Friday, October 26, 2001
[ PREP FOOTBALL ]
Aiea captured its first football championship since 1992 with a 37-14 win over Roosevelt last night at Aloha Stadium. Aiea wins White Conference
By Jason Kaneshiro
jkaneshiro@starbulletin.comThe win completed the school's first undefeated season and gave the Na Alii sole possession of the Oahu Interscholastic Association White Conference crown.
Aiea raised its record to 8-0 in the OIA White, while Roosevelt fell to 6-2 to finish third in the conference. Both teams had already qualified for the OIA playoffs.
Aiea quarterback Lole Laolagi passed for 321 yards and added to his OIA record with 3 touchdown passes to raise his season total to 31. Receiver Reuben Medeiros caught 7 passes for 151 yards and two scores.
Na Alii jumped out to a 30-0 lead in the first half as Laolagi passed for 292 yards and three touchdowns. He threw a 95-yard scoring pass to Medeiros and had an 83-yard connection with Nate Olaivar.
But the record-setting quarterback kept Roosevelt in the game by also throwing five interceptions.
The Rough Riders took advantage of two of the turnovers. Janson Keomaka scored on a 4-yard touchdown run and Chris Mols threw a 13-yard scoring pass to Jerry Perreira late in the second quarter to cut Aiea's lead to 30-14 at halftime.
But Aiea reclaimed control in the third quarter when Daniel Saunoa scooped up a fumble and scampered 21 yards for a TD.
Aiea, Waipahu (7-1) and Roosevelt will move up to the OIA Red Conference next year and will now prepare for the OIA playoffs.
Aiea will face the fourth-place team from the OIA Red Nov. 1 in the second game of an OIA playoff doubleheader at Aloha Stadium. Roosevelt plays defending OIA and state champion Kahuku in the first game.
Waipahu will play OIA Red runner-up Castle Nov. 3 at Mililani High School's field.
At Aloha Stadium
Aiea (8-0, 9-0) 24 6 7 0 -- 37 Roosevelt (6-2, 6-3) 0 14 0 0 -- 14 Aiea -- Reuben Medeiros 15 pass from Lole Laolagi (Jeffrey Veal kick)
Aiea -- Safety, intentional grounding in the end zone
Aiea -- Medeiros 95 pass from Laolagi (Avaiona Brown pass from Laolagi)
Aiea -- Laolagi 1 run (Veal kick)
Aiea -- Nate Olaivar 83 pass from Laolagi (kick failed)
Roos -- Janson Keomaka 4 run (Cameron Kimura kick)
Roos -- Jerry Perreira 13 pass from Chris Mols (Kimura kick)
Aiea -- Daniel Saunoa 21 fumble return (Veal kick)
RUSHING -- Aiea: Laolagi 12-20, Faasalele Neemia 9-27, Kalani Kekawa 7-28, Jordan Moniz 5-32. Roosevelt: Keomaka 3-8, Daniel Siracusa 4-4, Anthony Holyfield 1-(-7), Matthew Terukina 1-25, Mols 1-(-10).
PASSING -- Aiea: Laolagi 14-28-5-321. Roosevelt: Mols 22-41-2-194, Holyfield 1-3-0-11, Corey Higa 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING -- Aiea: Medeiros 7-151, Olaivar 1-83, Richard Rodrigues 1-18, Bryan Tucker-Salas 2-48, Neemia 3-18, Jeremy Yuen 1-3. Roosevelt: Perreira 3-11, Terukina 4-65, Shown Francis 7-54, Siracusa 1-12, Higa 6-53, Erik Kobayashi 1-5, Keomaka 1-5.
Junior varsity -- Roosevelt 6, Aiea 0
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