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OIA RED WEST


Waianae throws
Aiea for a loop

The Waianae offense is known for its smash-mouth style of running, but Henry Keomalu proved the Seariders can air it out just as well.

The senior quarterback completed nine of 13 passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns and added a 1-yard touchdown run as No. 9 Waianae defeated Aiea 25-6 last night in Aiea.

Keomalu also added a field goal as the Seariders scored the first 25 points in improving to 2-1 in the Oahu Interscholastic Association Red West.

"I feel a lot more confident now than last year," Keomalu said.

It has been a roller-coaster year already for the Seariders, who stunned Saint Louis in a preseason game at home, but lost to Mililani in their league opener before putting together back-to-back victories, including last night's dominating performance over Aiea.

"(Aiea) has a really good quarterback, I like him," Waianae coach Daniel Matsumoto said of Kali Kuia. "Their draw worked pretty well against us."

Darius Fuller accounted for 72 of Waianae's 176 yards rushing, but it was the defense that stepped up for Waianae, holding Aiea's high-octane passing attack to 180 yards as Kuia completed just 12 of 31 passes, including two interceptions.

The Seariders got out to an early lead by scoring on each of their first two possessions. Keomalu capped the Seariders' first drive with a 22-yard field goal, then found Leroy Lee-Kiaaina with a 51-yard touchdown pass just 4 minutes later to give the Seariders a nine-point lead at the end of the first quarter.

Aiea (2-2, 0-2) responded with its best drive of the first half, taking the ball inside Waianae's 10-yard line. But an illegal block in the back pushed Na Alii back, and Siavalua Faliuga Jr. blocked Mark Atta's field-goal attempt to turn away Aiea empty-handed.

Waianae would add one more touchdown at the end of the half, taking advantage of a Kuia fumble by driving 47 yards, capped by a 1-yard touchdown run by Keomalu, giving Waianae a 16-0 halftime lead.

"Our O-line did a good job of giving (Keomalu) time to throw," Matsumoto said. "He threw some real nice passes."

The Seariders increased their lead quickly to open the second half as Aiea snapped the ball out of the end zone on a punt attempt for a safety. Then on the ensuing drive, Keomalu found Douglas Newman on a third-down play for a 28-yard touchdown to increase Waianae's lead to 25-0.

Aiea would finally punch the ball into the end zone with 7:38 left in the game as Kuia found Lahaina Olsen-Kuroda with a 4-yard touchdown pass that made the score 25-6. Aiea would get one last chance to put more points on the board, but Chad Paaluhi intercepted a Kuia pass intended for Olsen-Kuroda with 12 seconds left to seal the victory.

Mililani 34, Pearl City 6

Kekoa Perbera accounted for three scores as the Trojans defeated the Chargers.

Perbera rushed for 124 yards and two touchdowns -- from 9 and 42 yards out -- and hit Michael Smith for a 44-yard strike.

Jordan Torres added 65 yards on the ground and a touchdown for the Trojans, who remained undefeated in league play.

Andrew Blue completed six passes for 84 yards and ran for a touchdown for the winless Chargers.



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