[ HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ]
FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM
Kailua's Kekoa Sua looked for yardage during an OIA playoff game against Mililani last night at Aloha Stadium.
Kailua rides
into finalThe Surfriders' 20-12 semifinal
win over Mililani sets up a title match
with Kahuku
The Kailua Surfriders advanced to the Oahu Interscholastic Association Red Conference championship game with a 20-12 victory over the Mililani Trojans in the second matchup of a semifinal doubleheader last night at Aloha Stadium.
Kailua will play Kahuku for the conference championship Friday at Aloha Stadium. Mililani takes on Farrington in the third-place game. All four teams have already secured berths in the HHSAA Division I state tournament.
Kailua (8-1-1) will play for an OIA title for the third consecutive year. The Surfriders shared the crown with Kahuku in 2001 and lost to Castle in last year's league title game.
"I'm going to enjoy this victory and we'll start talking about Kahuku next week," Kailua coach Darren Johnson said. "They looked really good tonight."
Mililani (9-1) suffered its first loss of the season.
The Kailua defense gave up 300 yards, but forced four turnovers to frustrate the Trojans.
"They bent but they came up big and made a lot of big plays," Johnson said.
Mililani quarterback Maka Kahoano had thrown only four interceptions entering last night's game, but yielded three against Kailua. Imai Mattos picked off two passes in the first half for Kailua and Lauton Atisanoe returned a third-quarter interception 52 yards for a touchdown.
"We did exactly what we didn't want to happen," Mililani coach James Millwood said. "Those turnovers really hurt our defense, which played well against Kailua's powerful offense. They played well enough to have given us a win. Offensively we went up and down the field now and then but couldn't get it in the end zone."
Kailua running back Damien Torres led the Surfrider offense with 115 yards, although the Mililani defense proved stubborn as well despite losing linebacker Mikhail Mabry to a hamstring injury in the first half.
The teams traded turnovers to open the game and Mililani converted a Kailua fumble into a touchdown to take the early lead. An option pass from Aran Bisho to Jordan Apduhan on fourth-and-7 set up a 1-yard touchdown run for Apduhan. The extra-point attempt was blocked.
Kailua responded with a 14-play drive that was aided by two pass interference penalties on Mililani. Kelroy Kohatsu scored on a quarterback sneak and Mike Sakaba's extra point gave the Surfriders a 7-6 lead early in the second quarter.
After Mattos intercepted his second pass of the first half, Kohatsu hooked up with Dylan Linkner for a 33-yard score to extend the Surfriders' lead to 14-6 at halftime.
The Kailua defense added to the lead in the third quarter as Atisanoe snared an errant screen pass from Kahoano and raced untouched to the end zone.
"The D-line really helped by tipping the ball and putting pressure on the quarterback," Atisanoe said. "I was just reading my keys and listening to what the coaches tell me."
Mililani made a final charge as Kahoano hit Darren Smith on a fade pattern for a 6-yard touchdown pass. But Kailua recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock.
At Aloha Stadium
Mil -- Jordan Apduhan 1 run (kick failed)
Kailua (8-1-1) 0 14 6 0 -- 20 Mililani (9-1) 6 0 0 6 -- 12
Kai -- Kelroy Kohatsu 1 run (Mike Sakaba kick)
Kai -- Dylan Linkner 33 pass from Kohatsu (Sakaba kick)
Kai -- Lauton Atisanoe 52 interception return (kick failed)
Mil -- Darren Smith 6 pass from Maka Kahoano (pass failed)
RUSHING -- Kailua: Damien Torres 18-118, Kekoa Sua 11-39, Kohatsu 5-0. Mililani: Apduhan 11-33, Carlo Raneses 4-16, Peter Raneses 6-14, Jay Greene 2-11, Kahoano 9-(-23), Chase Nakachi 1-1.
PASSING -- Kailua: Kohatsu 9-17-0-121. Mililani: Kahoano 15-32-3-233, Aran Bisho 1-1-0-17.
RECEIVING -- Kailua: Jeremy Wicker 2-14, Sua 2-37, Linkner 4-68, ALbert Kaleo 1-2. Mililani: Bisho 4-43, Apduhan 2-22, Jon Santos 6-157, Smith 3-21, Andrew Tokumi 1-7.
