Moanalua Lady Nā Menehune celebrates after their win against Mililani claiming the inaugural OIA Division I Girls Flag Football Championship at Mililani’s John Kauinana Stadium. CJ Caraang | SL

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[email protected] - CJ Caraang | SL

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MILILANI - Defense wins championships, coaches like to say.

It certainly did for Moanalua in its 25-6 win against Mililani Thursday night to capture the inaugural Oahu Interscholastic Association flag footblall chmpionship at John Kauinana Stadium.

Na Menehune (8-0) contained the Trojans' offense to 90 yards or just 10 yards more than a regulation flag football field. Their pass rush forced five interceptions - one that set up the first score of the game and the second that freshman Lofa Simanu returned 35 yard for a touchdown that gave Moanalua a quick 13-0 lead less than four minutes into the game.

One of the key defensive players was Moanalua's pass rusher Kaia Borje-Peeples, who stands at 5 feet 1, but played big. in the semifinals the night before, Campbell rushed two players against Mililani's shifty quarterback Zenn Nelson. Her pressure played a part in the five interceptions and 36 rushing yards by the Trojans. Borje-Peeples not only applied pressure, but contained Nelson from escaping the pocket as she did in the semifinals against the Sabers.

"It was hard," Borje-Peeples said. "Zenn Nelson is a great player, she's really shifty. i tried to stay with her mentally."

She also registered three sacks, increasing her season total to 12.

"Her job was to get the QB to break down, force her to beat us with her arm and not her legs….that was our goal," Moanalua coach Ladd Mokiao said.

The goal was reached, as Moanalua forced Mililani's quarterbacks -Nelson and Brooke Kurasaki - into a combined five interceptions, three by  Simanu, who also caught seven passes for 70 yards.

"I think Kaia did really, really well, despite her injuries" Simanu said of her teammate."

It was an inauspicious start for the Trojans, who started the game at their 20. On first down, Simanu intercepted Nelson off a pass that was tipped by Trojan's receiver Kizia Makuka to give Moanalua possession at the Mililani 26.

Four plays later, Zaira Sugui fired a 3-yard TDp ass  to Jodie Keo. They repeated the connection for the 1-point conversion to give Moanalua a 7-0 lead.

On a night lightning played a major role, it struck twice against Mililani, as Simanu returned an interception 35 yards for a TD. The conversion failed, but Moanalua had a 13-0 lead less than four minutes into the game that has a running clock.

"She has a knack for the ball," Mokiao said.

And if Sugui wasn't trouble enough as quarterback against the Trojans, she intercepted a pass by Nelson, who was pressured by Borje-Peeples. That set up Sugui's 33-yard TD pas to Keo to make it 19-0 before the half.

Na Menehune capped their scoring for the night on Sugui's 2-yard TD strike to Keo in the third quarter.

Mililani avoided the shutout whne Kurasaki connected with Nahealani Choy Foo for a 5-yard TD to make it 25-6.

It was a rough night for Mililani passers. Nelson completed 1 of 8 passes for a season-low nine yards, while Kurasaki was 3 of 8 for 45 yards.

Sugui,  a two-time state wrestling champion, had another strong-armed game, completing 19 of 27 passes for 208 yards and three TDs. Her three interceptions matched the number she had entering the game.Ayreena Manutai, Choy Foo and Sieanna Maafala had those picks. 

At the outset, word was going around that Moanalua was the team to best.

"I don't think we felt any pressure," Sugui said. "We all had to find ourselves as players… as we built that trust and bond, everything started falling in place, so nobody really felt pressure. We just went out there, cleared our minds and just played."

The night had an anti-climactic feel that began with a traffic accident on the Leeward Coast that delayed the arrival of Nanakuli's bus. The Golden Hawks were to play Campbell for the third-place game that was set for 5:30 p.m. Instead of delaying the game further, the championship started at 7 p.m. as scheduled. with the third-place game was to start after,

But lightning literally struck at halftime with Campbell leading 6-0. Since it appeared the lightning would not subside, officials postponed the game to 3p.m. Monday at Nanakuli and will resume with the start of the second half.

Campbell struck ealry on Kealohilani Akana's 5-yard run. The 1-point pass play failed.

 It is a national federation rule to halt games when lightning is sighted near the venue.