Leilehua, Mililani scrap in ‘real’ rivalry

Four of the top five football teams in the state don't play this weekend, but two traditional arch rivals in Central Oahu will have plenty of firepower to fill the void.

There is no love lost between the Leilehua Mules and Mililani Trojans. The longtime Oahu Interscholastic Association Red West powers highlight one of three conference games tomorrow night, at Leilehua. Elsewhere, second-ranked Kahuku meets Kalaheo, Campbell visits Waianae and Anuenue faces Kalani.

In the lone Interscholastic League of Honolulu game, Damien and Iolani battle at Aloha Stadium.

The Mules, ranked No. 8, bounced back after a loss to Saint Louis with a resounding 37-19 win over dangerous, but young Radford last week. Leilehua's defense is among the quickest in the league, while the offense has been through ups and downs thus far.

Mililani, meanwhile, began league play with a stunning 28-13 home-field loss to Waianae last week. The Trojans plummeted to No. 9 in the poll, and questions about the secondary have resurfaced.

Another question is the Mililani passing attack, which hasn't produced consistently enough to take the bull's-eye target off the chest of running back Jordan Torres. The senior running back gained a whopping 234 yards two weeks ago in a win over Iolani, but Waianae lassoed him in.

The rivalry between the schools goes back to the late 1970s, when Mililani opened its doors. Trojans coach James Millwood grew up as a ball boy for Leilehua, where an older brother was a standout player. Millwood wound up attending Mililani, which had been a doormat to the Mules.

"I make sure the players know that this is a real rivalry," said Millwood, who noted that the intensity level dipped for some years when Mililani gained the upper hand. With the emergence of quarterback Bryant Moniz and a plethora of talent under coach Nolan Tokuda, the Mules have returned to their previous heights. Leilehua played for the state championship two seasons ago, losing to Kamehameha.

Here's a look at more matchups:

Kahuku vs. Kalaheo, Kailua stadium -- Defensive tackle Kaniela Tuipulotu will sit out as his injured ankle heals. "His first action will be on Sept. 23 against McKinley," Kahuku coach Reggie Torres said.

Kalaheo was strong in pass-league summer play, which has Torres' attention.

"Their passing schemes are good, but they run the split-back offense similar to De La Salle," he said.

Kalaheo coach Chris Mellor hails from the California power, but his team is battling injuries.

"That's caused some players to go play both ways," Torres noted. "I believe they're on the right track as a program. They could be a future program to watch."

Campbell at Waianae -- The Sabers (2-1, 0-1 OIA Red West) dropped a close one against Aiea last week, and now the hungry Seariders await.

The Seariders have come a long way since a lopsided loss to Farrington in nonconference play to start the season. Last week's 28-13 win at Mililani not only gave them a head start in the tough Red West, but showed that they can throw the ball effectively. Ben McQuown threw for a 77-yard score and ran for touchdowns of 11 and 30 yards.

Anuenue vs. Kalani, Kaiser stadium -- Each team is searching for its first win of the season. Na Koa have put up bigger stats behind the arm of Ka'ehukai Nauka, who threw for 192 yards in a loss at Waialua.

King Kekaulike at Kamehameha-Maui -- The battle of Upcountry Maui pits two ground-oriented teams. The unbeaten Na Alii got four touchdowns from running back Shannon Kamakaokalani in a rout of Maui.

Pac-3 vs. Maui, War Memorial Stadium -- The Sabers are hoping to rebound from last week's 40-20 loss to King Kekaulike.

Kealakehe at Kamehameha-Hawaii -- The visiting Waveriders are heavy favorites to win the Big Island Interscholastic Federation again, but the 120-mile trek could sap their strength.

Waiakea at Konawaena -- Kawai Kanuha's star is rising. The junior QB led the Wildcats in an upset of Keaau last week; a win over Waiakea could boost their run to the Division II title.

Kohala at Ka'u -- The visiting Cowboys fumbled away a potential win against Hilo last week, but the host Trojans are struggling.