Sabers fend off Na Alii

WAILUKU - The future of Maui High School football appears bright.

The Sabers beat King Kekaulike 14-10 on Saturday night at War Memorial Stadium behind a roster loaded with youth, a victory that was a good sign for several reasons.

It came on homecoming night, when for the past decade or so, the main attraction has been the school's stellar marching band.

Article Photos

Maui High School’s Mario Fernandez looks for room to run during the first half of the Sabers’ 14-10 victory over King Kekaulike on
Saturday night in a Maui Interscholastic League game at War Memorial Stadium.
BEN?JUAN?photo

Na Alii’s Romeo Cabbat heads upfield during the first half of Saturday night’s game
BEN?JUAN?photo

The band was sharp again, but so was the football team as it won a homecoming game for the first time in recent memory.

"I'm not sure how long it's been, but I know it's been a while," Maui High coach David Bui said.

The Sabers (3-4 Maui Interscho-lastic League, 1-2 second round) also won three league games for a second season in a row for the first time since 1999 and 2000.

"We had higher expectations coming into this season - it didn't work out the way we'd hoped for - but the kids continued to work hard," Bui said. "They continue to come out and try to get better every day, even with the last couple weeks of the season left."

The Sabers seemed close to turning this game over to Na Alii (1-6, 1-2), whose loss clinched the MIL Division II title and state berth for idle Lahainaluna.

After recovering an onside kick to start the third quarter, Maui High went 50 yards in 10 plays with freshman Soane Vaohea taking the shotgun snaps in a wildcat formation.

On the final play of the drive, Maui High fumbled a handoff and King Kekaulike's Aaron Alama recovered at the 13-yard line.

Two 5-yard penalties on fourth down-and-short allowed Na Alii to drive to the Sabers' 36 before having to punt.

Maui High took over on its own 14 and got to midfield in six plays before Mario Fernandez took a handoff from Vaohea - the second exchange of the play - and scampered 49 yards to the end zone for the final score of the game with 10 minutes, 30 seconds to play.

A fumble recovered by Kenny Brittain gave Na Alii one more realistic chance, beginning at their own 37. The Sabers' defense finally shut the door when Vaohea intercepted a Ryley Widell pass off the hands of a receiver at the Maui High 11.

Vaohea led the Maui High rushing attack - the Sabers did not attempt a pass in the game - with 111 yards on 20 carries. Fernandez had 83 yards and both touchdowns on nine carries, and Justin McCrary added 73 yards on 15 carries.

"I think we are beginning to solidify some things, but we still have a lot of work to do," Bui said. "We are not going to rest until we get there."

A win this week would give the Sabers four league victories in a season for the first time since they won their last MIL title, in 2000.

"We do have a lot of young guys, but again we are focusing on Lahainaluna next week," Bui said. "We want to send our seniors out with a bang."

Na Alii gave up a 10-play, 85-yard drive midway through the first quarter, but led 10-7 at halftime.

After fumbling on the Sabers' first play from scrimmage one possession earlier, Vaohea started the Maui High scoring drive with a 38-yard rumble up the left sideline. Vaohea had two more 8-yard runs before Fernandez's 1-yard dive into the end zone with 6:00 left in the first quarter.

King Kekaulike cut the lead to 7-3 on a 33-yard field goal by Widell that capped a 10-play, 57-yard drive.

Na Alii forced a three-and-out and then took advantage of a 16-yard punt into the wind. They went 41 yards in five plays, the last of which was a 28-yard scoring strike from Widell to Austin Ferreira with 1:46 left in the half.

Maui High finished with 247 yards while allowing 209.

"I think we came down here and you saw a good game, we just came out on the short end of it," King Kekaulike coach Clarence Rivers said. "It was a good game. As long as we are scrapping, it's good. For us to come out and compete, that is all we talk to our kids about - giving it their best. We laid it out tonight."

* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com

Kekaulike ...............0 ............10 ..........0 ............0-10

Maui High ..............7 ............0 ............0 ............7-14

First Quarter

MH-Mario Fernandez 1 run (Jared Kapisi kick), 6:00.

Second Quarter

KK-Ryley Widell 33 FG, 5:42.

KK-Austin Ferreira 28 pass from Widell (Widell kick), 1:46.

Fourth Quarter

MH-Fernandez 49 run (Kapisi kick), 10:30.

Junior varsity-King Kekaulike 10, Maui High 6.

Friday's Result

Baldwin .................0 ............21 ..........14 ............ 7-42

KS Maui ...............7 ............ 6 ............ 0 ............ 7-20

First Quarter

KSM-Makoa Medeiros 14 run (Kamahao Romero kick), 0:23.

Second Quarter

B-Keelan Ewaliko 2 run (Zacharia Coloma-Mariano kick), 8:31.

B-Abraham Reinhardt 54 punt return (Coloma-Mariano kick), 7:53.

KSM-Taylor Kaaukai 10 pass from Chase Newton (kick blocked), 1:01.

B-Reinhardt 85 kickoff return (Coloma-Mariano kick), 0:47.

Third Quarter

B-Ewaliko 70 run (Coloma-Mariano kick), 9:38.

B-Dusty Flores 5 run (Coloma-Mariano kick), 0:40.

Fourth Quarter

B-Ryan Graham 1 run (Coloma-Mariano kick), 10:33.

KSM-Billy Ayakawa 9 pass from Newton (Romero kick), 5:59.

............................... B ............ KSM

First downs ........... 11 ........... 17

Rushes-yards ....... 38-207 ...47-189

Passing yards ....... 0 ............50

Total offense ........ 207 ........239

Return yards ......... 181 ........ 91

Comp-Att-Int ......... 0-5-1 ..... 6-16-1

Fumbles-lost ......... 4-2 ......... 4-2

Penalties-yards ..... 5-40 ....... 3-17

Punts-avg ............. 3-32.7 .... 4-30.5

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING-B, Ewaliko 11-105, Flores 17-92, Graham 6-8, Miki Fangatua 1-4, Alii Laloulu 2-(minus 1), Thad Shishido 1-(minus 1); KSM, Medeiros 20-100, Newton 13-56, Stephen Barut 5-24, Devonte Llanes 4-18, Kapahanau Palakiko 1-9, Pono Freitas 1-6, Kaiea Hokoana 1-5, team 2-(minus 29).

PASSING-B, Ewaliko 0-2-0-0, Graham 0-3-1-0; KSM, Newton 6-16-1-50.

RECEIVING-KSM, Billy Ayakawa 3-23, Llanes 1-16, Kaaukai 1-10, Barut 1-1.

MISSED FIELD GOALS-none.