WAI'ANAE — Leilehua posted a rare shutout at Raymond Torii Stadium last night, blanking Wai'anae, 8-0, in an O'ahu Interscholastic Association defensive struggle.

The Mules, ranked No. 9 in The Advertiser's statewide Top 10 poll of coaches and media, snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 3-2 overall and 2-1 in the tight OIA West.

The fourth-ranked Seariders, playing before a homecoming crowd of about 3,200, fell to 4-1, 2-1.

"We hang all our pride on our defense, and they did the job tonight," Leilehua coach Nolan Tokuda said. "All week we told our offense, 'Don't lose it for us. You don't have to win it for us, but just don't lose it.' "

Mules quarterback Kaipo DeRego completed 16 of 26 passes for 165 yards, but the only scoring came on field goals of 23 and 27 yards by Rico Newman and a safety when Micah Cruz tackled running back Justin Kauwalu in the end zone.

With all that, Wai'anae still was only one possession away from tying it with 5:09 remaining in the game. But a drive to the Leilehua 39 ended when Robert Siavi'i intercepted a pass and ran it back to midfield.

By the time the Seariders got the ball back after the Mules lost the ball on downs at the Wai'anae 26, only 21 seconds were left on the clock with no timeouts. The game ended after a pass play to the Seariders' 44.

"Leilehua played a hell of a game," Wai'anae coach Danny Matsumoto said. "Our defense kept us in it, and it was a close game until the end, but we never seemed to get anything going on offense."

The Seariders did not gain a first down until midway through the second quarter, and managed just 39 yards of offense in the first half.

The Mules weren't much better, finishing the half with just 68 yards, but led 3-0 thanks to Newman's 23-yard field goal with 1:28 remaining in the first quarter.

Ben McQuown, Wai'anae's starting quarterback, injured his right (throwing) shoulder after a 30-yard scramble midway through the third quarter and did not return.

"I think that hurt them," Tokuda said. "They had to go to a quarterback with less experience."

Two plays after a Leilehua punt pinned the Seariders on their own 1-yard line, Kauwalu took a handoff in the end zone and tried to bounce outside to the left, but was chased down and wrestled to the ground by Cruz for a safety with 1:15 left in the third quarter.

Newman then put the Mules up, 8-0, with his 27-yard field goal with 5:09 left.

LEILEHUA (3-2, 2-1) 3 0 2 3—8

WAI'ANAE (4-1, 2-1) 0 0 0 0—0

Lei — FG Rico Newman 23

Lei — Safety, Micah Cruz tackled Justin Kauwalu in end zone

Lei — FG Newman 27

RUSHING — Leilehua: Newman 14-25, Bronson Paulo 11-16, Joedee Taua 2-0, Alex Cruz 3-(minus-2). Wai'anae: Kauwalu 9-8, BJ Jelf 3-7, Danny Kekoanui 6-26, Ben McQuown 6-21, Harold Viela 2-7, Preston Cummings 1-(minus-4), RJ Tacgee-Bailey 3-3.

PASSING — Leilehua: Kaipo DeRego 16-26-1—165. Wai'anae: McQuown 3-7-0—29, Tacgere-Bailey 4-10-1—28.

RECEIVING — Leilehua: Edieson Dumlao 6-104, Zaire Macapagal 2-6, Newman 1-1, Elijah Manaea 3-23, Paulo 2-7, Sean Kenington 1-20, Art Laurel 1-4. Wai'anae: Jahsiah Bales 1-2, Tacgere-Bailey 2-28, Kauwalu 3-22, Ryan Manuel 1-5.

JV score: Wai'anae 33, Leilehua 14.

'AIEA 30, RADFORD 17

Christian Kupau scored on runs of 1 and 30 yards to lead Na Ali'i over the visiting Rams in an OIA Red West game.

Radford had 182 yards of receiving on eight catches, including an 80-yard touchdown, from Shawn Putnam-Curry.

RADFORD (0-4, 0-2) 0 10 0 7—17

'AIEA (3-2, 2-1) 7 0 9 14—30

'Aiea — Keenan Naeole 1 run (Mason Puckett kick)

Rad — FG Jonathan Atangan 32

Rad — Ezekiel Pulou-Falaniko 20 interception return (Atangan kick)

'Aiea — Christian Kupau 1 run (Puckett kick)

'Aiea — Safety, bad snap

'Aiea — Jarret Vea 2 run (Puckett kick)

Rad — Shawn Putman-Curry 80 pass from Epa Maika (Atangan kick)

'Aiea — Kupau 30 run (Puckett kick)

RUSHING — Radford: Robert Limos 7-20, Maika 14-4, Mosiah Manuma 1-9, Atangan 1-10. 'Aiea: Kupau 9-32, Daniel Liilii 2-15, Naeole 2-2, Vea 2-2, Tony Cabalar 2-(minus 8), Matthew Higa 2-0.

PASSING — Radford: Maika 17-46-1—282. 'Aiea: Naeole 16-34-3—209.

RECEIVING — Radford: Putman-Curry 8-181, Brad Osborne 4-62, Manuma 3-26, Jared Victorino 2-13. 'Aiea: James Buchanan 4-118, Aldodius Colquitt 3-24, Ezra Knight 4-47, Jack Oliveros 2-14, Kupau 1-8, Liilii 2-(minus 2).

JV score: Radford 22, Aiea 21.

Reported by Ron Ikari

Read Wes Nakama's blog on prep sports at http://blogs.honoluluadvertiser.com.

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.