JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM Kapolei's Jon Santiago avoided Leilehua's Kennedy Orteza during the first half of last night's game at Kapolei.

Hurricanes
pick on Mules

Injuries do make a difference, and the Kapolei Hurricanes chose not to give the beleaguered Leilehua Mules too many breaks.

The Hurricanes overcame a pair of first-half turnovers to overpower Leilehua 33-7 last night for a homecoming victory.

Brad Padayao passed for 160 yards and ran for 74 more, and running back Radford Raquedan rushed for 110 yards and two scores as 10th-ranked Kapolei (4-1) improved to 3-0 in the Oahu Interscholastic Association Red West.

Eighth-ranked Leilehua slipped to 2-1 in league play (3-2 overall) and finally succumbed to a rash of injuries in recent weeks. The once-prolific Mules offense managed only 205 total yards without starting quarterback Bryant Moniz, who suffered a fractured collarbone last week at Kamehameha.

"If they had Moniz in there, it would've been a different game," Kapolei coach Darren Hernandez said. "Even with their injuries, they played a tough game."

Kapolei also took advantage of a young, injured Mules defense that missed linebackers Guyes Galdeira and Mene Coffin. The Hurricanes rolled up 207 rushing yards on 38 attempts.

Padayao completed 13 of his 24 attempts, but was picked off twice before halftime.

"We played poorly," Hernandez said. "One of Brad's interceptions was a bad read by the receiver. We weren't smooth or in rhythm. Don't get me wrong, it's a great win and we'll savor it, but we realize there's a lot of work to be done. We can't afford to have drops and bad reads when we play a quality opponent with no injuries."

Padayao agreed.

"We tend to come out and not get fired up until the final quarter," the senior said, crediting Leilehua's defense. "Usually, I have time to make my reads, but that's the most I've been pressured."

The host Hurricanes marched 61 yards in 11 plays on the game's opening possession to take the lead. Raquedan scored easily from 1 yard out to give Kapolei a 7-0 lead with 6:44 to play in the first quarter.

The drive was a gift of sorts from the Mules, who recovered a fumble by wide receiver Aaron Santiago at the 11, but fumbled the ball back on the return. Padayao recovered for the 'Canes at the Leilehua 18-yard line to keep the march alive.

Kapolei went on to turn the ball over two more times in the first half, but its defense put the clamps on the Mules. The Hurricanes drove 85 yards in 11 plays, culminating the possession on Padayao's 26-yard strike to Jon Santiago.

The speedy receiver pulled in the pass on a fly pattern in the back of the end zone to give Kapolei a 14-0 lead with 11:15 to play in the second quarter.

Leilehua, with third-string quarterback Joe Iosefa at the reins, got as deep as the Kapolei 26-yard line, but no closer in the half. The Mules accumulated just 66 total yards by halftime. Moniz is out for up to eight weeks with a fractured collarbone.

Kapolei amassed 244 total yards by intermission. The Hurricanes' 14-0 lead could have been much more if not for turnovers, both on interceptions. Defensive back Mason Edra had both picks for the Mules to end Kapolei drives.

Kapolei literally ran away in the second half behind Raquedan and a multitude of interceptions. The game also featured 16 penalties, nine by Kapolei.