Nanakuli thwarts Pearl City’s 2-point try to win it

Nanakuli defended its beloved valley on Saturday night in a wild one.

The Golden Hawks (3-3, 2-2 OIA D-II) got past visiting Pearl City 35-34 in overtime.

In the OT period, Golden Hawks quarterback Sedric Crawford gave the home team a lead with an 8-yard touchdown run. Kekoa Bright added the extra point to make it 35-28, and that one point proved to be the final difference in the hard-hitting showdown of middle-of-the-pack D-II teams.

The Chargers (2-4, 2-3) also scored in OT and had a chance to potentially tie it or go ahead. Quarterback Makana Canyon hit Joshua Gleason with a 9-yard TD pass, but his 2-point try to Gleason in the front, right corner of the end zone fell incomplete.

“Go for the glory or not … and the kids all wanted to go for the win,” Pearl City coach Robin Kami said. “We came up a little short. We always have great games against Nanakuli. This was a great game.”

The biggest lead was 12-0 Nanakuli, but Pearl City came back for a 14-12 edge. From there, it was back and forth all the way to 28-28.

With Pearl City trailing by eight, 28-20, Canyon’s 10-yard TD pass to Gleason and a 2-point conversion pass from Canyon to Juan Vargas with 1:33 left in regulation sent the game to OT.

Crawford finished with 164 rushing yards and another 87 through the air.

“It’s amazing right now,” Crawford said. “Thanks to my boys, defense and O-line. Without them I don’t think I would be making these rushing yards and passing yards. Thanks to the community for coming out here and supporting us. Pearl City was one hard team. Coaches said gotta give effort, so thanks to the coaches for never giving up on us.”

Canyon threw for 372 yards to make up for an anemic Chargers running game. Isaiah Cruz-Ameperosa caught six passes for 202 yards and a touchdown.

“Came up a little short,” Canyon said. “That one was on me. Overall, my team did good. That last pass was a little low. We just live and learn.”

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Nanakuli 35, Pearl City 34, OT

>> Pearl City (2-4, 2-3) 0 14 0 14 6 — 34

>> Nanakuli (3-3, 2-2) 12 0 8 8 7 — 35

Nanakuli — Tahj Hauhio 1 run (kick failed)

Nanakuli — Nainoa Paz 8 pass from Sedric Crawford (run failed)

Pearl City — Alii Gaspar 5 pass from Makana Canyon (Landon Chang kick)

Pearl City — Isaiah Cruz-Ameperosa 31 pass from Canyon (Chang kick)

Nanakuli — Hauhio 15 run (Paz pass from Crawford)

Pearl City — Canyon 4 run (kick failed)

Nanakuli — Crawford 10 run (Crawford run)

Pearl City — Joshua Gleason 10 pass from Canyon (Vargas pass from Canyon)

Nanakuli — Crawford 8 run (Kekoa Bright kick)

Pearl City — Gleason 9 pass from Canyon (pass failed)

RUSHING — Pearl City: Cruz-Ameperosa 1-1, Gaspar 8-(minus-1), Preston Hong 1-(minus-18), TEAM 2-(minus-20), Canyon 6-(minus-25). Nanakuli: Crawford 24-164, Hauhio 15-72, Josh Mahuka 6-33, Prestent Kahookele-Himalaya 1-0.

PASSING — Pearl City: Canyon 24-40-2-372, Rastin Tobosa 2-2-0-23, Cruz-Amerperosa 0-2-0-0. Nanakuli: Crawford 13-29-1-87

RECEIVING — Pearl City: Cruz-Ameperosa 6-202, Joshua Gleason 6-81, Preston Hong 6-57, Stanton Hong 4-7, Kainuma Maddox 2-25, Juan Vargas 1-18, Gaspar 1-5. Nanakuli: Paz 5-46, Royce Wilms 4-28, Hauhio 2-10, Kekoa Torres 1-4, Randy McCabe 1-(minus-1).

* Junior varsity — Nanakuli 28, Pearl City 20