Leilehua gets revenge on Kailua for first OIA title in 17 years

KALIHI – The Mules have reached the mountain top of the OIA again. 

Behind a big second quarter, Leilehua (9-3, 8-1 league) avenged its lone loss from the league slate and dispatched Kailua (6-6, 6-3 league) in the OIA Division I championship on Saturday at Farrington High School, 38-21. The OIA coronation is the fifth in Mules’ program history, first since the 2007 season and extended Leilehua’s win streak to eight. 

Cameron Keeve led the way for Leilehua, carrying the rock 29 times for 180 yards and a touchdown in the win. Mules’ junior quarterback Bennett Strobel completed 14 of his 30 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns while being intercepted once. 

It appeared like it was going be a defensive battle in the early going, seeing Kailua be forced to punt on the game’s first drive and Leilehua’s field goal try slice wide after Surfriders’ defensive lineman Benjamin Honebein recorded his 13th sack of the season to push the Mules back in a scoreless first quarter. 

The Mules got the scoring started in the second quarter, seeing kicker Rodel Alano cash in from 22 yards out to give the Mules a 3-0 lead with 8:13 to play in the first half. Leilehua added on five minutes later, seeing Talon Tarpley bring in a 10-yard touchdown from Strobel after a fumble recovery by Braden Liua gave the ball to the Mules deep in Kailua territory. 

The avalanche continued by Leilehua on the ensuing kickoff, surprising everybody with an onside kick that was recovered by Zaeven Newman to give the Mules the ball back with three minutes before halftime. Leilehua worked quickly to add on before the break, seeing 5-foot-8, 260-pound Keola Seumanutafa-Bryant power his way into the end zone with nine ticks left on the clock to make it a 17-0 lead at the half. 

Kailua finally found success after the break as they got on the board with 5:05 left in the third quarter when quarterback Isaiah Keaunui-Demello found Honebein for a six-yard score, the third consecutive week that Honebein has brought in a touchdown for the Surfriders. Romeo Ortiz intercepted Strobel just a few plays later, giving the ball right back to Kailua inside Leilehua territory. 

The Surfriders capitalized on the next play as Demello floated a perfect ball into the arms of Isaiah Kaiu for a 31-yard touchdown, the second Kailua touchdown in 11 seconds of game action, making it a 17-14 deficit with 4:54 left in the third quarter. 

Seeing the momentum quickly swinging in Kailua’s favor, the top-seeded Mules looked as though they would get a much-needed answer on the next drive. A big return on the kickoff and a facemask penalty called against the Surfriders put Leilehua inside the Kailua 15-yard line in a blink. 

The Surfriders defense had other plans, holding strong to force the Mules to settle for a field goal attempt from under 35 yards and seeing Rodel Alano’s second miss of the night keep the Kailua deficit at three with just over a minute left in the third quarter. 

The actual answer for the Mules came from the defense as Chaystin Senas intercepted Demello and returned it 35 yards to the house to extend the lead back to two scores for Leilehua with 48 seconds left in the third, 24-14.

The top-seeded Mules tacked on a big insurance touchdown with 7:32 left to play as Strobel hit Tarpley for a 4-yard score, the second connection of the night between the two standouts. While Kailua continued to fight as Demello and Kaiu hooked up for their second touchdown of the evening with 5:04 left in regulation, the effort would fall short as Liua intercepted Demello with less than three minutes to play and Cameron Keeve ran 62 yards for the final score of the night. 

The Leilehua defense led the charge in the OIA Division I championship victory, forcing four turnovers while completely shutting down the Kailua running game. Braden Liua tallied a sack, fumble recovery and interception for the Mules while Chaystin Senas had a pair of picks in the win. 

Isaiah Keaunui-Demello ended the rollercoaster night with three touchdowns and three interceptions for Kailua, completing 22-of-36 pass attempts for 246 of the Surfriders’ 292 yards of total offense. Isaiah Kaiu’s two receptions each went for scores as he tallied another 54 yards receiving while Aizek Kaanoi led Kailua with 60 yards on four catches. 

Leilehua sophomore Romeo Tubon chipped in seven receptions for 77 yards to lead the Mules’ pass catchers while Taron Tarpley had five catches for 44 yards and two touchdowns. 

Both squads now shift focus to the 2024 HHSAA/First Hawaiian Bank Division I Championship tournament that kicks off next week. The OIA-champion Leilehua Mules will travel to Lahainaluna (6-4, 6-2 league) next Saturday for the first round of the state tournament while OIA-runner up Kailua visits KIF-champion Kapaa (6-2, 6-0 league) on the same day.