Mililani, Campbell knock off top two seeds in Division I flag quarters

Mililani’s Zennalen Nelson (11) hauls in a point-after-touchdown reception against top-seeded Waianae with 36 seconds remaining in the first half of the Hawaii Dental Service/HHSAA Division I Girls Flag Football State Championships quarterfinals at Mililani’s John Kauinana Stadium. CJ Caraang | SL

A magical spring sports run for continues for Mililani, as its flag football team advanced to the HHSAA Division I Flag Football Championships semifinals with a stunning win over top-seed Waianae, 25-12.

The Trojans, who entered as the fifth and final representative out of the Oahu Interscholastic Association, got two scores, one on the ground and one through the air from Zennalen Nelson, and added an insurance score on a 44 yard interception return for touchdown by Sophie Foster to clinch it.

Nelson racked up 113 yards of total offense in the contest, 49 passing, 49 rushing and 15 receiving, and also added a flag pull and two pass breakups on defense, while Foster also contributed both ways, adding a 19 yard touchdown reception from Hayden-Elizabeth Kaahanui-Cera to go along with her pick-six and a team-leading six pulls.

Waianae failed to reach the 20 point mark for the first time all season against Mililani, and the 25 points allowed in the loss was the second most allowed, the high point total being a 26-all tie to the Trojans on April 7.

The Seariders got on the board at the 8:01 mark of the second quarter on a three yard toss from Kawena-Lynn Kaluna to Kariana Souza-Davis, but its offense was stymied for much of the contest. Waianae managed a late score with seconds left in regulation, but it was too little too late.

In the last quarterfinal of the evening, defending champion Campbell looked to once again be peaking at the right time, as it rallied for a late score to break a deadlock with second seed Kamehameha to advance, 20-14.

The Sabers handed the Warriors its first loss of the season, relying on a defense that picked off five passes, four of them by Cayden Parado.

Alexiis Amanonce Feliciano completed an efficient 15 of 21 passes for 113 yards and two scores, while the Sabers' rushing attack contributed 111 yards of its own in a balanced effort.

Parado's one yard reception got Campbell on the board in the first, but Kamehameha responded with the equalizer at the 9:36 mark of the second on a 40 yard burst by quarterback Rylee Paranada.

The Warriors took the lead on Paranada's 12 yard pass to Mylee-Elexis Nguyen to close out the half, but the Sabers responded in the third on Jiji Sotelo's 33 yard gallop to tie things up again.

Campbell got the go-ahead score on an eight yard pass to Kea Akana, then held on for the win.

Paranada accounted for 191 of the Warriors' 208 yards on offense.

Mililani will face off with Baldwin, the lone remaining seeded team and a somewhat surprising winner over Punahou, in the late semifinal, while Campbell will take on Moanalua in the other semi.