Leilehua running back Ikaika Piceno accounted for three total touchdowns in a win against Castle. Eugene Tanner | SL

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Fri, Sep 5, 2014 @ Leilehua [ 8:00 pm ]

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Castle

28

Leilehua

41

Final	1	2	3	4	T
Castle (2-6-0)	0	7	7	14	28
Leilehua (6-2-0)	7	20	14	0	41

• Pass
• Rush
• Rec

Kalanimoku Pauole 280 yd 5 TD

Willie Ewaliko 168 yd 2 TD

Ikaika Piceno 52 yd 1 TD

Willie Ewaliko 73 yd 1 TD

Ikaika Piceno 62 yd 2 TD

Chad Figueora 78 yd

WAHIAWA - All-purpose player Ikaika Piceno returned from a hamstring injury with 114 yards in total offense and three touchdowns in the first half and No. 7 Leilehua beat Caste, 41-28, Friday night at Hugh Yoshida Stadium.

The Mules improved to 4-0 in the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I Red, while the Knights, who pulled to within 14-7 in the first half, but had two critical turnovers that led to Mules' TDs, dropped to 1-2.

But Piceno did not suit up for the second half, as he felt a twinge in his hamstring again, he said.

"Second quarter, it started bothering me," he said. "It's weak right now."

Meanwhile, Castle had its share of injuries. It lost starting QB Stephen Lee early and Willie Ewaliko took over and led four scoring drives. He dazzled with his running, rushing for 73 yards on nine carries. He was 12 of 23 for 168 yards and two TDs, but was intercepted three times.

The Knights also lost receiver/DB Noah Figueroa with 5:47 in the third quarter. The game was delayed 21 minutes, while an ambulance was summoned. Castle coach Nelson Maeda said Figueroa might have suffered a concussion. The play he was injured happened after the Mules 13-yard pass play, but lost the ball on a fumble.

"I was told it was a possible concussion with a possible chest injury, so we'll kind of wait and see," Maeda said.

The Mules out to a 14-0 lead after two of their first four series on TD pass by Pauole to Randy Neverson (for 22 yards) and Ikaika Piceno (for seven yards).

Unorthodox Leilehua went for an onside kick and Leilehua recovered at Mules' 44. Ewalike engineered a six-play drive that ended with him taking the ball in the end zone from 5 yards. Laura Tyler' PAT pulled Castle to 14-7 with 7:06 in the half.

Castle's defense mounted a three-and-punt stop, but the Knights lost the ball on a muff on the punt return, giving Leilehua the b all at the Castle 26. Leilehua took over from the Castle 27 and scored three plays later on Piceno's 2-yard TD run to make it 21-7 with 4:35.

"That was a very critical turnover on our part," Maeda said. "Changed the whole momentum of the game."

Justin Shounk's interception of Ewaliko on the Knights' next drive resulted in another Leilehua score, Piceno's 55-yard gallop on a receiver screen. The PAT missed, but Leilehua took a 27-7 lead into the break. It could've been more, but Pauole's apparent 70-yard TD pass to Lauriano Lucas was nullified by a holding penalty.

Leilehua scored on its first series of the second half on Pauole's 5-yard TD pass to Toma Savea to make it 34-7.

But the Knights scored on their ensuing series on RB Quinn Aquino's -yard run to make it 34-14, only to see Leilehua score, again benefitting from another muffed punt return at the Castle 5, where the Mules scored on Pauole's 5-yard TD pass to Lucas to make it 41-21.

Castle scored on Ewaliko's 12-yard TD pass to Isaiah Lewis to pull to 41-21. It would score later on a Ewalikos' 15-yard TD pass to Sione Pikula with 2:17 left in the game to make it 41-28.

Leilehua will visit Waipahu and Castle will host Kahuku next Friday.