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POSTED: Saturday, November 22, 2008

WAILUKU, Maui » The joke going around Maui in the days leading up to the big game went like this:

How many lives does a cat have? Nine, of course.

How many lives does a bear have? Four, at least, if you're the Baldwin Bears.

Four is the number of times Baldwin came back from huge early deficits to finish with a 7-0 mark in the Maui Interscholastic League, extending its MIL winning streak to 37 games since 2004.

To put it simply, the Bears ran out of lives against the reigning state champions from Leilehua last night at muggy War Memorial Stadium.

And the person most responsible for ending Baldwin's season was Andrew Manley, the versatile junior quarterback who was involved in all five of his team's touchdowns in a 34-15 victory in the opening round of the HHSAA Division I football tournament.

Manley threw four touchdown passes—twice after breaking loose from apparent sacks—and ran for another score to seal the victory that sent the Mules into next week's semifinal against second-seeded OIA rival Kahuku at Aloha Stadium.

Manley completed 24 of 32 pass attempts for 233 yards, suffering one interception, as Leilehua improved to 10-2. Baldwin, which lost to the Mules in last year's semifinals, finished at 8-2.

The outcome of this one was decided shortly after it began, as the Mules scored on their first three possessions for a 21-0 lead just more than 8 minutes into the game.

On the opening series, Manley kept the drive alive on a fourth and 4 at the Baldwin 35 with an 8-yard toss for the first down. A couple of plays later, he delivered a 21-yard scoring strike to Rico Newman.

Capitalizing on a 6-yard punt by Baldwin, the Mules started their second series on the Bears' 17. Manley again shed a would-be tackler and hooked up on a 17-yard pass to Kamani Akagi, who although listed at 5-foot-8, managed to win a jump ball in the end zone.

Leilehua wrapped up its early offensive attack when, on third and 1, Newman was unaccounted for as he floated out to the left side and grabbed a 14-yard toss from Manley. Up to that point, Manley was a virtually flawless, completing 12 of 13 for 148 yards and three scores.

The Bears, meanwhile, had yet to register their initial first down of the game.

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At War Memorial Stadium

                                                                                                                                   

     

 

 

Leilehua (10-2)	21	7	0	6	—	34
Baldwin (7-2)	0	7	0	8	—	15

Lei—Rico Newman 21 pass from Andrew Manley (Maika Kunioka kick)
Lei—Kamana Akagi 17 pass from Manley (Kunioka kick)
Lei—Newman 14 pass from Manley (Kunioka kick)
Bald—Ro Wilson 7 pass from Buta Wilhelm-Ioane (CeeJay Santos kick)
Lei—Edieson Dumlao 20 pass from Manley (Kunioka kick)
Lei—Manley 2 run (kick blocked)
Bald—Hajima Alabanza 3 run (Wilhelm-Ioane pass from Sheldon Leon)