Kapolei earns playoff berth

Kapolei isn’t ready for the White Division quite yet.

The Hurricanes stifled host Aiea 34-20 Friday night for their first conference road win since last year’s win at Aiea. The victory gave Kapolei a spot in the OIA Red playoffs and ensured it would not be demoted next season.

Aiea’s season ended after the "loser-go-home" game that had seniors on both teams staring at their football mortality before Kapolei’s offense finally broke through.

"We tried to give it away," Kapolei coach Darren Hernandez said. "We played the first quarter, the second quarter and the fourth quarter and we just didn’t show up in the third quarter. Unbelievable."

Kapolei dominated the first half and led 20-0 at halftime but gave it all up and needed to rally. The Hurricanes finally broke through with 5:16 left when Dylan Keomaka hit the end zone from 5 yards out.

The winning score was set up by a pass interference call in the end zone when quarterback Aizon Kahana overthrew Kaeo Kanoa on a deep slant. Kanoa asked for a call while flying through the air and got it. Mitchell Moses followed with an interception two plays later and Chris Pierce-Kerisiano sealed it with another interception from 37 yards away that he turned into a touchdown.

Kapolei intercepted Aiea five times in the game.

"You just have to finish the game," Aiea coach Wendell Say said. "The kids are capable. They just didn’t hang onto the ball. The defense didn’t get any rest; we have to sustain drives."

The Hurricanes forced three turnovers in the first half and limited Na Alii to 32 total yards (183 in the game) and didn’t give Na Alii a first down until there was less than a minute left before the break. Aiea’s fortunes didn’t change much after they made the referees move the chains for the first time, as Mason Alfaro picked off Isaiah Hernandez-Fonoti on Aiea’s next play.

The Hurricanes had two turnovers of their own in the first half, but got the job done when their defense gave them the gifts.

Brandon Begonia opened the scoring with a 27-yard field goal after Kapolei couldn’t move the ball following its first turnover. Jacob Kukahiko capped off Kapolei’s next drive, which began at midfield, with a 12-yard touchdown run. Another field goal by Begonia and a 5-yard touchdown run by Mana Reis took Kapolei into the locker room with a 20-0 lead.

But that lead would be erased in less time than they spent in the locker room. Aiea began the second half with another three and out, but forced one of its own. Then Hernandez-Fonoti broke through, running straight up the middle for a 50-yard touchdown and proving that Kapolei’s defense was not invincible. Three plays later, Aiea defensive back Kamakana Apelu stepped in front of his receiver for an interception and 25-yard return for a touchdown. Aiea tied it on Kapolei’s next play from scrimmage when Kahana had the snap go 5 feet over his head and 13 yards behind him into the end zone. Kahana was no match for Aiea’s Ualesi Sale, who pounced on the ball for Aiea’s third touchdown in less than four minutes. The extra point try failed, starting both teams square at 20-all.

"After halftime we just gave up," Kahana said. "We just let them go and never played our hardest. Coach told us not to, but we just took them lightly. We just have to step it up better; the good thing was we came together as one."

Aiea, which had to release six starters this year because of disciplinary problems, will have to turn in its pads before the postseason for the first time since 2007, but Na Alii’s season isn’t over yet. Say has his players volunteering at a cancer run this morning and at the Legislature later this week.

"It’s just football," Say said. "Of course we want to win, but life is life."

OIA RED EAST

No. 3 Farrington 18, Kailua 7

Abraham Silva rushed for 81 yards and scored two touchdowns, and the Governors totaled 148 rushing yards in the second half in a comeback win over the Surfriders.

Farrington QB Montana Liana threw touchdown passes to James Hashimoto and to Silva as the Govs bounced back after trailing 7-6 at halftime.