No struggles this time. Kapolei dominated on both sides of the ball to defeat Castle 53-7 in a nonleague football season opener for both teams last night.

Before the game, Hurricanes coach Darren Hernandez sat in his office wondering if his team would give a better showing than they did a week earlier in a scrimmage against Mililani.

He got his answer early when Ezekiel Waiolama took off for a 66-yard gain on the first play. It led to Micah Fonoti’s 30-yard field goal. Even though it wasn’t a touchdown, the positive vibes had begun for the home team, who won’t have a chance to celebrate too long. The real fun begins next Friday, when the Hurricanes open their OIA-ILH alliance schedule against Kamehameha at Aloha Stadium.

The Hurricanes scored TDs on three of their next five possessions to build a 23-0 lead with 2:06 to go in the first half. During that scoring flurry, quarterback Christian Rapis threw TD strikes to Sinai Taheed-Robello and De’Zhaun Stribling, and Waiolama went in untouched from 1 yard out.

Fonoti’s second field goal, this time from 27 yards, gave Kapolei a 26-0 halftime lead.

Kapolei’s imposing defense kept Castle from moving the ball all night long. The Hurricanes’ Bubba White, Peni Naulu, Kevin Burkel, Maceal Afaese and Tao Tuulima all had tackles for loss, and Liam McMoore added an interception. They roughed up three Castle quarterbacks — Kanaipono Kahala-Giron, Austyn Acosta and Samuel Judd —into a combined 14-for-33 for 75 yards, three interceptions and three sacks. Altogether, the Castle offense was held to 67 yards.

Offensively, the Hurricanes rolled up 440 yards, including 269 through the air by Rapis, who was also one of three quarterbacks for his team. Stribling had seven catches for 95 yards.

In the second half, Kapolei backup quarterback Noa Bailey tossed two TD passes as the boys in teal outscored the Knights 27-7 over the final 24 minutes.

In his postgame talk, Hernandez made sure his boys knew they’ve got the Warriors from Kapalama next week.

“We come to practice Monday and we’re 0-0 again,” he said. “Kamehameha, who we’ve played only once in history, is 0-0 too.”

Then, he added with a bit of sarcasm, “Last time I checked, no team has anything locked up yet.”

Knights coach John Hao, whose team was missing 21 players either on academic probation or injured, said, “Kapolei played good. They’ve got some big boys.”

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GAME SUMMARY

NO. 9 KAPOLEI 53, CASTLE 7
At Kapolei Castle

>> Castle (0-1) 0 0 7 0 — 7
>> Kapolei (1-0) 9 17 7 20 — 53

Kapolei — FG Micah Fonoti 30

Kapolei — Sinai-Taheed Robello 10 pass from Christian Rapis (kick failed)

Kapolei — De’Zhaun Stribling 13 pass from Rapis (Fonoti kick)

Kapolei — Ezekiel Waiolama 1 run (Fonoti kick)

Kapolei — FG Fonoti 27

Kapolei — Ikari Stokes 5 pass from Noa Bailey (Fonoti kick)

Castle — Kanekulani Kahala-Giron 30 pass from Samuel Judd (Cheyden Costa kick)

Kapolei — Keoki Kaluhiwa 1 pass from Bailey (kick failed)

Kapolei — Zechariah Kanahelemone 26 interception return (Fonoti kick)

Kapolei — Elijah Badoyen 1 fumble recovery (Fonoti kick)

RUSHING — Castle: Senituli Punivai 4-17, Bruce Pakele 2-12, Elijah Catrett 1-5, Keanu Tilton 4-2, Kanaipono Kahala-Giron 4-(minus-14), Austyn Acosta 4-(minus-16), Team 1-(minus-22). Kapolei: Ezekiel Waiolama 5-79, Zion-Jabez Robello 7-79, Dustin Lino-Adkins 4-18, Elijah Perreira 2-11, Tevai Amina 1-(minus-3), Rapis 2-(minus-3), Bailey 1-(minus-10).

PASSING — Castle: Kanai. Kahala-Giron 8-17-1—35, Samuel Judd 3-13-2— 34. Acosta 2-3-0—6. Kapolei: Rapis 14-22-0—206, Bailey 6-9-0—53, Mason Gomez 1-6-0—10.

RECEIVING — Castle: Punivai 6-13, Kane. Kahala-Giron 3-50, Elijah Catrett 2-7, Acosta 1-5, Tilton 1-0. Kapolei: De’Zhaun Stribling 7-95, Stokes 4-20, S. Taheed Robello 4-35, Kaluhiwa 3-24, Sheldon McLeod 2-56, Badoyen 1-39

* Junior varsity —Kapolei 27, Castle 6