(Fri) November 28, 2008
HHSAA Division I FOOTBALL: Leilehua Stuns Kahuku in OT, Advances to DI Final
By Kyle Galdeira
Leilehua overcame a 10-2 deficit late in
the fourth quarter, and turned the tables on Kahuku as the Mules
claimed a 17-10 overtime victory over the Red Raiders this evening in
the semifinal round of the 10th Annual Hawaii High School Athletic
Association/First Hawaiian Bank Division I Football State Championships
at Aloha Stadium.
With the victory, Leilehua advances to the
Division I championship game on Dec. 5 against the winner of the second
semifinal contest between top-seeded Punahou and OIA runner-up
Farrington.
Leilehua (11-2) put together a 10-play, 77-yard
drive culminated by a 14-yard touchdown pass from Andrew Manley to Rico
Newman followed by the crucial two-point conversion on a pass from
Manley to Edieson Dumlao that knotted the score at 10-10 with 1:37
remaining in the game.
Manley then connected with Cheves
Aberilla Ramento on an 18-yard pass to the back corner of the end zone
in the first overtime period to put the Mules up 17-10 after Maika
Kunioka’s extra point was true.
Kahuku (10-2) failed to score on
its overtime possession, and the Oahu Interscholastic Association
champion was eliminated from the tourney despite a strong defensive
effort that netted five quarterback sacks and four turnovers.
After
Leilehua punted on its opening drive, Kahuku took the ball at its own
20 yard line and rode an Allan Kubota pass for 50 yards to Auloa Tonga
into Mules territory. Red Raiders kicker St. John Lessary III capped
the squad’s opening drive on a 21-yard field goal with 7:38 remaining
in the opening period to give Kahuku a 3-0 advantage.
The
Mules defense forced a safety as Kubota was charged with an intentional
grounding penalty in his own end zone with 5:36 to play in the first
quarter, and Leilehua pulled to within a point of the Red Raiders’ 3-2
advantage.
Kahuku pushed its lead to 10-2 with 5:22 to play in
the first half when Irwin Ah-Hoy recovered a Kaipo Ke-a fumble on the
Mules five yard line, and scampered for a touchdown.
Newman
took a lateral from Manly, and unleashed a 54-yard pass to Dumlao to
give the Mules a golden opportunity in the red zone early in the third
quarter. However, the Red Raiders defense prevented Leilehua from
scoring as Veteson Sauni batted down Manley’s pass on a fourth-and-goal
play from the two yard line to end the threat.
Manley finished
the contest with 291 yards and two touchdowns, and the junior
gunslinger completed 26 of his 48 passes. Newman and Dumlao each
finished with seven receptions, and recorded 76 and 74 yards through
the air, respectively.
Alapeti Magalei paced the Kahuku offensive attack with 63 rushing yards on 17 carries in defeat.
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