On the night after Halloween, the Roosevelt Rough Riders will play the role of the ant trying to move the rubber tree plant. Roosevelt has rough
task against KahukuATHLETES OF THE WEEK
By Jason Kaneshiro
jkaneshiro@starbulletin.comThe Rough Riders take on nationally ranked Kahuku in an Oahu Interscholastic Association quarterfinal playoff game at 5:05 p.m. tomorrow at Aloha Stadium. Aiea faces Waianae in the second game of the doubleheader at 7:35 p.m.
The playoffs continue Saturday with a split doubleheader at Mililani High School. Castle meets Waipahu at 2 p.m. and Kailua takes on Mililani at 7:30 p.m.
The quarterfinal winners clinch berths in the state tournament and advance to the OIA championship doubleheader on Nov. 9. The OIA will crown co-champions this year, as the playoffs were shortened by a week to allow the league to make up the regular season games postponed by the Sept. 11 attacks.
Roosevelt enters its game against the defending OIA and state champions still recovering from a 37-14 loss to Aiea last week. And for the Rough Riders to fulfill their high hopes, they'll have to find a way to at least slow a Kahuku offense that has moved the ball at will this season.
The OIA Red Conference champion Red Raiders average more than seven yards every time they run the ball, and nearly 20 when they decide to throw. The end result is more than 43 points and 408 yards per game.
In the second game, Lole Laolagi, Aiea's record-setting quarterback, will try to lead the OIA White champions to their second win over an OIA Red Conference opponent this season.
Laolagi, who led Aiea to a win over OIA Red runner-up Castle during the preseason, averaged a touchdown pass on every seven completions en route to an OIA record 31. In contrast, Waianae's quarterbacks threw just seven touchdown passes all season.
The ground-based Waianae offense must also contend with an Aiea defense that surrendered just 381 rushing yards all season.
Castle's beleaguered run defense will try to slow the OIA White's top rushing attack in Saturday's first game at Mililani.
The Knights finished last in the OIA Red in rushing defense, giving up almost 200 yards per game. They will face a Waipahu attack that racked up 1,751 yards and 24 TDs on the ground.
Marauder running backs Andrew Hale, Travis Atualevao and Avei Moevao all posted 100-yard games this season.
Mililani will have the home-field advantage over Kailua in a game originally scheduled for Moanalua's field. Kailua rallied past Mililani 34-28 in the regular-season encounter between the teams on Sept. 21.
Kailua running back Brenton Harbottle, who didn't play in the teams' first meeting, has rushed for 660 yards and seven touchdowns over the Surfriders' last four games.
ILH volleyball showdown: Iolani will try to clinch the ILH girls volleyball title Saturday when the Raiders host defending state champion Punahou. First serve is set for 1:30 p.m.
Iolani secured a state tournament berth by winning the league's first-round title with an 11-0 record. The Raiders are 3-0 in the second round. Punahou entered the week at 2-0 and have a date with St. Francis tomorrow, before taking on the Raiders. The Buffanblu, who finished second in the first round at 10-1, can clinch the league's second state tournament spot with a win over the Troubadours.
The Punahou and Iolani boys teams also meet in a vital boys matchup tomorrow with a spot in next week's state tournament at stake.
National ink for Nash: Iolani junior Bobby Nash is listed among the underclassmen to watch in Street and Smith's college basketball preview issue. Nash was an Interscholastic League of Honolulu honorable mention selection last season.
ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
Boys
>> Kyle Quon, Punahou air riflery: Posted a score of 534 to win the boys individual state championship on Monday.
Girls
>> Shannon Li, Sacred Hearts air riflery: The sophomore edged Punahou's Vicci Yau 534-527 to win the girls state championship yesterday in Kona.
HONOR ROLL
Air riflery
>> The St. Louis boys team: Captured its third consecutive team championship with an aggregate score of 2,039. Eric Okamoto, Michael Tanoue and Bryce Masunaga all finished in the top four in the individual competition.>> The Punahou girls team: Won its first state title with a team score of 2,037.
Bowling
>> Julie Goto, Hawaii Baptist: Bowled a 185 game to lead HBA over Mid-Pacific.>> Nicole Akau, Lutheran: Bowled a 183 high game and 508 high series in a loss to St. Francis.
Cross Country
>> Todd Iacovelli, Punahou: Led Punahou to a victory with a finishing time of 16:07.2, 38 seconds ahead of his nearest competitor.>> Christal Cuadra, Pac-Five: Was the only girl to finish the two-mile race in under 12 minutes with a time of 11:57.8.
Football
>> Ikaika Neizman, Lahainaluna: Kicked six extra points, ran in a two-point conversion, caught a touchdown pass and returned an interception for a touchdown in a 50-13 victory over St. Anthony.>> Ric Fukushima, Moanalua: Passed for 441 yards and six touchdowns against Kalani.
>> James Strombach, Moanalua: Pulled in eight receptions for four touchdowns and 197 yards against Kalani.
>> Jason Rivers, St. Louis: Totaled 142 yards receiving on just three catches -- all touchdowns.
>> Bobby George, St. Louis: Passed for three scores in one quarter versus Damien.
>> Mulivai Pula, Kahuku: Scored three touchdowns, including an 80 yarder, against Waianae.
>> Alex Fergus, Punahou: Returned an interception 95 yards for a score against Pac-Five.
>> Rusty Lawson, Nanakuli: Rushed for three touchdowns and 272 yards in a win over Waialua.
>> Mike Garcia, Kalaheo: Threw for two scores, ran for another and returned an interception 36 yards for another score as Kalaheo beat Radford.
>> Chesley Barba and Jordon Dizon, Waimea: Combined for 301 yards and two touchdowns as the Menehunes shut out Kauai.
>> Reuben Medeiros, Aiea: Hauled in seven receptions, two for touchdowns, on his way to 151 receiving yards.
Girls Volleyball
>> Michelle Peters, Kahuku: "Tools" recorded 15 kills and four aces in the Red Raiders' comeback victory over Moanalua in Saturday's OIA quarterfinal match.>> Amanda Vasquez, Moanalua: Compiled 11 kills and a block and scored the last five points of the match against Leilehua.
>> Michelle Look, Punahou: Recorded 36 kills, 26 digs and seven aces in the Buffanblu's matches with Kamehameha and La Pietra.
>> Megan Abbott, Punahou: Registered 14 digs, including several spectacular saves, in last week's matches.
>> Nanea Holmes, La Pietra: Pounded 10 kills against both Punahou and Iolani. She also recorded six blocks and four aces in the matches.
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