No. 9 Knights salvage victory
It was a combination of figuring out how to stop Josh Gonda and how to stop shooting themselves in the foot.
In the end, the No. 9 Castle Black Knights figured out how to do both in time to salvage a 30-27 win over Kaiser last night and celebrate their homecoming.
The Knights (4-1, 2-1 Oahu Interscholastic Association Red East) trailed by as many as two touchdowns in the first half, as early mistakes and Gonda, the Cougars’ 5-foot-11, 215-pound senior back, punished the hosts.
But Castle held the visitors scoreless in the second half behind a renewed effort against Gonda (262 yards), and junior Kamalei Kam-Aweau had the go-ahead score on a 60-yard punt return with 5:30 to play.
The Knights’ faithful could exhale a huge sigh of relief as the winless Cougars (0-5, 0-3) left the field.
"I just saw a big opening, and I just saw all the blocks form and hit the hole," said Kam-Aweau, whose teammates covered him all the way along the left sideline. "I just juked one guy. It was a good win and I couldn’t do it without my teammates. It was all possible because they set up the blocks. Big acknowledgment for them."
Don't miss out on what's happening!
Stay in touch with top news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It's FREE!
Gonda had an eye-popping 247 yards and three touchdowns by halftime, as the Cougars modified their balanced offense to go to him on all plays except two. Kaiser’s 27 points at the break were nearly double its total of 15 through its first four games.
Fifteen was also how many yards Gonda picked up after the break.
"Knowing they were going to make halftime adjustments, we tried to show them a different look, but we were riding on Gonda’s legs, and his legs are still kind of weary with a hamstring injury," Kaiser coach Will Lobendahn said. "I didn’t adjust well for my kids, so I didn’t put them in a perfect situation. That’s why they shut us out the second half."
Castle quarterback Jaymason Lee (18-for-31) threw for 206 yards and a score, but couldn’t quite conjure the magic of last week, when the Knights stunned Farrington 29-28.
For a while, it seemed like last night would be a huge letdown for Castle, which had a shiny new ranking. But kicker Adam Aquino hit a 37-yard field goal to bring the Knights within 27-23 in the third quarter, and Kam-Aweau’s jaunt was eventually enough as Kaiser couldn’t advance the ball after halftime.
"They had a great first half. We couldn’t stop them at all," Castle coach Nelson Maeda said. "We were lucky to win. Lucky to get out of here, on our home field, out alive. I think we settled down and focused a little bit more in the second half."
"We just got focused and went back to fundamentals," Kam-Aweau said.
Kaiser profited from Castle miscues in the first half — an interception, a fumble at the 1, and a failed fake punt — to score three times for the bulk of the night’s offensive fireworks.
Kaiser got on the board quickly when Kaiwi Ramseyer intercepted Lee on his second pass of the game, and Gonda needed six carries from midfield to punch in the opening score.
The Cougars forced Castle to punt, but the Kaiser return man fumbled at the 22 and Castle backup quarterback Sabu Kekoanui soon made good on a keeper 2-yard score to tie it at 7.
Two plays from scrimmage later, Gonda exploded through the Knights’ defense from 85 yards out to silence the homecoming crowd.
Lee, unfazed by a 3rd-and-21 situation on the ensuing drive, answered by hitting Noah Makainai for a 35-yard touchdown strike.
Castle got the ball back, and got bold. A fake punt from its own 18 failed, and Kaiser took advantage with a touchdown again.
| Kaiser (0-5, 0-3) | 13 | 14 | 0 | 0 | — | 27 |
| Castle (4-1, 2-1) | 14 | 6 | 3 | 7 | — | 30 |
Kaiser–Josh Gonda 1 run (Kamaka Diaz kick)
Castle–Sabu Kekoanui 2 run (Adam Aquino kick)
Kaiser–Gonda 85 run (kick failed)
Castle–Noah Makainai 35 pass from Jaymason Lee (Aquino kick)
Kaiser–Gonda 2 run (Diaz kick)
Kaiser–Brighson Tolentino 99 fumble return (Aquino kick)
Castle–Olycon Finau 25 run (run failed)
Castle–Aquino FG 37
Castle–Kamalei Kam-Aweau 60 punt return (Aquino kick)
RUSHING–Kais: Gonda 26-262, Joshua Bryant 2-6, Team 1-(minus 6), Jarrin Inagaki 3-(minus 15). Cast: Castle: Finau 10-77, Cy Pana 7-18, Timothy Torres 1-12, Kekoanui 3-6, Team 1-(minus 7), Lee 6-(minus 24).
