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Two points proved to be the difference as Maui High faced Lahainaluna in a slugfest that treated fans to an explosive first half on offense, followed by a defensive shutout in the second.
At the final whistle, Maui High held the advantage, winning 14-12 Friday night at Lahainaluna High School's Sue D. Cooley Stadium.
Lahainaluna junior quarterback Sefo Leka Rosenthal was throwing darts throughout the game, including a 46-yard pass that flew 36 yards through the air into the hands of teammate Zion Inaldo in the first quarter.
Under pressure from the defense, Rosenthal took a hit on the play, but his pass and Inaldo's catch helped set up the first touchdown of the game, which came as the Lunas faced fourth down with the ball on Maui High's 11-yard line.
That's when Lunas running back Kyle Thomas took a direct snap behind a convoy of red blockers before turning on the jets to slice through the corner of the end zone. The Lunas' extra-point attempt was no good, and they took a six-point lead with 7:56 in the first quarter.
The Sabers offense took the field and showed Maui High could sustain a long drive of its own. Maui High's opening drive went 61 yards and was capped off by junior Reno Vaka hauling in an over-the-shoulder, 7-yard TD catch from quarterback Colin Rowe.
Noah Lafontise kicked the extra point to give the Sabers a one-point lead with 52 seconds in the first quarter.
The Sabers built on their lead in the second quarter, as sophomore defensive back Christopher Banaag intercepted a Lahainaluna pass to give Maui High first-and-10 about 29 yards away from the end zone.
On second down from 12 yards out, Rowe threw a high pass for receiver Tevin Myrick, who secured the ball in the end zone over a Lahainaluna defender. Lafontise recorded his second successful extra point of the night, and the Sabers went up 14-6.
Lahainaluna responded when Rosenthal completed a 20-yard touchdown pass to Urijah Ragudo with 1:56 remaining in the first half.
Looking to even the score, the Lunas went for the two-point conversion, but Vaka got into the Lunas' backfield, shed a block and tackled Thomas just short of the line of scrimmage.
After the first-half scoring burst, both defenses held their opponents scoreless in the third and fourth quarters.
Maui High will face Baldwin next Saturday at King Kekaulike High School. Lahainaluna will match up against Kamehameha Maui in Lahaina.
Maui High 7 7 0 0 -- 14
Lahainaluna 6 6 0 0 -- 12