GAME NIGHT 11/18: ‘Iolani/Mililani

The most dominant dynasty in Division II history gets its first crack at a Division I state title when ‘Iolani faces 2014 state champion Mililani in the second game of a championship doubleheader tonight at Aloha Stadium.

The Raiders lost seven straight games against ILH teams but are 5-0 against teams outside of their own league. Mililani is in the final after earning wins over Baldwin and Leilehua.

‘Iolani’s only loss in a state final (8-1) came against Campbell, which the Raiders beat last week, 35-12, to reach the final.

Here’s the game preview that ran in the Star-Advertiser.

HISTORY: Mililani leads the all-time series 2-1.

Live updates of the 7:30 p.m. kickoff will follow below.

Mililani 31, ‘Iolani 20

Mililani wins its second Division I state championship in three years. Kind of.

FOURTH QUARTER

Miyazawa has the onsides kick just over his hands and out of bounds. Mililani ball. Trojans will be able to just about run out the clock. Trojans picks up a fourth-and-1 on an Olomua run and that will do it.

‘Iolani ball on its 34. Mizutani hits Pascua out of the backfield and he picks up 42 yards before getting brought down by the heels on a last-ditch diving attempt. Raiders ball on the 24. Genovia with an 8-yard reception to the 16. Mililani jumps early on third-and-2 to move the chains to the 11. Jonah Miyazawa with a 6-yard reception to the 5. Mizutani to Pascua for a 5-yard TD. 31-20, 2:30, Q4.

Mililani content to just run the clock out as ‘Iolani burns its timeouts. Third-and-9 at the ‘Iolani 34 with 4:15 remaining. Mililani goes deep and Mento breaks it up for ‘Iolani. Gabriel’s pass on fourth down is high over the middle and incomplete.

Genovia with a 21-yard reception on a screen pass that nearly went to the house. Kaneshiro converts a third down with an 8-yard completion to midfield. Still over seven minutes to go. LB Walter Fox gets a sack and an incomplete pass on fourth down ends the drive at the ‘Iolani 45.

Gabriel is picked by Junior Fetui-Salavea.

Mizutani with a 10-yard reception for a first down. Mizutani with two completions but then is saddled with a tough-luck interception as he stands in the pocket, takes a hit, delivers a ball right on the hands of a receiver but it goes off the hands into the arms of Dustin Gapusan for an INT.

Kila gets 9 yards on the draw to set up third-and-8. Fourth-and-4 at the 22. Mililani will go for it. Nope it calls timeout instead. Trojans go for it and Olomua is stopped short. ‘Iolani takes over on its 19.

THIRD QUARTER

Raiders get a stop to end the third quarter, setting up a second-and-17 for Mililani at the Raiders’ 35.

Mizutani to Isaac Anderson for 9 to the 33. Pascua stuffed for no gain to set up third-and-1. Dante James-Fainga with his second sack of the game and ‘Iolani will punt.

Trojans starting to pound away with the running game as Muasau picks up 23 yards to the Mililani 49. Quick pass to Valladares picks up 16 yards. Screen to Olomua goes for 13 yards to the 22. Kailiohu Kila scores on a 13-yard TD run. 31-13, 4:39.

Mizutani to Nagami picks up 20 to the Mililani 36. Mizutani to Rayden Kaneshiro for 5 yards. Third-and-5 and Mizutani hits Pascua out of the backfield for 14 yards for a first down. Banks stops Pascua for a yard to set up third-and-9 from the 16. Mizutani just misses his man in the end zone. Had a shot at it. Minami nails a 34-yard field goal. 24-13, 6:50, Q3.

Little technical difficulty on this first drive. Mililani has it first-and-10 on the ‘Iolani 28 after a big pass. Jalen Olomua‘s 28-yard TD run gives Mililani a 24-10 lead.

HALFTIME
Mililani
Dillon Gabriel 11-19, 81 yards, 2 INT
Darius Muasau 12 carries, 56 yards
‘Iolani
Tai-John Mizutani 9-22, 98 yards, TD, iNT, FL
KJ Pascua 3 receptions, 41 yards, TD.

Mililani with five sacks.

SECOND QUARTER

Mililani starts on its 14. Gabriel with a big completion of 14 yards to Kuboyama-Hayashi at the 30 to move the chains. Muasau with a couple of big runs and Gabriel passes to Chang to move the ball into Raiders’ territory. Inside a minute as we measure for a first down near the 34. Mililani missing those two timeouts burned to yell at the refs. Andrew Valladares gets his first catch of 21 yards to put the ball on the ‘Iolani 14. 32 seconds left. Gabriel scrambles to the 9 but the clock is ticking. 17 seconds remaining and a flag is thrown. Unsportsmanlike conduct on Mililani. Ball back to the 23. Gabriel sacked by Chang and the half is over. Mililani didn’t help itself at all on that final drive.

‘Iolani goes three-and-out as Mizutani is sacked on third down. Raiders punt with 4:19 remaining.

