Kahuku Defensive End Wily Is Red Defensive Player Of Year
Time and time again, the Kahuku defense stood tall in 2014, ensuring the Red Raiders a chance to win in every outing.
Among those leading the charge was invariably No. 42, Red Raider defensive end Salanoa-Alo Wily. A senior, Wily recently was selected as the OIA
Red Defensive Player of the Year in a vote of league coaches.
Wily, who packs 270 pounds into a 6-foot-1 frame, was a force up front and played his biggest effort in his biggest game, contributing a pair of sacks in Kahuku’s loss to Punahou in the semifinals of the Division I state championships.
Wily also was a big contributor, offensively at fullback, finishing as Kahuku’s leading rusher with 536 yards (7.3 yards per carry) and six touchdowns on the ground.
Although the loss to Punahou ended Kahuku’s season, the Red Raiders still posted an impressive 9-3 overall mark. Kahuku’s only other losses came to Kaiser on the road at mid-season and to Mililani in the OIA title game Oct. 31. Kahuku’s Lee Leslie was selected as Coach of the Year by his peers in his first season at the school.
In addition to Wily, Kahuku also had five others earn Defensive First Team all-conference honors: lineman Pena Fitisemanu, linebackers Manaia Atuaia and Soli Afalava, and defensive backs Keala Santiago and Alohi Gilman.
Defense gave up just 104 points in its seven Red games, ranking it second overall behind league champion Mililani (103). Kahuku also landed a pair of players on Red’s First Team Offense in linemen Sio-tame Uluave and Vic Tualau.
Teammates Kesi Ah-Hoy (running back), Chance Maghanoy (wide receiver) and Likio Vea (utility) were named to the Red’s Second Team Offense.
* Castle had a trio of players earn Red Second Team honors: wide receiver Chad Figueroa, offensive lineman Reisyn Matsushima and defensive back Colby Kruse. Figueroa had a team-best 38 catches for 457 yards and four touchdowns. * In the OIA Blue, Kailua’s Paepaeiva Silifaiva-Kaeha earned Second Team Offensive honors as a running back. He was the Surfriders’ leading ground gainer with 626 yards in seven games. * In the OIA White, Kalaheo players were named to the Second Team: offensive lineman Nathaniel Goob and defensive back Caden Smith. The Mustangs went 2-6 in 2014.
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