A year after a bitter disappointment, Moanalua found sweet redemption on Friday night.
The eighth-ranked Na Menehune entered the OIA Division I playoffs in nearly an identical spot as last season, which ended with a stunning loss for their lone defeat of 2018.
This time, they cleared the hurdle and advanced to the OIA Division I title game with a 21-14 semifinal win over Kailua.
“It feels so so good. I cannot stress how awesome the feeling is,” Moanalua coach Savai’i Eselu said. “For 365, that taste stayed.”
>> Click here to see photos of the game between Moanalua and Kailua.
Moanalua quarterback RJ Javar threw for 203 yards with two touchdown passes and the Na Menehune defense came up with five interceptions to ease the memory of last year’s playoff loss to Castle and clinched a spot in the Division I state tournament.
“It’s my first playoff win as a Menehune and it feels great,” senior slotback Rudy Kealohi said. “It means so much to us.
“(Last year’s game) still stuck with me, even after this game. It’s stuck with me forever. It just drives us to be better.”
Moanalua (9-1) advances to the OIA Division I championship game set for Oct. 26 at Aloha Stadium, while Kailua ends its season, which began with an 0-3 start, at 4-7.
“We were at a crossroads in the beginning and we dug ourselves out and gave ourselves a chance to play in the semifinals and a shot to go to the OIA finals, and we just came up short,” Kailua coach Joe Wong said. “We have to take care of the football, that’s the bottom line.”
Three of Kailua’s first four possessions ended with interceptions, the first in the end zone after the Surfriders drove to the Moanalua 17 in 13 plays.
Na Menehune converted Christian Sison’s pick into a 12-play march from their 13 to the Kailua 24. The drive stalled there and Griffin Motas drilled a 41-yard field goal on the first play of the second quarter.
After Jesus Lopez Jr., came up with the second interception at the Kailua 48, Javar drove Na Menehune inside the 5 and he completed a 2-yard touchdown pass to Jansen York on third down.
Kailua cut into the lead just before halftime when quarterback Cameron Friel connected with Landon Clevenger on a 6-yard touchdown pass on fourth and goal.
Na Menehune extended the lead in the third quarter when Javar went 6-for-6 on their second possession of the period and found Kealohi for a 25-yard touchdown. Kealohi bobbled the PAT snap, but scrambled and completed a pass to Brad Lilo for the 2-point conversion.
“We executed great. Our run game was on fire, our linemen were doing their job and receivers were catching the ball, just doing our thing,” said Kealohi, who finished with a team-high seven catches for 69 yards.
Motas also hit a 42-yard field goal that bounced off the crossbar and through the uprights to give Moanalua a 21-7 cushion going into the fourth quarter.
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No. 8 Moanalua 21, Kailua 14
At Moanalua
>> Kailua (4-7) 0 7 0 7 — 14
>> Moanalua (9-1) 0 10 11 0 — 21
Moanalua — FG Griffin Motas 41
Moanalua — Jansen York 2 pass from RJ Javar (Motas kick)
Kailua — Landon Clevenger 6 pass from Cameron Friel (Maka Roberts kick)
Moanalua — Rudy Kealohi 25 pass from Javar (Brad Lilo pass from Kealohi)
Moanalua — FG Motas 42
Kailua — Clevenger fumble recovery in end zone (Roberts kick)
RUSHING — Kailua: Samson Rasay 16-64, Ramsey Ieae 1-2, Brian-Allen Kamanu 1-4, Clevenger 1-(-4), Friel 9-(-9). Moanalua: So’onaoso Saole-Teixeira 15-89, Darius Johnson 9-31, Javar 5-26, Kainoa Titomb 1-9, Brayden Fa’amasino 1-(-1), Team 1-(-1).
PASSING — Kailua: Friel 20-44-5-246, Clevenger 1-2-0-3. Moanalua: Javar 21-33-0-203
RECEIVING — Kailua: Kamryn Kahoonei 4-49, Clevenger 8-100, Raynen Ho-Mook 4-29, Rasay 3-46, Nainoa Peters 1-22. Moanalua: Lawsen Lee 4-39, York 5-30, Rudy Kealohi 7-69, Dacyres Domingo 5-65.
* Junior varsity — Aiea 15, Waipahu 6
