The Kahuku defense was at its best, particularly while streaking to a 21-0 halftime lead en route to its second straight and seventh overall Hawaii Division I football title Friday night.
Photo by Darryl Oumi
They say it's tougher to repeat than to win the original.
Aofaga Wily (33) is off the races
as he was much of Friday's win,
when he rushed for 188 yards
and three touchdowns.
Photo by Darryl Oumi
That wasn't necessarily the case for the
Kahuku (Hawaii) Red Raiders breezed to a 42-20 victory over
Punahou (Honolulu) Friday night at Aloha Stadium to capture their second straight Division I state crown and seventh overall.
According to the Honolulu Star Advertiser,
Aofaga Wily rushed for 188 yards and three touchdowns to win this rematch of last year's game, a 30-24 victory.
The Red Raiders finished 12-0 and outscored opponents by a whopping 418-118 count. The team opened the season like it began with a win over Punahou, that one was 21-13.
Clearly Kahuku got better as the season progressed. The Red Raiders won their final three games by a combined score of 139-47.
"It was a whole team effort and that's why we've been successful," Kahuku coach Reggie Torres told the newspaper.
Ryan Tuiasoa tried to keep Punahou
in the game with three TD runs
but it wasn't nearly enough.
Photo by Darryl Oumi
Kahuku didn't take control until the second quarter when Wily busted loose for a 53-yard touchdown. Teammate
Viliami Livai didn't pass often, but when he did he was successful.
He fired two touchdown, one of 29-yards to
Lasselle Thompson and the other to one had to see to believe. With just 25 seconds left in the half, Livai threw a completion to
Wilton Cravens near midfield, who flipped the ball to
Kawehena Johnson, who sprinted the rest of the way untouched, completing a 64-yard play. With five seconds left in the half, Kahuku was up 21-0 and had all the points it needed.
Punahou tailback
Ryan Tuiasoa tried to make it interesting however.
He rushed 22 times for 118 yards and three touchdowns, but a Wiley 38-yard run and a 6-yard fumble return by Cravens, both for touchdowns gave Kahuku all the cushion it would need. Wiley also added a 25-yard touchdown run.
The Red Raiders of Kahuku celebrate their second straight and seventh state title overall with the state's ritual haka war dance.
Photo by Darryl Oumi
