Lahainaluna finishes unbeaten MIL season
Lunas defeat Warriors 49-7, will play in state semifinal on Nov. 3
LAHAINA — For the third time in five years, the Lahainaluna High School football team finished its regular season perfectly.
The Lunas completed an unbeaten run through the Maui Interscholastic League on Saturday night with a 49-7 win over Kamehameha Maui at Sue Cooley Stadium.
A festive homecoming night sent the defending Division II state champions into the state semifinals on Nov. 3 — the venue and opponent are to be announced.
Eleven ballcarriers combined to rush for 269 yards for Lahainaluna (8-0, 4-0 MIL second round), which also went unbeaten in league play in 2013 and 2014, and has gone 41-8 in MIL games over the last six seasons. Joshua Tihada led Saturday’s effort with 86 yards on six carries.
Tihada scored the first touchdown of the game on a 4-yard run after a bad snap out of punt formation gave the Lunas the ball on the Warriors’ 17-yard line, and Mystic Kauhaahaa’s 60-yard touchdown on a punt return pushed the lead to 14-0 in the first quarter.
The mercy-rule running clock went into effect when Bailey Honda scored on a 2-yard run with 7:29 left in the third quarter for a 42-7 lead. The score was set up by a 49-yard pass from Kaihulali Casco to Nyles Pokipala-Waiohu.
After a 26-yard touchdown run by Siale Hafoka on the second play of the second quarter gave the Lunas a 22-0 lead, the Warriors (3-5, 1-3) scored their lone touchdown on Kainoa Sanchez’s league-leading 21st touchdown pass of the season, a 26-yarder to Tyerell Baldonado-Kaleiopu.
After missing on his first six passes, Sanchez completed his next eight. He was 4-for-4 on the touchdown drive.
Sanchez passed for 234 yards, giving him 1,723 this season, also best in the league.
Sanchez finished his high school career with 3,868 passing yards and 38 touchdown throws. He began the game already holding school records in both categories.
Damon Martin ran for 45 yards in his final game for Kamehameha, upping his school-record career total to 1,340.
Laakea Shim scored on a 32-yard run in the second quarter, and Lahainaluna was in front 29-7 at halftime.
The Lunas widened the lead less than a minute into the second half on a 1-yard run by Elijah Ragudo two plays after his 72-yard kickoff return.
After Honda’s touchdown, Lahainaluna went 97 yards on its next possession, extending the lead to 49-7 when Jesse Dudoit scored on an 11-yard run.
* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com
KS Maui 0 7 0 0– 7
Lahainaluna 14 15 20 0–49
First Quarter
LL–Joshua Tihada 4 run (Pablo Rico kick), 6:20.
LL–Mystic Kauhaahaa 60 punt return (Rico kick), 2:19.
Second Quarter
LL–Siale Hafoka 26 run (Bailey Honda run), 11:06.
KSM–Tyerell Baldonado-Kaleiopu 26 pass from Kainoa Sanchez (Michael Singh kick), 8:19.
LL–Laakea Shim 32 run (Rico kick), 6:57.
Third Quarter
LL–Elijah Ragudo 1 run (kick failed), 11:02.
LL–Bailey Honda 2 run (Rico kick), 7:29.
LL–Jesse Dudoit 11 run (Rico kick), 0:32.
Junior varsity–Lahainaluna 32, Kamehameha Maui 7.
Friday’s Result
MAUI HIGH 26, BALDWIN 13
At War Memorial Stadium
Maui High 6 6 0 14–26
Baldwin 7 6 0 0–13
First Quarter
B–Kaikea Silva 75 pass from Chayce Akaka (Bishop Wickes kick), 8:55.
MH–Naia Nakamoto 81 run (kick failed), 4:56.
Second Quarter
MH–Jamie Elisara Fisher recovers fumble in end zone (pass failed), 5:12.
B–Silva 32 pass from Akaka (pass failed), 1:22.
Fourth Quarter
MH–Solomone Tongi 36 run (Tongi run), 5:02.
MH–Nakamoto 5 run (kick failed), 2:39.
MH B
First downs 17 6
Rushes-yards 58-366 21-59
Passing yards 0 132
Total offense 366 191
Return yards 84 55
Comp-Att-Int 0-4-1 7-20-2
Fumbles-lost 0-0 2-1
Penalties-yards 6-70 8-97
Punts-avg 5-42.8 6-34.2
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING–Maui High, Nakamoto 29-187, Tongi 22-146, Justin Pulido 7-33; Baldwin, Akaka 10-43, Bishop Wickes 8-27, Silva 1-2, team 2-(minus 13).
PASSING–Maui High, Kainalu Tancayo 0-4-1-0. Baldwin, Akaka 7-20-2-132.
RECEIVING–Maui High, none. Baldwin, Silva 2-107, Maluhia Plunkett 2-22, Rohel Ruiz 1-3, Kainoa Kaina 1-2, Wickes 1-(minus 2)
MISSED FIELD GOALS–Maui High, Honu Feldt-Antonio 33 (WL).
_______________
MIL SECOND-ROUND FINAL STANDINGS
Overall MIL record in parentheses
DIVISION I
W L Pct PF PA
y-Maui High (5-3) 3 1 .750 115 66
Baldwin (4-4) 2 2 .500 141 96
DIVISION II
W L Pct PF PA
y-Lahainaluna (8-0) 4 0 1.000 142 38
KS Maui (3-5) 1 3 .250 77 135
King Kekaulike (0-8) 0 4 .000 12 152
y-won league championship
Friday’s Result
Maui High 26, Baldwin 13
Saturday’s Result
Lahainaluna 49, Kamehameha Maui 7
End of regular season