with four unanswered touchdowns. The first came right after Castle scored, when Dizon recovered Menehune quarterback Adrian Agan's fumble at the goal line in the end zone. The next came after the Menehune tackled Castle's punter after a high snap at the Castle 14. Three plays later, Agan hit Oliver Villanueva on a 10-yard TD pass to take a 12-7 lead.
Just before the half, Dizon scored on a 57-yard run up the middle to give Waimea 20-7 halftime lead.
Waimea opened the second half with Malama's first TD, but Castle tried to make it a game, when it scored with 5:21 left in the third quarter on a 20-yard pass from Joel Botelho to Dayton AhNee.
Waimea responded with Malama's second 1-yard TD run with 11:56 left in the game.
Castle in turn answered with a 17-yard TD pass from Botelho to Jarred Suzui, but the Menehune sealed it with Malama's third touchdown of the game, a 2-yarder with 4:07 left in the game.
