OIA Football
Mililani grounds No. 10 Leilehua, 52-35


  



Fri, Sep 30, 2016 @ Leilehua [ 7:30 pm ]


Final 1 2 3 4 T
Mililani (9-3-0) 14 17 7 1452
Leilehua (5-8-0) 7 0 14 1435
Konapiliahi Andres 300 yd 3 TD
Dillon Gabriel 161 yd 1 TD
Kaleoaloha Piceno 86 yd 1 TD
Jalen Olomua 96 yd 3 TD

WAHIAWA — It wasn't the way that they wanted to win, but the Mililani Trojans will take it.

Unranked Mililani rushed for 309 yards and scored six touchdowns on the ground to fend off a late Leilehua charge, 52-35 in both team's Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I regular season finale at Hugh Yoshida Stadium Friday night.

The Trojans improved to 5-2 and finished the regular season in second place in the OIA D1 Red Division. A second place in its conference finish gives Mililani a state berth and a first round bye in the league playoffs.

With Darius Muasau and Jalen Olomua — two big bruising running backs that are both at least 6-feet and 200 pounds — and quarterback Dillon Gabriel contributing with runs on read-option plays, the Trojans were able run at will against the Leilehua defense. 

Muasau rushed for a season-high 120 yards while Olomua added 96 yards and three scores in the win. Gabriel had a career-day in the ground game, carrying the ball 11 times for 82 yards and three touchdowns.

"Running game did good," said Mililani center Noah Williams. "We're thankful for the O-line for doing their jobs, opening the holes and for the running backs in finding the holes and getting it done. It's an honor just watching them explode in the backfield and watching them run down the distance. It's a good feeling."

The Mules, ranked 10th in the ScoringLive/Hawaiian Electric Division I Power Rankings, dropped to 3-4 in league play and will await the outcome of Saturdays' matchup between Kailua and Castle to determine their seeding in the playoffs. The Mules will have the fourth seed if the Knights win, but will travel in the first round if the Surfriders win.

Leilehua coach Nolan Tokuda said going up against the Trojans' offense was a good warmup for his team heading into the postseason.

"They did a good job offensively. They was able to control the line of scrimmage," Tokuda said of Mililani. "We just had some breakdown in assignments, but definitely these kind of games just helps us to get better — low pad level and just play assignment football. We're excited to go in the playoffs with this lesson learned."

A big second quarter by the Trojans proved to be the difference in the contest. Mililani outscored the Mules, 17-0 in the second stanza to take a 31-7 lead at the break. Leilehua did not gain a first down until there was less than 2 minutes to go in the first half, which helped Mililani dominate the time of possession in the frame, 8:27 to 3:33.

"We didn't execute and they took advantage of the mistakes that we did," said Tokuda.

Mililani scored a season-high 52 points in the win, but also gave up a season-high 424 yards on defense to Leilehua.

"We did what we had to do to win, if we got to score 50 we'll score 50," said Mililani coach Rod York. "We had to make the plays because they're a team (Leilehua) that never quits, and that's why they call them the mighty Mules. We had to keep going, but it's not the way we want to win. Our defense has to play a whole lot better. We play good at times, but certain teams we let back into the game, but that's on me. We'll be better."

Gabriel completed 13 of his 27 passes for 161 yards and a score in the win. He made several big throws to Andrew Valladares on third down in the second half to help extend some of Mililani's drives. Backup quarterback Cy Kuboyama-Hayashi caught a 19-yard TD pass from Gabriel just before the end of the first quarter to give Mililani a 14-7 lead.

Utility Kaleoaloha Piceno did a little bit of everything to lead the Mules in the loss. The 5-foot-9, 165-pound senior rushed 15 times for 86 yards and a 50-yard score, caught six passes for 85 yards and two TDs and completed four passes for 33 yards through the air.

Leilehua quarterback Konapiliahi Andres threw for 300 yards and three scores in the loss, but was picked off two times. 



Reach Michael Lasquero at [email protected].




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