Two very different approaches on offense resulted in the same 21 points for Moanalua and host Nanakuli as the teams played to a hard-fought tie Friday night.
Na Menehune relied on Tayden Evan Kaawa’s arm, as the sophomore completed 24 of 42 passes for 339 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions. Two Moanalua receivers topped 100 yards. Kama Corales led the way with 150 on three grabs, two for touchdowns, while Jayce Bareng caught 10 balls for 126 yards. Corales added an interception on defense.
Meanwhile, the Golden Hawks leaned on a tough ground game. Christian Asinsin carried the ball a whopping 34 times — 19 in the first half alone — for 128 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Kanoa Torres added another rushing score.
Moanalua had a good opportunity to break Nanakuli’s heart with a late touchdown, driving to the Golden Hawks 4-yard line with less than 15 seconds left to play, but Nanakuli’s Tamalii Namulauti-Auau intercepted Kaawa’s pass in the end zone.
Nanakuli scored the lone touchdown of the first quarter. Asinsin carried the ball six times on the 10-play drive, including the 7-yard touchdown run with under four minutes on the clock.
Moanalua equalized early in the second quarter. After forcing a Nanakuli turnover-on-downs, Na Menehune had a short field to work with. Kaawa took over. He completed three passes and ran the ball twice on the six-play drive, which Kaawa capped with a 19-yard scoring pass to Corales.
The Golden Hawks turned the ball over to Na Menehune on a low punt snap that was recovered by Moanalua’s Maximus Duke-Montez. Na Menehune scored one play later on Kaawa’s 11-yard touchdown throw to Kila Keone.
Nanakuli responded to the go-ahead score with a 13-play scoring drive that was extended by multiple Moanalua penalties on fourth down. Asinsin ran the ball seven times and caught one pass, but it was quarterback Torres who finished the drive with a QB sneak touchdown from the 1-yard line. The PAT was blocked, leaving the deficit at 14-13. Na Menehune tried a hail Mary on the final play of the half, but Kaawa was picked off by Nanakuli’s Carmelo Moses-Fuller.
After the first three drives of the second half resulted in no points, Moanalua broke through on a long play that nearly went the full length of the field. Kaawa connected with Corales for an 86-yard score, the second touchdown of the game for the pair.
Two plays after his big touchdown, Corales made his mark on defense. He picked off Torres to give the ball right back to Na Menehune, but nothing came of the opportunity as Moanalua gave it right back on a fumble.
Late in the fourth quarter, Nanakuli put together a clutch drive to tie the game. The Golden Hawks drove 80 yards on nine plays, scoring on Torres’ 11-yard touchdown pass to Kingston Salausa. Lester Meyers III ran the ball in for the 2-pt conversion to tie it at 21-21.
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At Nanakuli
Moanalua (1-5-1, 1-3-1) 0 14 7 0 — 21
Nanakuli (1-5-1, 0-4-1) 7 6 0 8 — 21
NANA—Christian Asinsin 7 run (Lester Meyers III kick)
MOA—Kama Corales 19 pass from Tayden Evan Kaawa (Andy Nguyen kick)
MOA—Kila Keone 11 pass from Kaawa (Nguyen kick)
NANA—Kanoa Torres 1 run (kick blocked)
MOA—Corales 86 pass from Kaawa (Nguyen kick)
NANA—Kingston Salausa 11 pass from Torres (Meyers III run)
RUSHING—Moanalua: Thor Gante 8-28, Kaawa 9-2. Nanakuli: Asinsin 34-128, Meyers III 3-42, Talitonu Keohuhu 3-10, Torres 5-(minus 7), Team 1-(minus 14).
PASSING—Moanalua: Kaawa 24-42-2-339, Naazsir Addo McCoy 0-2-0-0. Nanakuli: Torres 16-25-1-109.
RECEIVING—Moanalua: Corales 3-150, Jayce Bareng 10-126, Keone 8-60, Kyson Kealoha 1-2, Gante 2-1. Nanakuli: Titus Auwae 4-31, Salausa 2-31, Blaze Baltazar-Conselva 4-19, Asinsin 4-18, Caleb Akoni-Kelii 1-8, Richard Federico 1-2.
Junior Varsity—Moanalua 26, Nanakuli 20
