HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM
Mililani quarterback Rustin Funakoshi pounced on a loose ball as Campbell defenders swarmed during the first half of last night's game.
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Mililani locks up a share of OIA Red West title
Even with Mother Nature working against him, Mililani quarterback Rustin Funakoshi made just enough big plays to keep the Trojans on top of the OIA Red West.
Funakoshi threw for 202 yards and connected on touchdown passes of 25 and 79 yards as No. 4 Mililani earned a hard-fought 14-7 victory over Campbell last night at rain-soaked John Kauinana Stadium.
Mililani (6-1, 4-1) clinched at least a share of the division title with its third straight victory over the Sabers (2-3-1, 2-3).
Six of the seven teams in the division were within one loss of the first-place Trojans heading into last night. Mililani now has a one-game lead over Kapolei, Waianae and Leilehua heading into the final week of the season.
The Trojans can clinch the division with a win next weekend against Radford.
"It's that time of the year for games like this," Mililani coach Darnell Arceneaux said. "We'll be looking at the Radford game as our championship game."
With the field in muddy shambles, a turnover opened the door for Mililani to score first.
On the first play following a Campbell fumble, Funakoshi hooked up with Dalaunte Stevenson for a 25-yard touchdown pass on a post route to give the Trojans a 7-0 lead.
The Sabers bounced back by taking the ball inside the 1-yard line, but the Trojans defense stopped them three straight plays to take the ball over on downs.
It was one of two trips into the red zone in the first half in which the Sabers came up with no points.
"You have to give the defense a lot of credit," Funakoshi said. "They came up with the big fourth-down stops that I think is what put us on top."
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM
Campbell's Bronson Ellis-Riveria was stopped by Mililani's Tyler Harakuni last night at Mililani High School.
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Funakoshi opened the second half by hitting Mark Goya for a big 48-yard completion on third down. He missed on his next three throws, however, and Colin Lund just missed a 27-yard field-goal attempt to keep it a one-possesion game.
The senior kicker made up for his miss by hauling in a 79-yard touchdown pass from Funakoshi on Mililani's next offensive play as the Trojans went up 14.
"With Taz (Stevenson) on the outside, he was a big decoy on that play," Funakoshi said. "He really opened it up for Colin to make that big play."
Samson Anguay got the Sabers back into the game by taking a double reverse on the first play of the fourth quarter 92 yards for a touchdown to cut the deficit in half.
Still down a touchdown, Campbell got the ball back with 3 minutes remaining. Bronson Ellis-Riveria completed Campbell's only pass of the game with a 27-yard strike to Elway Tautua to put the ball in Trojans territory. Mililani responded with a sack of quarterback Kevin Newcomb and the clock ran out.
Trojans running back Michael Among-Serrao rushed for 66 yards on 14 carries against a physical Sabers defense. Campbell finished with 229 yards on the ground.