Waianae quarterback Kekoa Kaluhiokalani got his team’s big mistake out of the way early, then was nearly spotless in a 29-13 win at Aiea on Saturday night.
It was the OIA opener for both undefeated teams.
Kaluhiokalani’s first drive ended when he zipped a pass to the sideline, but his receiver ran a seam route. Aiea defensive back Francisco Jajo accepted the gift and returned it to the house for the early 7-0 lead when Jae Won Huh added the extra point.
All Kaluhiokalani did after that was throw for 204 yards, 41 shy of his career high. He hit on 12 of his 19 passes, three of them for touchdowns. He went successive attempts without a completion only once and 10 of his completions went longer than 10 yards.
"Their passing game hurt us because we prepped a lot for the running game," Aiea coach Wendell Say said. "That quarterback just kept us off the field; he just milked that clock and I couldn’t do anything about it."
Pookela Noa-Nakamoto was his favorite target, with four catches for 73 yards, but Kaluhiokalani spread it around to five different receivers, three of them getting more than one catch.
"We feel very confident with our passing game," Noa-Nakamoto said. "We improved a little bit and that’s what we have to do every time. My quarterback is always on point, he is very accurate and I give him kudos."
Kaluhiokalani was pulled with three minutes left.
Aiea senior Shaenen Hernandez-Fonoti’s night ended with 7:05 left when he left the ground with a Waianae defender for a jump ball at the 3-yard line and came down on his back. He caught the ball to put his team in position to draw within two touchdowns, but was carted off in an ambulance after raising his right hand to the sky to let the crowd know that he would be OK. He suffered a stinger early in the week.
Waianae drove the field after Kaluhiokalani’s interception, getting inside Aiea’s 10-yard line but going backward from there and settling for a field goal by Stanton Spencer. The teams traded punts until Waianae went on a 15-play drive that included two punts that went their way via a penalty and a fumble by the returner. Mahvan Tau ended the drive with a 14-yard touchdown run up the middle and Waianae took its first lead, 9-7, early in the second quarter.
Hernandez-Fonoti answered Waianae’s score with a 65-yard touchdown reception from Mana Kaahanui on a bubble screen just two plays into the drive and Na Alii led 13-9. Kaahanui put the ball up 34 times despite becoming the quarterback just this week. Regular QB Jordan Liilii has a broken foot and will miss a month.
At Aiea
| Waianae (3-0, 1-0) |
3 |
20 |
0 |
6 |
— |
29 |
| Aiea (2-1, 0-1) |
7 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
— |
13 |
Aiea–Francisco Jajo 45 interception return (Jae Won Huh kick)
Wain–FG Stanton Spencer 29
Wain–Mahvan Tau 14 rush (kick failed)
Aiea–Shaenen Hernandez-Fonoti 65 pass from Mana Kaahanui (kick failed)
Wain–Iokepa Ili 26 pass from Kekoa Kaluhiokalani (Stanton kick)
Wain–Pookela Noa-Nakamoto 29 pass from Kaluhiokalani (Spencer kick)
Wain–Johnothon Napierala-Rose 34 pass from Kaluhioklani (kick failed)
RUSHING–Waianae: Jemery Willes 17-53, Trensten Spragling 4-7, Kaluhiokalani 11-23, Mahvan Tau 7-34, Chaz Bolig 3-12, Stanley Keama-Jacobe 1-(minus 1). Aiea: Elijah Tausaga 3-2, Shane Jennings 3-4, Kaahanui 7-2, Fika Tuli 2-(minus-14).
PASSING–Waianae: Kaluhioklani 12-19-1-204. Aiea: Kaahanui 9-34-1-199.
RECEIVING–Waianae: Noa-Nakamoto 4-73, Napierala-Rose 3-57, Emil Muraoka 3-32, Ili 1-26, Trensten Spragling 1-16. Aiea: Hernandez-Fonoti 3-108, Jennings 3-30, Lincoln Tappe 1-39, Benjamin Taliulu 1-14, Derryl Ogawa-Staples 1-8.
OIA WHITE
Kalaheo 34, Anuenue 0
Senior Makena Johnston rushed for 196 yards and two touchdowns as the Mustangs overwhelmed Na Koa.
At Kaiser
| Kalaheo (2-1, 2-0) |
7 |
14 |
0 |
13 |
— |
34 |
| Anuenue (0-3, 0-2) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
— |
0 |
Kalh–Raymond Bragg 14 pass from Jack Bell (James Geren kick)
Kalh–Makena Johnston 15 run (Geren kick)
Kalh–Johnston 67 run (Geren kick)
Kahl–Bell 60 run (Geren kick)
Kalh–Sonny Meredith 5 run (kick failed)
RUSHING–Kalaheo: Johnston 11-196, Bell 6-80, Kawika Cavanh 6-34, Matthew Sasaki 3-10, Meredith 2-15. Anuenue: Kaimalino Bobiles 19-64, Kaimiloa Tasaka 7-32, Kainoa Keli-Nahaku 9-31, A.J. Grace-Kekawa 4-30, Ikaika Benjamin 3-29, Kimo Romena 2-(minus 8).
PASSING–Kalaheo: Bell 4-8-2–58. Anuenue: Romena 4-9-1-33, Kona Kelekolio 1-3-0-5, Naalii Dureg 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING–Kalaheo: Braggs 4-58. Anuenue: Grace-Kekawa 2-6, Tasaka 1-14, Pineki Silva 1-13, Dureg 1-5.
NONCONFERENCE
St. Francis 42, Drumheller (Canada) 14
Ranan Mamiya scored all of the Saints’ 22 first-half points, leading St. Francis to its first-ever varsity victory.
Mamiya rushed for two touchdowns, returned a punt 60 yards for another score and added two 2-point conversions. The junior left the game shortly before halftime with an elbow injury and did not return.
Playing at Waipahu, St. Francis led 22-6 at the half over Drumheller, the two-time defending Alberta Tier IV provincial champion.