PASSING–Kais: Sitelimani Latu 2-8-0-5. Cast: Lee 18-31-1-206, Finau 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING–Kais: Kaipo Oamilda-Scholtz 1-8, Joshua Perry-Kruse 1-(minus 3). Cast: Jacquez Hough 5-73, Finau 3-38, Torres 3-18, Makainai 2-51, Kui Alimoot 2-19, Joshua Kong 2-8, Pana 1-(minus 1).
Junior Varsity–Kaiser 8, Castle 6
Aiea 9, Waianae 6
Taylor Taliulu’s lone reception was the biggest of the game as he hauled in a pass from Chucky Kaahanui and dashed 65 yards for the game-winning touchdown for Aiea.
At Waianae
| Aiea (3-1, 1-1) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | — | 9 |
| Waianae (1-4, 1-2) | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 6 |
Aiea–Ozra White 20 FG
Wain–Brian Paul Manuel 20 pass from Puletua Wilson (PAT failed)
Aiea–Taliulu 65 pass from Kaahanui (PAT failed)
RUSHING–Aiea: Team 1-6, Otto-Titan Salausa 2-7, Kaahanui 11-(minus 2). Wain: Wilson 7-44, Bryson Panui 4-17, Jaylen Mitchell 1-12, Jason Towne 1-3.
PASSING–Aiea: Kaahanui 16-23-0-176. Wain: WIlson 23-20-2-100.
RECEIVING–Aiea: Salausa 7-33, Tino Hele 6-38, Taliulu 1-65, Michael Williams 1-35, Nicholas Hiraoka 1-5. Wain: Mitchell 8-18, James Wilson 4-16, Hookena Kamana 3-24, Towne 3-9, Brian Paul Manuel 2-32, Lawrence Akana 1-2, Panui 1-1, Keola Bradley 1-(minus 2).
Junior Varsity–Waianae 20, Aiea 14.
Radford 17, Kapolei 7
Maika Ulufale threw for 160 yards and two touchdowns as the Rams picked up their first win in the OIA Red West aganst the visiting Hurricanes.
At Radford
| Kapolei (1-4, 1-2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | — | 7 |
| Radford (2-2, 1-1) | 0 | 14 | 3 | 0 | — | 17 |
Radford–Dorsey Norris 15 yard pass from Maika Ulufale (Cayman Conley kick)
Radford–TJ Reid 45 yard pass from Ulufale (Conley kick)
Radford–Conley 29 FG
Kapolei–Keaka Fernandez 1 yard run (Eric Morales kick)
RUSHING–Kapo: Fernandez 27-127, Devin Jenkins 4-25, Elden Arellano 4-6, Mitchell Moses 5-0, Austin Navor 8-(minus 11), Kiatrell Zachery 1-(minus 11), Rodrick Raquedan 2-(minus 15). Rad: Phil Hogan 22-92, Jordan Murao 2-7, Ulufale 4-0, Conley 1-(minus 5).
PASSING–Kapo: Navor 0-2-0-0. Rad: Ulufale 11-13-0-160.
RECEIVING–Kapo: none. Rad: Norris 3-46, Reid 2-51, Zachary Rabellizsa 2-31, Hogan 2-14, Tevita Baravilala 1-10, Kevin Acasio 1-8.
Kailua 23, No. 10 Moanalua 20
Bubba Sato punched in the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter as the Surfriders picked up the victory.
At Moanalua
| Kailua (3-2, 2-1) | 14 | 2 | 0 | 7 | — | 23 |
| Moanalua (1-2, 0-1) | 0 | 10 | 7 | 3 | — | 20 |
Kailua– Gaisoa Gaisoa 1 run (Eric Lum kick)
Kailua– Lum 9 pass from Kahaku Iaea (Lum kick)
Moanalua– Michael Egami 80 pass from Keven Amaral (Lee Arakawa kick)
Kailua– Safety (intentional grounding by Moanalua)
Moanalua– FG Arakawa 25
Moanalua– Charles Spencer 18 run (Arakawa kick)
Moanalua– FG Arakawa 25
Kailua– Bubba Sato 1 run (Lum kick)
RUSHING–Kail: Kila Zuttermeister 1-35, Sato 5-19, Gaisoa 1-1, Kahaku Iaea 4-(minus 1), Dustin Kalai 1-(minus 5). Moan: Spencer 18-98, Chasen Hamasaki 3-7, Richard Villasenor 1-2, Amaral 10-(minus 11).
PASSING–Kail: Iaea 20-41-1-201, Sato 1-1-0-8.
Moan: Amaral 16-24-0-220, Egami 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING–Kail: Lum 7-108, Micah Lee 5-33, Kalai 4-55, Sato 4-6, Chancen Schutter 1-7. Moan: Spencer 18-98, Chasen Hamasaki 3-7, Richard Villasenor 1-2, Amaral 10-(minus 11).
