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It was not pretty by any means, but Kaimuki did enough to remain unbeaten in OIA Division II play.
Bulldogs running back Jonah Stephens ran for two touchdowns and quarterback Jonah Fa’asoa tacked one on in the fourth quarter as Kaimuki beat McKinley 22-0 heading into a mainland meeting with Sierra Vista (Nev.) next week.
McKinley (1-3, 0-2 OIA D-II) had its chances to score at Farrington’s Skippa Diaz Stadium on Friday night but repeatedly came up just short, most notably in the waning seconds when the Tigers advanced the ball to the Bulldogs 1, only to have the ensuing handoff blown up by Kaimuki for a loss of 4.
Fa’asoa did enough for Kaimuki (3-0, 3-0), despite his first two interceptions of the year. He threw for 250 yards, going 16-for-30, including the late touchdown to Blade Pfeiffer-Kekoa, who was rewarded just after picking off McKinley quarterback Alexandria Buchanan and returning it to the 7.
Receiver Kaulana Kaluna Jr. hauled in four passes for 102 yards, and helped set up the first of Stephens’ touchdowns with a 43-yard catch in the second quarter.
In an offensively challenged first half filled with fits and starts — injuries, penalties, and general malaise — Stephens’ 1-yard run in the second quarter counted for everything on the 6-0 scoreboard.
Stephens added an 11-yard score in the third quarter for a two-touchdown lead.
A spate of turnovers by McKinley was largely to blame in losses to St. Francis and Kalaheo, the Tigers’ last two games. That was true again, as the Tigers’ rotating quarterbacks — Buchanan, Jordon Kanakanui and Keanu Pimental — threw three picks.
Kanakanui appeared to jump-start things for McKinley right after he was inserted in the second quarter. He found 6-foot-3 receiver Leon Montgomery over the top for a 49-yard gain. But after a false start on McKinley’s first play in Kaimuki territory, Kanakanui was picked off by Matthew Williams and the Tigers’ best chance to score to that point was snuffed.
Play was halted near the end of the first quarter following an incomplete fourth-and-goal pass by Fa’asoa. McKinley defensive back Franklin Pham went down and stayed down for about 20 minutes while he was attended by trainers, then helped into a golf cart. He was on his feet on the sidelines by the end of the game.
Kaimuki won the head-to-head matchup 42-6 last year, and 41-0 in 2016. McKinley’s last win in the series was in 2013, 35-0.
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GAME SUMMARY
Kaimuki 22, McKinley 0
At Farrington
>> McKinley (1-3, 0-2) 0 0 0 0 — 0
>> Kaimuki (3-0, 3-0) 0 6 8 8 — 22
Kaimuki — Jonah Stephens 1 run (kick failed)
Kaimuki — Stephens 11 run (Matthew Williams pass from Jonah Fa’asoa)
Kaimuki —Blade Pfeiffer-Kekoa 7 pass from Fa’asoa (Quynton Brackens pass from Fa’asoa)
RUSHING — McKinley: Migguel Camacho 15-57, Jordon Kanakanui 2-24, Francis Leasiolagi 3-12, Collin Guttenbeil 1-(minus 1), Team 1-(minus 2), Fepunari Faletoi 2-(minus 2), Keanu Pimental 2-(minus 10), Alexandria Buchanan 2-(minus 11). Kaimuki: Stephens 20-84, Fa’asoa 5-30, Filipo Afoa 2-13, Team 2-(minus 4).
PASSING — McKinley: Kanakanui 2-6-1-80, Buchanan 2-8-2-3. Kaimuki: Fa’asoa 16-30-2-250.
RECEIVING — McKinley: Camacho 2-34, Leon Montgomery 1-49, Quincy Owens-Barnes 1-0. Kaimuki: Pfeiffer-Kekoa 5-64, Kaulana Kaluna Jr. 4-102, Stephens 2-32, Elijah Lemalu 2-26, Alex Lemalu 2-24, Isaac Madali 1-2.
* JV — Kaimuki 44, McKinley 0
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