WAILUKU » After being knocked out of commission following a big hit suffered in the OIA Red championship game loss to Kahuku, there were serious doubts whether Leilehua wide receiver Kamana Akagi would be available for the opening round of the state football tournament.

But a week off allowed Akagi to recover from a concussion and, as a result, the 5-foot-9, 170-pound senior was the source of a huge headache for Baldwin last night.

Akagi, who was medically cleared to play on Monday, caught three of Andrew Manley's five first-half touchdown passes as the Mules eased to a 48-12 victory over the Bears in a Division I quarterfinal mismatch at War Memorial Stadium.

It marked the third straight year that Baldwin's season came to an end against Leilehua, and each time Manley was at the controls of the Mules' attack.

Two years ago, Leilehua posted a 41-34 victory in the semifinals at Aloha Stadium en route to the state title. Last season, the Mules again beat Baldwin, 34-15, in a quarterfinal game on Maui and again advanced to the state final before losing to Punahou.

The win improved Leilehua's record to 9-3 and earned the Mules a berth in Friday's semifinals against ILH champion and second-seeded Kamehameha at Aloha Stadium. Baldwin, the five-time MIL D-I champion, closed out its season with a 6-4 record.

With a defensive front line lacking any seniors, Baldwin failed to produce meaningful pressure on Manley, the 6-foot-3 220-pounder with the big arm. Given time to sit back and choose his receivers, Manley picked apart the Bears.

He completed 17 of 25 attempts for 185 yards and five scores in the first half alone. Manley called it a night with 3 minutes left in the third quarter, finishing with 23 completions on 35 passes for 245 yards.

Manley's two other scoring passes were of 2 and 20 yards late in the second period, both to Fred Padrones, providing Leilehua a 34-6 halftime lead.

Indicative of Leilehua's “;stop us if you can attitude,”; the Mules twice went for it on fourth and short during their opening drive—once from their own 29 and again from their 40.

“;They practice hard and I have a lot of confidence in them, so it made it easy to make those calls,”; said Leilehua coach Nolan Tokuda.

Baldwin was missing its top offensive weapon. Junior standout wide receiver Ro Wilson did not suit up because of undisclosed reasons not related to an injury.

Without him, the Bears simply lacked the firepower to keep Leilehua's aggressive defense honest.

Baldwin showed some flashes of offense in the first quarter, but had to settle for field goals of 38 and 39 yards by Cee Jay Santos.

Those were Baldwin's only points until midway through the fourth quarter, when quarterback Brock Shishido hooked up with Sheldon Leon on a 46-yard scoring pass to momentarily stop a running clock.