Kaimuki wrapped up the third seed in the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division II football playoffs with a 24-0 thumping of Kalaheo at Alex Kane Stadium in Kailua on Saturday night.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Bulldogs (5-3, 5-2) wore down the Mustangs for two touchdowns and a 14-0 halftime lead.

"As long as we can take care of our emotions and take care of what we can take care of, we’ll be ready for the playoffs as the third seed," said Kaimuki coach David Tautofi, whose Bulldogs already have three more wins than last year’s 2-6 squad. "What makes this team different is the team unity. We have a lot more unselfish players, players who want to do the selfless things."

Running back Billy Masima is one of those players. He carried the ball 17 times for 67 yards, scored on a pass reception and ate up a bunch of time on the clock in the third quarter to keep the Mustangs at bay. He’s still wearing jersey N0. 99, not common for a running back, because he switched over from defensive end before a 33-19 win over Pearl City three weeks ago.

"This feels so good (to be winning) after losing the past few years," Masima said. "We finish games this year, playing all the way to the end. And we start early. We’re getting everything in line for when we go to the playoffs."

Andrew Neves’ 71-yard touchdown catch-and-run of a Keanu Pratt pass put Kaimuki up 7-0 early in the second quarter. And the Bulldogs struck quickly for a 14-0 lead, thanks to Daniel Nguyen’s interception that set up Pratt’s 11-yard touchdown pass to Masima.

Errors would continue to haunt Kalaheo (2-6, 2-5). Aside from that interception thrown by Tommy Capllonch, the Mustangs lost two fumbles and also failed to field two Kaimuki kickoffs that the Bulldogs wound up recovering. Numerous personal foul penalties in the second half also took a toll.

"Mistakes and penalties killed us," Mustangs coach Darrell Poole said. "We would get drives going and get hit with a personal foul penalty. That doesn’t help you."

Kalaheo made it into Kaimuki territory three times all night, to the 49, 46 and the 36. Capllonch was sacked five times, including two by the Bulldogs’ Asiata Cain. In addition, the Mustangs were held to 5 yards rushing and 91 total yards from scrimmage.

Pratt’s 33-yard pass to the speedy Neves led to Kaimuki’s next touchdown — a 1-yard run by 6-foot-2, 302-pound Suliveti Nisa, who is normally a defensive lineman — to make it 21-0 late in the third quarter.

Neves finished with six catches for 167 yards.

Phillip Kealoha put the final points on the board with a 25-yard field goal in the final period.

Kalaheo’s Leo Garza-Tafua had two sacks of Pratt, and the Mustangs’ Jaden Richardson recovered a fumble.