WAI'ANAE — It wasn't a pretty game by all accounts, but still competitive to the end.

No. 4 Wai'anae cashed in on linebacker Marcus Fonoti's fourth-quarter interception with a 15-yard touchdown run by Justin Kauwalu with six minutes, 22 seconds left to rally past No. 5 Mililani, 13-9, last night in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association West season opener at Raymond Torii Field.

Two poor ensuing kickoffs — one that resulted in a penalty that moved the Seariders' kickoff five yards back and a short one that followed — gave the Trojans possession at their 45. Although the Trojans converted on a fourth-and-2 at the Wai'anae 30, they failed on a fourth-and-3 at the 18 when linebacker Nalu Hauhio, who two plays earlier snuffed out a draw with Lesili Sekona for a 5-yard loss, deflected Rustin Funakoshi's pass to kill the drive with 3:06 left. The Seariders (2-0 overall, 1-0 OIA West) were able to run out the clock to preserve their lead.

"I'm very proud of our football team to be game-tested like this, the way they played," Trojans first-year coach Darnell Arceneaux said. "If anything I put a lot of blame on myself in the second half (with) some play calling and things like that. We'll get better as a staff and get better as a team. This was a good test to come down here."

Each team was hurt by turnovers. A fumble on a hand-off exchange by the Seariders at their own 21 set up the Trojans' first score, a 5-yard TD run by sophomore running back Taz Stevenson that capped a five-play drive. But Wai'anae's Matt Ibanez blocked Colin Lund's PAT to keep it 6-0 with 5:14 left in the first quarter.

Although it was the conference opener, it was each team's second game. And both looked like they could use more work.

In all, Wai'anae lost two of four fumbles, including one on a center-QB exchange. Quarterback Ben McQuown also threw an interception in the end zone on first-and-goal at the 7. The Trojans (1-1, 0-1) lost one of two fumbles and Funakoshi was intercepted twice. Also, the Trojans were called for nine penalties totaling 67 yards and the Seariders were called 14 times for 120.

"I was asking the ref to change the ball, but they didn't change the ball," McQuown said of the mishandled snaps.

It wasn't a great game for the officials, either. They miss-spotted the ball on a double penalty (one against each team). Even when it was corrected, it was still two yards more than it should've been marked off.

"We're not consistent enough," Wai'anae coach Dan Matsumoto said. "We played sloppy."

The Trojans made it 9-0 before the Seariders got on the board when Lund booted a 22-yard field goal with 7:07 left in the half.

The Seariders pulled to 9-7 with 4:06 left in the half when McQuown, dropped back to pass on third-and-5 at the Wai'anae's 35. He found a hole in the middle before breaking right and raced 65 yards for a TD.

"We weren't making plays all game, but I had to step up and make a play on my own," McQuown said.

After two early turnovers to start the second half, the Seariders settled down, running the ball better. Kauwalu had just five yards after his first 11 carries, but ended with 58 on 17 attempts.

"Our O-line was kind of struggling the first half," Kauwalu said. "But they blocked better in the second half."

"We told them they gotta block, that's the bottom line," Matsumoto added. "We just weren't completing our blocks (in the first half)."

Both teams are back to nonleague next week before resuming conference play the following week.

MILILANI (1-1, 0-1) 6 3 0 0— 9

WAI'ANAE (2-0, 1-0) 0 7 0 6—13

Mili — Taz Stevenson 5 run (kick blocked)

Mili — FG Colin Lund 22

Waian — Ben McQuown 65 run (Glenn Wain kick)

Waian — Justin Kauwalu 15 run (pass failed)

RUSHING — Mililani: Rustin Funakoshi 6-15, Michael Among-Serrao 2-(minus 3), Trevor Lee 11-22, Stevenson 3-12, Kekai Trout 1-0, Kahi Pebera 1-8, Geoffrey Badua 1-(minus 7). Wai'anae: McQuown 11-89, B.J. Jelf 9-58, Kauwalu 17-58, Justin Chongtim 1-5, Preston Cummings 1-4, Danny Kekoanui 6-20, team 2-(minus 6).

PASSING — Mililani: Funakoshi 15-35-2—200. Wai'anae: McQuown 3-8-1—75.

RECEIVING — Mililani: Trent Tamate 5-87, Geoffrey Badua 1-2, Stevenson 5-74, Lund 4-37. Wai'anae: Kekoanui 2-55, Cummings 1-20.

JV score — Wai'anae 40, Mililani 0

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.