Red Raiders Dominate All-Conference Honor Teams In Football
The afterglow from Kahuku’s recent state championship run in football continued last week when the OIA revealed its All-Conference teams. As anticipated, the Red Raiders dominated the Red East’s First and Second Teams with 20 selections between them.
Above all, Kahuku also made a clean sweep of the top honors, as running back Aofaga Wily was named Offensive Player of the Year, safety Kawehena Johnson was named Defensive Player of the Year, and Reggie Torres brought home Coach of the Year honors. All-Star teams are selected in a vote of league coaches at season’s end. Kahuku finished with a perfect 12-0, winning a second straight Division I state title.
Its run game was among the many reasons why Kahuku had so much success, led by Wily, who rushed for 1,730 yards and 26 touchdowns. He also was a four-year starter at Kahuku. Joining Wily on the First Team from Kahuku were linemen Lopaka Moniz and John Waa as well as Johnson, who was selected as a utility player on offense in addition to his claiming Player of the Year honors on the defensive side.
Johnson, who was a First Team selection as a utility player and a defensive back, started 48 consecutive games in his Red Raider career and was the leader of a unit that yielded a statebest 9.8 points per game, defensively. He was joined on the First Team by teammates Siamau Mapu (lineman), Lamone Williams (lineman), Johnny Tapusoa (linebacker), Rashaan Falemalu (linebacker) and Jayven Mohetau (defensive back). Toiva Tufaga (line), Ezra Soli (line), Matai Paselio (linebacker), Lasselle Thompson (defensive back) and Devailo Galeai (defensive back) were named to the Second Team Defense.
The Red Raiders also had five players – Polikapu Liua, Donald Barenaba-Setoki, Kai Kubera, Grettir Alapa and Johnson (as a receiver) – selected to Second Team Offense, while Viliami Livai, McKay Lewis and Jonathan Yu received Honorable Mention.
Kailua senior quarterback Kahaku Iaea was named to the First Team, putting the wraps on a solid career. He threw for 1,062 yards and nine touchdowns. Kailua teammates Jeremiah Taleni (line) and Kekoa Ford (defensive back) were picked for the First Team Defense, while Fred Welch, Noah Auld, Lanakila Barbieto, Marcus Malepeai, Kirk Ranolo, Wyatt D’Alessio and Thomas Butenbah-Leong were Honorable Mentions.
Receiving Honorable Mention from Castle High were Kela Shea, Cullen Shiroma-Fernandez, Jacob Pitt, Don Kaio, Jesse Medeiros and Ikaika Urasaki.
In Division II, Kalaheo’s Derek George made the First Team Offense as a lineman, while teammate Nainoa Frank was a First Team selection in the trenches on defense. Sua Atanoa made the Second Team on both sides of the ball at linebacker and lineman, respectively. Also making the Second Team from Kalaheo were Willie Lynch (running back), Josh Tupouniua (line), Makena Johnston (defensive back) and Kenny McFadden (defensive back), while Stephen Lee, Shem Sukumaran, Christian Johnston, Sione Purdy-Fotu, Sam Capllonch, Faoato Atanoa, Carlos Arambula, Omar Silva, Chase Hanawahine, and Justin Weber were Honorable Mentions.
