Kahuku won’t budge

After Kahuku converted a field goal late in the first half of Friday’s state semifinal matchup with Waianae, the Red Raiders defense made sure the kick would be enough to earn a spot in the title game.

"We said at halftime we’re going to win this game 3-0 no matter what," Kahuku defensive back Kekaula Kaniho said.

The Red Raiders actually gave themselves some extra cushion with an interception return for a touchdown early in the second half and posted their sixth shutout of the season in a 13-0 win over the Seariders at Aloha Stadium.

After a two-year absence from the state final, top-seeded Kahuku will play for the Division I title in the HHSAA/First Hawaiian Bank State Football Championships for the 10th time Friday.

The Red Raiders — 7-2 in the championship game since the state tournament was established in 1999 — will face Saint Louis and its high-powered offense in the second game of the championship doubleheader.

Kahuku senior safety Keala Santiago returned the first of his two interceptions in the second half for a touchdown and Red Raiders quarterback Kesi Ah-Hoy rushed for 142 yards on 40 attempts to help complete the shutout.

"It’s finally good to be back, give these young guys the experience," Santiago said. "Looking forward to next week."

Two Kekoa Sasaoka field goals and Santiago’s 32-yard interception return 49 seconds into the third quarter accounted for all of the scoring in the first state tournament game without an offensive touchdown.

The Kahuku defense held Waianae to 76 yards in total offense and came away with three turnovers in the second half.

The Kahuku offense did its part by controlling the clock in the fourth quarter, holding the ball for all but six seconds in the fourth quarter, with Ah-Hoy following his offensive line for 64 yards on 18 carries in the period.

"Good overall team win," Ah-Hoy said. "Shout out to the defense, always saving us, man.

"It was all right offensive production, but we need to come back next week and get better."

Kahuku coach Vavae Tata said as much after leading the Red Raiders back to the final in his first year at the controls of the program.

"Feels great, but the journey’s not over yet," Tata said.

With one game left, Tata said the Red Raiders will "savor it, 24-hour rule. We’ll come back tomorrow at 7 a.m. We’ll look at the tape and we’re going to get better."

Kahuku, which stifled Waianae in a 30-0 win to close the regular season on Oct. 3, has now gone 15 quarters without giving up an offensive touchdown and surrendered just one in the past 27. Linebacker Pesa Lefau led the Red Raiders with 10 tackles and made two of Kahuku’s eight tackles for loss.

Waianae’s defense was equally stubborn for much of the night to keep the Seariders within sight of the Red Raiders. But they couldn’t break through against the Kahuku defense and closed the season at 9-4 after their first appearance in the state tournament since 2010.

"To hold Kahuku to 13 points, our kids played amazingly," Waianae coach Walter Young said. "Our offense did some good things, but we just didn’t finish. It was a magnificent year and something to build on."

The teams combined for eight first downs and 10 punts in the first half and Waianae appeared set to kick it away again with less than a minute left before halftime.

The snap went to the up back, but the pass fell incomplete, giving Kahuku possession at its 46 with 44 seconds left.

Junior Cameron Renaud stepped in at quarterback and completed a 34-yard pass down the Red Raiders sideline to Kaniho.

"We knew we could air it our because all times we ran that play before it was open," Kaniho said. "When I saw the ball coming I was like he did his job and I did mine."

A 15-yard strike to Royce Pao then gave Kahuku first-and-goal at the 5 with 22 seconds left. But after three incompletions, Sasaoka hit a 22-yard field goal and the Red Raiders took a 3-0 lead into halftime.

"Cameron is a clutch guy," Tata said. "Got us out of some bad situations, so hats off to Cameron."

Two Santiago picks and another by Kaniho in the second half and Kahuku’s ground game secured the win for the Red Raiders.

"This is the opportunity we’ve been working for all year and we don’t want to miss," Ah-Hoy said, "You get one shot and we want to make the best of it."

Kahuku 13, Waianae 0

KAH—FG Kekoa Sasaoka 22

KAH—Keala Santiago 32 interception return (Sasaoka kick)

KAH—FG Sasaoka 21

RUSHING—Waianae: Jurick Valdez 9-32, Javen Towne 12-27, Kade Ambrocio 3-(minus 1), Jaren Uu 4-(minus 1). Kahuku: Kesi Ah-Hoy 40-142, Harmon Brown
13-26.

PASSING—Waianae: Ulu 4-15-3-21, Brandon Hattori 0-1-0-0. Kahuku: Cameron Renaud 2-6-0-49, Ah-Hoy 1-5-1-7.

RECEIVING—Waianae: Isaiah Freeney 3-21, Jeresalem Tootoo 1-0. Kahuku: Kekaula Kaniho 1-34, Royce Pao 1-15, Keala Santiago 1-7.

DEFENSIVE LEADERS—Waianae: Jaylen Gonsales 13 tackles, Francis Mailo 10 tackles, fumble recovery; Mosiah Brame 1 tackle, 1 INT. Kahuku: Pesa Lefau 10 tackles, 2 TFL; Aaron Tapusoa 6 tackles, 2 TFL; Kekaula Kaniho 4 tackles, 1 INT; Jess Kanongataa 3 tackles, 1 sack; Keala Santiago 3 tackles, 2 INT, 1 TD.