Mililani’s stingy ‘D’ stuffs Pearl City

OIA Red West » Mililani is not used to fighting for its life this early in the season, but last night's 24-6 victory over Pearl City gave the Trojans some needed distance between themselves and the Oahu Interscholastic Association Red West cellar at mud-soaked John Kauinana Stadium.

Mililani (2-3, 2-1) did it with an offense that kept the chains moving, coupled with a rock-solid defense that held Pearl City (0-5, 0-3) to minus-15 yards rushing.

"Everybody played hard for this win," said Mililani quarterback Iosua Manuma, who scored one of his team's three rushing touchdowns and completed eight of 15 passes for 136 yards with no interceptions. "It's all about believing in each other, because if you don't believe in your teammates, nothing will happen."

The Trojans have won two in a row after losses to Castle, Saint Louis and Leilehua to open the season.

The first half was all Mililani, which went into the halftime break leading 17-0 as Manuma guided the Trojans to three scoring drives.

On its first possession of the game, Manuma hit Chad Bolibol for a 28-yard completion over the middle to set up Trevor Lee's 3-yard TD run for a 7-0 lead.

Manuma was at it again in the second quarter, hooking up with Fred Culp for a 46-yard gain to set the stage for Manuma's 6-yard TD burst up the middle. Cody Nakagawa booted a 41-yard field goal for the 17-point lead as time expired in the half.

The Mililani defense stopped the Pearl City ground game cold with nine tackles for loss for the night, including two by Aleni Aiono. But the Trojans had their hands full trying to stop the Chargers passing game, though they eventually succeeded.

Pearl City quarterback Colby Young completed 18 of 30 passes for 169 yards and a touchdown, but he was also picked off by Mililani's Kris Ornellas.

"Our guys could have quit after three losses, but I'm blown away by the way they've been showing up," Trojans coach Darnell Arceneaux said. "We are going to play every game like a playoff game now, play like another loss and you go home."

The Chargers cut the lead to 17-6 in the third when Young hit Skye Kaapuni for a 35-yard gain, setting up his 6-yard scoring strike to Kaapuni.

The Trojans sewed up the victory on Kahi Perbera's 6-yard scoring run with 4:03 left in the third. Taz Stevenson's 19-yard run and Manuma's 15-yard pass to Perbera were the key plays in the 10-play, 65-yard drive.

"It was a sloppy field," Arceneaux said. "It may have given us an edge. Pearl City was scary, and I can only imagine what they can do on a fast track."

Arceneaux said fans should get their "popcorn out" and "to look for a great game" when Pearl City takes on Leilehua next weekend.

"We couldn't capitalize on our chances," the Chargers' Young said. "We're not doing our best, but I think we can beat the people on the rest of our schedule."

"We're trying to teach them to be hungry for the end zone," Pearl City coach Mel Bicoy said. "It's basic execution. So it's back to the drawing board to work on cleaner execution."