Lahainaluna beats Konawaena in 7 OTs to win D-II title
Joshua Tihada’s 7-yard touchdown run capped the longest state championship game in history as Lahainaluna outlasted Konawaena 75-69 in seven overtimes to win the Division II trophy today at Aloha Stadium.
A 4-hour, 10-minute marathon in the first of three title games in the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Football State Championships ended with the Lunas (11-1) winning their second consecutive Division II state title, joining ‘Iolani and Kahuku as the only schools to win in back-to-back years.
Lahainaluna scored in all four quarters and all seven overtime periods. The Lunas defense stopped Konawaena in the seventh overtime when it recovered a fumble in the end zone after Wildcats quarterback Austin Ewing tried to sneak in a touchdown from the 1-yard line.
Lahainaluna got the ball back and ran Tihada on four straight plays to end it.
The Wildcats lost despite finishing with 36 first downs and outgaining the Lunas 524-440.
Konawaena running back Chauncey Mariani-Louis had 191 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 42 carries. Ewing finished 33-for-55 for 266 yards and three touchdowns but lost four fumbles.
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Tihada finished with 91 of Lahainaluna’s 209 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
Konawaena quarterback Nainoa Irish threw three touchdown passes to William Kai Bookland and was 6-for-7 for 188 yards.
The 144 combined points are the most in a game in Hawaii prep football history.
The Division I state final between Damien and Hilo will be followed by the Open Division final between Kahuku and Saint Louis.
Konawaena | 0 | 6 | 7 | 18 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 0 — | 69 |
Lahainaluna | 7 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 6 — | 75 |