By Lindsay Shiroma
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On Oct. 30, the varsity football team challenged the Kahuku Red Raiders at Aloha Stadium for the Oahu Interscholastic Association (OIA) championships. Even though Kahuku’s defense, one of the strongest in the state, eventually prevailed against the Trojans and ended the game with a loss of 7-20, the team was proud of their teamwork and execution.
“It was very intense. It was very exhilarating with all of the fans and everyone cheering and all of the stuff that was going on, just playing in the stadium was very exciting,” said Defensive End Senior Frederick Liva.
The game started off slow, until Kahuku pulled ahead in the latter half of the first quarter, ending it with Kahuku up 7-0. During second quarter, Quarterback Freshman Dillon Gabriel took a blow to his right collarbone, taking him out of the game. The Trojans scored a small victory when Kahuku’s offense fumbled the ball in third quarter, allowing Liva to scoop it up and run 27 yards into the end zone, scoring six points. Kahuku eventually gained momentum in the last quarter, scoring two field goals and a touchdown, closing the game 13 points ahead of the Trojans.
Kahuku barreled through this football season undefeated, averaging 41 points per game, making them an intimidating opponent. “Our defense was really challenged, we’ve been struggling for most of the year. And for this game we got really stepped up, but we did our jobs,” commented Liva.
The loss at the OIA championships did not greatly discourage the Trojans, as they were still determined to play their hardest for the rest of the season. “I feel good. I mean, I’m proud of the defense on how well we played. Even though the outcome wasn’t what we wanted. I think we still played well as a team,” said Liva.
That night, the Trojan defense had displayed a great amount of teamwork and effort against Kahuku. “I feel like defense, they tremendous, especially for this game. They did a great job all year long.” said replacement Quarterback Sophomore Kaysen Higa.
The unfortunate outcome of the game had led the Trojans to be even more determined to train harder for upcoming games. “I feel like we’re hungrier to come out and actually finish the season the right way, and take it one step at a time,” commented Running Back Senior Vavae Malepeai. “I feel great about our defense but just like anything, there’s always room for improvement and you can always get better. So I’m just hoping they continue to play better than that game.”
On Nov. 6, the Trojans welcomed Milton back into the game and were able to redeem themselves from the loss with the game against Hilo with a 62-18 win. On Nov. 13, the Trojans will be playing against the Saint Louis Crusaders.
