Kahuku beats Moanalua, loses shutout
Moanalua tested the Kahuku defense at times last night.
But each time Na Menehune threatened, the top-ranked Red Raiders found a way to fortify their seal on the end zone.
Kahuku’s shutout streak finally ended, but the Red Raiders remained plenty stingy in a 27-6 OIA Red East win over Moanalua.
Moanalua drove inside the Kahuku 30 six times, but the Red Raiders forced the Menehunes to settle for two field goals.
"We were bend-and-not-break because they were driving on us," Kahuku head coach Reggie Torres said. "We ended up shutting them down to field goals, but still, Moanalua did a great job tonight. They exposed some of our weaknesses that we have to go fix.
"Better we learn now than later. We were fortunate to come out with a win and we can still go back and fix it."
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Since giving up a fourth-quarter touchdown to Saint Louis on Aug. 27, Kahuku — ranked 17th nationally in this week’s RivalsHigh 100 — outscored Kaiser and Roosevelt 77-0 over the next two games and took a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter last night.
The Red Raiders stretched the lead to 21-3 at halftime, and their special teams provided their lone score of the second half when safety Tigi Hill blocked a punt and linebacker Benetton Fonua recovered in the end zone.
Moanalua running back Charles Spencer found enough space in the Kahuku front to rush for 139 yards on 24 carries. But the Red Raiders defense repeatedly came up with big plays in the red zone to snuff any thoughts of an upset.
"(Kahuku defensive coordinator Kimo Haiola) called some great plays in crucial situations," Torres said.
Moanalua threatened to end the scoreless run on the game’s opening drive when Michael Egami’s 40-yard catch and run moved the Menehune to the Kahuku 20. But Kahuku held when Fonua intercepted Keven Amaral’s attempted screen pass one play later.
After the Moanalua defense forced a three and out on Kahuku’s first possession, the Red Raiders reached the end zone on their next three drives to take control.
Aofaga Wily opened the scoring with a 5-yard run in the first quarter. Punga Vea’s 40-yard punt return set up a three-play Kahuku drive capped by Tyrone Brown’s 5-yard run.
Moanalua finally broke Kahuku’s run of shutout quarters at nine with a 12-play drive that reached the Red Raiders’ 4 before the Menehune settled for a 25-yard field goal by Lee Arakawa.
Kahuku widened the lead later in the second quarter when Evan Moe connected with Vea down the right side for a 48-yard reception and Wily scored two plays later on a 3-yard run.
The Red Raider special teams chipped in when Hill charged in from the left side to block a punt by Richard Villasenor. After a wild scramble, Fonua recovered the loose ball in the end zone.
"I just did what the coaches told me to do," Hill said. "The coaches saw an opening and I took it."
A 47-yard punt return by Egami in the fourth quarter set up Moanalua’s second score of the night, a 32-yard field goal by Arakawa.
"I thought we could play with them," Moanalua coach Arnold Martinez said. "I think our problem was the mental part.
"We’d shoot ourselves in the foot with a mental mistake. … With a tough team like Kahuku with their size and speed you have to play mistake-free."
Kahuku (6-0, 4-0) | 7 | 14 | 6 | 0 | — | 27 |
Moanalua (3-3, 2-2) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | — | 6 |
Kah–Aofaga Wily 5 run (Josh Sorensen kick)
Kah–Tyrone Brown 5 run (Sorensen kick)
Moa–FG Lee Arakawa 25
Kah–Wily 3 run (Sorensen kick)
Kah–Benetton Fonua blocked punt recovered in end zone (kick failed)
Moa–FG Arakawa 32
RUSHING–Kahuku: Wily 12-62, Brown 7-33, Evan Moe 9-(-2), Fonoivasa Mataafa 4-27, Sterling Moe 6-46, Shawn Pahulu 2-5. Moanalua: Charles Spencer 24-139, Chasen Hamasaki 4-24, Keven Amaral 3-(-29), Dillon Turk 2-12, Michael Egami 1-(-3), Tayler Tanaka 1-(–2).
PASSING–Kahuku: E. Moe 7-13-2-100. Moanalua: Amaral 8-17-2-58, Turk 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING–Kahuku: Shairone Thompson 2-21, Punga Vea 4-66, Wily 1-13. Moanalua: Richard Villasenor 2-2, Egami 2-36, Spencer 2-10, Anthony Bowen 1-9, Hamasaki 1-1.
Junior varsity–Kahuku 13, Moanalua 7
Roosevelt 20, No. 7 Castle 15
The Rough Riders clinched their first victory of the season over the seventh-ranked Knights in an upset.
Roosevelt’s William Kaina led the team with 77 yards on 14 carries, followed by quarterback Matthew Lono-Holani with 43 yards.
Joshua Kong scored Castle’s two touchdowns on 3- and 5-yard runs.
