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Adversity was no match for top-ranked Kahuku.
With multiple players sidelined with cramps in addition to standout wide receiver/kicker/returner Kainoa Carvalho, Kahuku stopped Punahou on the final play of the game for a thrilling 27-20 comeback win on Saturday night.
“It’s one thing good about this team. We had multiple people go down prior to this game, multiple people go down due to cramping during the game. It just shows the resilience of our team,” Kahuku coach Sterling Carvalho said. “Everyone continues to work hard, next man up. We needed this game, to give us that adversity that we didn’t have all year long. Punahou is a great team, no doubt. I’m just glad about how our team worked through it and came through.”
A near-full house at Carleton Weimer Field saw Kahuku improve to 4-0 overall (1-0 OIA Open Division), handing No. 3 Punahou its first loss after three wins. Reserve quarterback Ty McCutcheon, in relief of John-Keawe Sagapolutele, was 19-for-25 with 188 yards and two touchdowns.
“We’re blessed enough to be deep at this position. He gave us a new set of eyes, basically,” Punahou coach Nate Kia said. “Kahuku has dangerous athletes and we knew that coming in. The opportunity to play them, against competition like this, helps us, exposes what we need to work on.”
Astin Hange was spectacular for Punahou with 10 receptions for 182 yards and a TD.
“Mixed emotions right now. I felt like we could’ve won that game, but it is what it is. We’ll see them again at states. That is a promise,” Hange said.
Down seven points with 1:52 remaining, Punahou drove to the Kahuku 5-yard line with 11 seconds to go. That’s where McCutcheon made his one mistake. Nitus Auelua sacked McCutcheon to end the threat and the game.
Perhaps the most pivotal play in a game of huge momentum swings was a 97-yard kickoff return by Kahuku’s Manulele Ah You to tie the game at 20. Ah You was sent in for the kick return only because Carvalho is sidelined and his brother, Kaimana, was struggling with a partially torn meniscus that he has played through all season.
“I knew he was going to take it to the house,” linebacker Leonard Ah You said.
An illegal procedure call against Punahou on the kickoff had moved the ball back 5 yards. Instead of a typical touchback on the kick by Jordan Kapisi, it landed at the 3-yard line, where Ah You worked through the middle of the field with help from his blockers.
“To be honest, I wasn’t supposed to even go (in). Coach was looking around. I was waiting there. I knew Mana was hurting. Coach said, ‘Put Manu in.’ I didn’t practice (returns) all week,” Ah You said.
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KAHUKU 27, PUNAHOU 20
At Kahuku
Punahou (3-1) 3 0 3 14 — 20
Kahuku (4-0) 0 6 0 21 — 27
Pun—Jordan Kapisi FG 35
Kah—Vaaimalae Fonoti 2 run (kick failed)
Pun—Kapisi FG 24
Pun—Noah Macaulay 7 pass from Ty McCutcheon (Kapisi kick)
Kah—Manulele Ah You 97 kickoff return (Zaden Mariteragi kick)
Kah—Astin Hange 26 pass from McCutcheon (Kapisi kick)
Kah—Clyde Taulapapa 1 run (Mariteragi kick)
Kah—Fonoti 13 run (Mariteragi kick)
RUSHING—Punahou: Alai Williams 9-39, Iosepa Lyman 9-15, McCutcheon 2-0, John-Keawe Sagapolutele 2-(minus 1). Kahuku: Fonoti 10-85, Taulapapa 16-48, Waika Crawford 2-15.
PASSING—Punahou: McCutcheon 19-25-0-188, Sagapolutele 8-17-2-112. Kahuku: Crawford 19-35-0-246.
RECEIVNG—Punahou: Hange 10-182, Macapulay 8-58, Williams 3-19, Lyman 3-18, Kalen Smith 1-16, Dash Watanabe 1-4, Luke Uechi 1-3. Kahuku: Kingsley Ah You 6-70, Brock Fonoimoana 4-82, Gemini Vendiola 3-32, Tavian Hallums 2-29, Kaimana Carvalho 2-16, Liona Lefau 1-15, Taulapapa 1-2.
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