Mililani ball on the ‘Iolani 39. Great defense by Kyler Mento as he breaks up a deep ball for Tovi. Muasau runs for 2 to set up third-and-8. DL Cameron Chang brings down Gabriel to set up fourth-and-3 at the 32. Gabriel runs to the right and his pass is picked off by Kaua Nishigaya. He is popped at the 40, fumbles, ‘Iolani recovers and is down at midfield as flags fly. What a crazy play. Mililani WR Roman Tovi has been ejected from the game. Raiders ball on the Mililani 35.

Raiders start on their 27. A disputed pass interference call as the Mililani sideline, which has already been unhappy with the referees, is upset again and Rod York calls his last timeout. He is upset again. Pascua with the handoff after the timeout and he picks up 4 tough yards as York is animated on the sideline getting Mililani’s fans into the game. Third down and the ball is off the receiver’s hands and intercepted by Pilanca, the freshman.

Mililani recovers the onsides kick on its 44. Cy Kuboyama-Hayashi with an 8-yard reception into ‘Iolani territory. Muasau picks up 4 to move the chains. Muasau adds 2 more. Gabriel scrambles out to his left and throws an ill-advised ball. Helam Baldomero picks it off keeping a foot inbounds and ‘Iolani takes over.

Baldomero with a nice return out near the 40 and Mililani whistled for another personal foul and a hold. Ball is on the Mililani 33-yard line. Pascua stopped for a loss of 2 yards. Now a defensive pass interference on Mililani. Shovel pass to Genovia picks up a yard. Incomplete pass is almost picked. ‘Iolani settles for a 36-yard field goal by Evan Minami.

Baldomero makes a man miss and returns the punt out to the 45 where ‘Iolani will take over. After an incomplete pass, Mizutani is sacked and fumbles. Tasimasaua Sappa picks it up and returns it for a TD. Joshua Banks with the sack and forced fumble. Sappa credited with 31 yards on the fumble return. 17-7, 11:08.

Mililani fourth-and-1 on own 44. Trojans go with short pass to Stanton Lee, who makes a defender miss to pick up a first down but Mililani is called for a hold. Trojans punt.

FIRST QUARTER

Trojans start on 35. Delayed handoff to Muasau for 5 yards. Muasau for 4 to set up third-and-1. Mililani attempts to throw and Gabriel’s pass is tipped and incomplete as quarter ends.

Baldomero returns it out to the 33 where ‘Iolani will start. After an incomplete pass, Mizutani finds Pascua for 8 yards out of the backfield to set up third-and-2. Short pass over the middle to Genovia picks up a first down at the 45. Freshman DB Asher Pilanca breaks up a sure catch by Nagami. Mizutani sacked by LB Dante James-Fainga to set up third-and-long. Mizutani finds Pascua out of the backfield on third-and-18 for 19 yards and a first down. Trojans call timeout. Mizutani escapes a sack and hits Nagami for 9 and then hits Genovia on the screen for 21 yards to the 18. Encroachment on Mililani. Mizutani to Pascua out of the backfield for a 13-yard TD pass. 10-7, 1:01, Q1.

Mililani will start on the ‘Iolani 45. Big hole for Muasau who picks up 10 exactly to move the chains. Muasau picks up 8 more off the right side to the 27. Muasau gets 2 yards for the first down at the 25. No pass plays yet on this drive. Pass to Tovi good for 6 yards to the 19. DL Hunter Kam pressures Gabriel into an incompletion to set up third-and-4. Jalen Olomua with a 19-yard TD run to put Mililani ahead 10-0, 3:53, Q1.

‘Iolani starts on its 22. Handoff to Pascua for a yard. Olomua comes off the edge again for sack No. 2. Third-and-17. Mizutani’s pass is high to Genovia as Pascua picked up the blitz. Good adjustment but couldn’t execute the throw. ‘Iolani three-and-out.

Trojans start first-and-10 on their 44. Quick pass from QB Dillon Gabriel is complete to WR Ryan Chang for 6 yards. Roman Tovi with an 8-yard reception to the 42. Tovi picks up 5 more yards on a catch. Gabriel starts 3-for-3. Olomua runs for 3 to set up third-and-2. Gabriel takes off and runs for 8 yards. Olomua with a run of 12 yards to the 15. Sophomore Darius Muasau picks up 4 yards to the 11. Gabriel is incomplete on his first pass to set up third-and-6. Gabriel flushed out to his left and he can’t complete it to set up fourth down. Damien Santiago with a 29-yard field goal and Mililani leads 3-0, 7:10, Q1.

Raiders will start on their 15. First play is a 6-yard pass from QB Tai-John Mizutani to WR Justin Genovia. Mizutani up top to Brent Nagami for 21 yards to the 42. DL Tasimasaua Sappa stops RB KJ Pascua for a loss on Pascua’s first carry. Jalen Olomua comes flying in and sacks Mizutani on third down to force a punt.

‘Iolani has won the toss and will receive the opening kickoff.

TEAM CAPTAINS
Mililani: Andrew Valladares, Roman Tovi, Aijalon Kolone-Falaniko, Joshua Banks
‘Iolani: Helam Baldomero, KJ Pascua, Cameron Chang, Jonah Buchanan