At Castle
Roosevelt (1-5, 1-3) | 7 | 0 | 7 | 6 | — | 20 |
Castle (4-2, 2-2) | 0 | 7 | 0 | 8 | — | 15 |
Roos–Kaipo Pale 33 pass from Matthew Lono-Holani (Benjamin Menashe kick)
Cast–Joshua Kong 5 run (Adam Aquino kick)
Roos–Agaese Tago 4 run (Menashe kick)
Cast–Kong 3 run (Kong run good)
Roos–William Kaina 3 run (run failed)
RUSHING–Roos: Kaina 14-77, Lono-Holani 11-43, Tago 12-36, Toa Fola 3-5, Ashton McKay 1-(minus 1). Cast: Olycon Finau 13-63, Teawe Olds 5-20, Jaymason Lee 5-14, Kong 3-10, Kamalei Kam-Aweau 1-3.
PASSING–Roos: Lono-Holani 2-5-1-47. Cast: Lee 15-29-0-131, Kong 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING–Roos: Pale 1-33, Ryan Kealoha 1-19, Asten Koki 1-14. Cast: Kong 4-35, Moses Alimoot 3-26, Jacob Martin 1-25, William Oku 1-11, Finau 4-11, Noah Makainai 1-4.
Junior varsity–Castle 12, Roosevelt 6
Also
No. 9 Kailua 35, Kaiser 14
OIA RED WEST
Campbell 26, Kapolei 21
Trent Alcott intercepted Nilo Agbayani-Omalza for a fourth-quarter touchdown to tie the game, but Agbayani-Omalza connected with B.J. Halmos on a 30-yard hookup later as the Sabers edged the Hurricanes.
Agabayani-Omalza finished with 170 passing yards with two passing touchdowns and one rushing score for Campbell.
At Campbell
Kapolei (1-6, 1-4) | 0 | 12 | 3 | 6 | — | 21 |
Campbell (3-4, 2-3) | 6 | 6 | 8 | 6 | — | 26 |
Camp–Nilo Agbayani-Omalza 1 run (kick failed)
Kapo–Seth Roman 58 run (kick failed)
Camp–Christian Abcede-Abregano 50 pass from Agbayani-Omalza (kick failed)
Kapo–Roman 1 run (kick failed)
Kapo–FG Eric Morales 43
Camp–Jyrell Umali 75 punt retun (Nicholas Molia-Penitusi pass from Agbayani-Omalza)
Kapo–Trent Alcott 32 interception return (run failed)
Camp–B.J. Halmos 30 pass from Agbayani-Omalza (pass failed)
RUSHING–Kapo: Roman 27-121, Keaka Fernandez 21-79, Devin Jenkins 2-33, Trey Kamachi 2-(minus 6), Elden Arellano 2-(minus 7), Denzel Davis 1-(minus 8). Camp: Aries Pepihi 8-42, Molia-Penitusi 6-19, TEAM 1-(minus 2), Agbayani-Omalza 3-(minus 3).
PASSING–Kapo: Kamachi 1-3-0-21, Keaka Napuelua Ah Yee 0-1-0-0. Camp: Agbayani-Omalza 12-16-1-170, Justin Pago 5-5-0-62.
RECEIVING–Kapo: Roderick Raquedan 1-21. Camp: Abcede-Abregano 5-120, Halmos 5-62, Jaelan Subia-Etrata 3-17, Keoni Piceno 2-25, Amosa Amosa Jr. 1-6, Molia-Penitusi 1-2.
Also
No. 3 Mililani 38, Aiea 27
OIA WHITE
Anuenue 20, Nanakuli 14
Referees called the game with 3:45 remaining in the fourth quarter with Anuenue leading.
After Joseph Shelton hit Kenson Paris with a 20-yard scoring pass to pull the Golden Hawks to within 20-14, Na Koa’s Mahuka Cullen took the ensuing kickoff past midfield, and according to Anuenue coach Kealoha Wengler, was tackled by a Nanakuli player, who began throwing punches at the prone Cullen.
"The referees called a penalty on Nanakuli for illegal participation, and they didn’t have enough to continue the game," Wengler said. "It was totally unprovoked. There was no exchange of words. I think they were frustrated ’cause we had such low numbers (17 players)."
The Nanakuli coach Skip Lopes could not be reached for comment.
At Nanakuli
Anuenue (2-4, 2-3) | 14 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 20 |
Nanakuli (0-6, 0-6) | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | — | 14 |
Anue–Laakea Manoi-Hyde 1 run (run failed)
Anue–Ikaika Gante 1 run (Gante run)
Nan–No. 28 23 pass from Joseph Shelton (Aybrey Marshall kick)
Anue–Kamea Kahiapo 6 run (run failed)
Nan–Kenson Paris 20 pass from Shelton (Marshall kick)
RUSHING–Anue: Makana Fernandez 2-5, Gante 25-175, Mahuka Cullen 3-8, Kainoa Keli-Nahaku 5-16, Manoi-Hyde 6-45, Kahiapo 2-9, Kakela Lee 1-6. Nan: Gary Shelton 8-27, Nathan Auelua-Naki 1-4, J. Shelton 6-2, Tryson Vincent 1-16, Paris 3-6, Kameran Self-Gomes 3-22, Nolen Kekawa 1-11.
PASSING–Anue: Keli-Nahaku 1-3-0-31. Nan: J. Shelton 7-13-1-132.
RECEIVING–Anue: Imaikalani Keama 1-31. Nan: Paris 2-65, Self-Gomes 3-30, No. 28 1-23, Auelua-Naki 1-14.