Kahuku’s stout defense bottled up Kapolei on Friday night, leading the Red Raiders to a 39-0 victory on the Hurricanes’ home field.
Kapolei was held to negative-12 yards overall, including minus-86 rushing. It didn’t help Kapolei’s cause that the starting quarterbacks this season — Mason Gomez and Noa Bailey — were not suited up. Gomez was on the sideline using crutches.
no. 4 Kahuku vs. kapolei
At Kapolei
Kahuku (5-2, 3-1) 9 9 21 0 — 39
Kapolei (3-5, 1-3) 0 0 0 0 — 0
Kah—Safety, Alan Talanoa sacks Kapolei quarterback Freddie Gregorio in the end zone.
Kah—Zealand Matagi 6 run (Adam Requilman kick)
Kah—Cole Pruett 85 pass from Jason Mariteragi (Requilman kick)
Kah—Safety, Ace Kaufusi blocks a Kapolei punt in the end zone
Kah—Matagi 35 run (Requilman kick)
Kah—Tomasi Pasi 63 interception return (Requilman kick)
Kah—Kana Fonoimoana-Vaomu 10 pass from Tiger Adolpho (Requilman kick)
RUSHING—Kahuku: Matagi 13-108, Lalio Kaluna 4-29, Kade Nakaahiki Bourgeois 1-12, Jack Tito 3-10, Kelsyn Tangaro-Kanoa 4-8, Robert Chang 2-1, Adolpho (3-minus-12), Mariteragi 4-(minus-20). Kapolei: Dustin Lino-Adkins 1-(minus-1), Jayven Reyes 6-(minus-8), Freddie Gregorio 14-(minus-77).
PASSING—Kahuku: Maritergagi 7-9-0-140, Tiger Adolpho 2-3-0-20. Kapolei: Gregorio 8-16-2-74.
RECEIVING—Kahuku: Pruett 2-86, Micah Carvalho 2-18, Kaonohi Kaniho 1-41, Fonoimoana-Vaomu 1-10, Tito 1-7, Matagi 1-1, Cypress Abraham 1-(minus-3). Kapolei: De’Zhaun Stribling 4-47, Dysen Coyaso 1-9, Chanzyn Dupont 1-7, Haleola Thomas 1-7, Bula White 1-4.
Junior varsity—Kahuku 29, Kapolei 22
Freddie Gregorio, a junior, got the start as the Kapolei signal-caller and was sacked 11 times. Kahuku stacked the box and stormed into the backfield heavily. Strong safety Ace Kaufusi led the way with two sacks, another tackle for loss and a blocked punt in the Hurricanes’ end zone for a safety. Linebacker Alan Talanoa also did some major damage with four sacks.
Kahuku (5-2, 3-1 OIA Open) tried out a balanced offense instead of the full-on smashmouth brand it often employs. A fired-up Kapolei defense did what it could to slow down hard-charging running back Zealand Matagi and had some success early. Matagi, after a slow first half, finished with 108 yards rushing and two TDs.
At quarterback, the Red Raiders’ Jason Mariteragi helped the cause with a 7-for-9 performance that included a touchdown pass.
The Hurricanes (3-5, 1-3) didn’t get a first down until their first possession of the second half, and that one was by penalty. They ended with a total of three first downs.
Aside from Kaufusi’s blocked punt for a safety, Kahuku also got a safety on Talanoa’s sack of Gregorio in the end zone in the first half. The Red Raiders led 18-0 at halftime, thanks also to Matagi’s 6-yard TD run and Cole Pruett’s 85-yard touchdown reception on a pass from Mariteragi.
In the second half, Matagi exploded for a 35-yard touchdown run as Kahuku continued to dominate. The Red Raiders’ defense also came through with some more points as Tomasi Pasi ran back an interception 63 yards for a TD.
Kana Foinoimoana-Vaomu, a two-way standout for the Red Raiders, scored his team’s final touchdown, diving into the end zone to catch Tiger Adolpho’s 10-yard pass. Fonoimoana also had a tackle for loss and a sack in the contest.
