VIDEO: Moanalua wins OIA White

Tahje Canyon rushed for 97 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, and quarterback Adam Francisco added 140 yards passing and another TD as Nä Menehune won their 10th straight game since a season-opening loss to Division I Mililani.

Moanalua will play host to Hawai'i Prep (9-0) of the Big Island Interscholastic Federation in the first round of the Division II state tournament Nov. 20. 'Aiea (8-3) will play host to Maui Interscholastic League DII champ Lahainaluna (6-3) that same night in another first-round game.

But at least for today, Nä Menehune can savor the first football league crown in the school's 37-year history.

"It feels really good," said Francisco, a 5-foot-10, 215-pound senior. "A lot of the guys on our team are young, but we have 20 guys who are seniors and the senior starters on offense, we've been together since sophomore year, so we're really close."

Francisco's 80-yard touchdown pass to Essaye Villaver 10 seconds before halftime broke a 7-7 tie, just one play after Nä Ali'i had tied it with Lawrence Lagafuaina's 1-yard TD run and Nicholas Hiraoka's extra point with 21 ticks remaining.

'Aiea had called a timeout with 28 seconds left to set up Lagafuaina's plunge, which came on fourth-and-goal.

"We were just looking at getting the score," said Nä Ali'i coach Wendell Say, when asked if he considered running the clock down more after they were stopped for no gain on the previous play.

After the ensuing kickoff resulted in a touchback, Villaver ran a streak pattern down the left sideline and Francisco hit him in stride at about midfield.

"(Villaver) told me he thought he could beat the corner(back)," Francisco said. "So we decided to take a shot and I tried to throw it safe, where either he would catch it, or it would go out of bounds."

Say said his team was in a prevent defense.

"But our corner broke coverage and let the guy get behind him," Say said. "He just made a mistake ... it happens sometimes."

Canyon helped extend the lead to 21-7 with a 3-yard touchdown run on third-and-goal with 5:30 remaining in the third quarter.

Midway through the fourth, Nä Ali'i was stopped for no gain on fourth-and-1 from the Moanalua 8. Say said he asked for a measurement, but his request was denied.

"I called timeout, I said I was willing to burn a timeout to get a measurement, but (the referee) said they already made their decision," Say said. "He said the linesman already said it was not a first down. That could have changed the game if we made it."

OIA officials commissioner Jim Beavers said the crew is not obligated by rule to grant a measurement.

'Aiea got the ball back in its own territory with about four minutes left after forcing a three-and-out, but Keenan Johnson intercepted a pass inside the 30 and Moanalua gained three first downs to run out the clock.

"Our defense came through for us again and did a great job in some tough situations," Nä Menehune coach Arnold Martinez said. "We have a 10-game winning streak and our guys focused on every single game. We said it doesn't matter who we play, what matters is HOW we play. I'm so proud of the boys — they did a great job the past three months."

'AIEA (8-3) 0 7 0 0— 7

MOANALUA (10-1) 7 7 7 0—21

Moa — Tahje Canyon 43 run (Matt Blakeley kick)

'Aiea — Lawrence Lagafuaina 1 run (Nicholas Hiraoka kick)

Moa — Essaye Villaver 80 pass from Adam Francisco (Blakeley kick)

Moa — Canyon 3 run (Blakeley kick)

RUSHING — 'Aiea: Otto-Titan Salausa 20-74, Matt Fa'alele 3-39, Anae Va'a 6-23, Lagafuaina 1-1. Moanalua: Francisco 7-28, Canyon 16-97, Michael Egami 7-14, Xavier Peterson 3-15.

PASSING — 'Aiea: Freddy Taliulu 6-16-3—72, Chucky Ka'ahanui 0-1-0—0. Moanalua: Francisco 7-13-0—140.

RECEIVING — 'Aiea: Fa'alele 2-9, Mansfield Silva 1-4, Kekoa Thompson 2-56, Phillip Madriaga 1-3. Moanalua: Canyon 2-1, Villaver 1-80, Egami 1-40, Rich Villsenor 3-19.

Read his blog on high school sports at http://preptalk.honadvblogs.com.