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GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM Mililani's Kekoa Perbera looked for running room against the Kapolei Hurricanes during last night's game at Mililani.

Trojans stay on top

Perbera runs for 143 yards as Mililani hands Kapolei its first conference loss

A shootout isn't what Mililani bargained for, but that's what it got last night in a key Oahu Interscholastic Association Red West football showdown with Kapolei.

The Trojans had their hands full against the Hurricanes' speedsters, and, after the teams traded touchdowns in the first half, it appeared the game would boil down to which team could make the most stops.

But neither offense was collared in the second half, either, as Mililani (5-1, 4-0) pulled out a wild 36-31 victory at home.

"It was all about (breakdown of) responsibilities," said Mililani middle linebacker Josh Andrews, who had a sack and another tackle for loss. "We know we can beat them physically. It was the mental part that we were messing up. We knew they were fast, we knew they were good, but maybe we underestimated them a bit in the beginning."

The Trojans did their best to control the game by running hard between the tackles. Kekoa Perbera benefited from this mode of attack, finishing with 143 yards on 27 carries. He gave Mililani a 33-25 lead with a 3-yard touchdown run with 11:28 left in the game.

Still, it almost wasn't enough. The Trojans were befuddled on defense by Kapolei's short passing game and the running of quarterback Brad Padayao, who scored four times, including a 49-yard jaunt that kept the Hurricanes close at 27-25 early in the fourth quarter.

Mililani coach James Millwood could count on one hand the number of defensive stops his team managed, with none more important than Jaime Botelho's tackle of Kapolei's Radford Raquedan for a 2-yard loss on a fourth-and-4 play at the Mililani 41 with 8:57 to go.

Three successful fourth-down conversions later, the Trojans made it 36-25 with 2:18 left on Michael Smith's 19-yard field goal.

"I think what really helped us tonight was ball control," Millwood said. "We're not a shootout type of team. We tried to keep their offense off the field. They showed their firepower (early), but we were able to stop their big-play offense for the most part in the second half."

Smith's field goal appeared to sew it up, but Kapolei (5-2, 4-1) wasn't ready to go home just yet.

After Jon Santiago's long kickoff return, Padayao scored his final touchdown on a 1-yard sneak with 1:19 showing on the clock to trim Mililani's lead to 36-31, but got no closer.

"I told the players I loved them," Kapolei coach Darren Hernandez said. "They left it out on the field, didn't quit and I'm proud of them. They were awesome and I'm happy any time a team can give an effort like that. We'll see them (Mililani) again."

Millwood said it would be "nice" to play the Hurricanes again in the OIA playoffs or the state tournament. He just hopes he can do a better job against Padayao.

"That kid is the most dangerous quarterback in our conference as far as passing and running the ball is concerned," he said. "And they're one of the top teams in the OIA."

Hernandez knew what he was up against, too.

"They're (the Trojans) still the champions of the OIA West," he said.