KAPOLEI, Hawaii — Liona Lefau went up with two Kapolei defenders and, using one hand, came down with one football.
The spectacular third-quarter play by the Red Raiders’ linebacker-turned-receiver punctuated an all-phases domination of the previously unbeaten Hurricanes, 35-0 on Friday night.
“Anytime I score on offense, it’s just a bonus,” the Texas-bound Lefau told Spectrum News. “But anytime we hold our opponents to zero points on defense, that’s a big accomplishment for … the whole team.”
Kahuku was coming off its first loss in two years, a 34-7 defeat to the nation’s top-ranked team, St. John Bosco in Bellflower, Calif.
How would the Red Raiders come out against a program they’ve with which they've had their way since Kapolei High came into existence?
After a flat start – the game was scoreless going into the second quarter – the defending state champs eventually responded with gusto.
Quarterback Waika Crawford ran in a 33-yard touchdown, Kahuku got a Brock Fonoimoana 28-yard interception return for a score and Aiden Manutai kicked off the second half with an 81-yard kickoff return to the house that blew the game open.
It was the 10th straight victory in the series for Kahuku (6-1, 4-0 OIA Open).
Coach Sterling Carvalho made sure that his team did not overlook Kapolei in the week between matchups against two national powers. The Red Raiders host St. Frances of Maryland on the North Shore next week.
The key, Carvalho and his staff surmised, was corralling the Hurricanes’ dynamic sophomore quarterback, Tama Amisone.
Amisone entered the game with 24 total touchdowns this season – 16 passing and eight rushing.
He and Kapolei’s other capable signal-caller, Tuli Tagovailoa-Amosa, were held to a combined 16-for-38 effort for through the air, according to ScoringLive’s statistics. Amisone was negated on the ground as Kahuku tallied five sacks.
“That was the emphasis all week. That quarterback leads the league in rushing. Deadly weapon,” Carvalho said. “Hats off to my defensive coordinator, Nehoa Pule and my defensive staff. Once we shut him down, the whole offense was shut down.”
Said Lefau, “We practice against our 1s almost every day. It always helps us. We have to contain Toa (Crawford). He’s just as shifty as any other quarterback in the state.”
Receiver Kaimana Carvalho led Kahuku with 10 catches for 126 yards.
Lefau’s 15-yard TD catch was the first of the season tossed by Red Raiders backup quarterback Sitani Suguturaga. Lamana Tapusoa, who tore off a 67-yard run in garbage time, punched in a 4-yarder with a minute left.
Kapolei (5-1, 2-1 Open) learned the hard way that there is a sizable gap between themselves and the state’s best team, said coach Darren Hernandez.
“Now we know how far we have to go to reach that level,” Hernandez said. “When you play a team like Kahuku, you have to play near-perfect. We did not.” The blitz was especially problematic, he said.
Tagovailoa-Amosa had 70 yards on 10 plays on the ground, and helped Kapolei threaten to score in the waning seconds, but Kahuku’s backups snuffed it out as time expired.
The Hurricanes are in the meat of their schedule with Campbell and Mililani coming to their field the next two weeks.
Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii.