Roosevelt’s uptempo offense got going after a slow start and it led to quick points Friday against Kaimuki.
Ioane Kamanao completed 12 of 20 passes for 259 yards and three touchdowns and Roosevelt scored 31 unanswered points in a 34-22 victory over Kaimuki in the final of the OIA Division II tournament at Mililani.
After falling behind 14-3, the Rough Riders scored a touchdown late in the first half, put up 17 in the third quarter and seven in the fourth. The scoring spurt covered 16 minutes and 13 seconds of game time.
“Our kids played flat from the beginning,” Roosevelt coach Kui Kahooilihala said. “The second half, they knew what they had to do. We just needed to execute better in the second half.”
Kamanao had to leave the game briefly twice after getting sacked.
“Help my team win,” he said of toughing it out. “I know I bring a great impact to this team. Whatever I can do to help.”
The Rough Riders’ only previous OIA title was a D-II crown under Kahooilihala in 2018.
Roosevelt (8-3) and Kaimuki (5-6) will represent the OIA at the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA D-II State Championships, which start next Friday.
Roosevelt’s Jahsiah Souza-Armstead had five receptions for 164 yards and two touchdowns, including a 97-yarder.
The Rough Riders, who have won their past six games, went with a hurry-up offense, which appeared to wear down Kaimuki.
“My kids have big hearts. I’m kind of getting emotion(al) because they leave it on the line every single week,” Kaimuki coach Reid Yoshikawa said. “We have 30 suited (up). We lost a couple in the game. That’s how it is.”
Roosevelt’s Kahooilihala said: “We need to go fast. That’s our M.O.”
The Bulldogs led 14-3 after Iosefa Letuli’s 65-yard pass to Niutupuivaha Uluave with 6:42 remaining before halftime.
The Rough Riders got within 14-10 on Kamanao’s 10-yard quarterback draw with 11.7 seconds left before halftime.
“That momentum really kept going throughout the game,” Kamanao said. “It helped us get the job done.”
The Rough Riders took their first lead at 17-14 on Kamanao’s 6-yard lob pass to Souza-Armstead with 9:46 remaining in the third quarter.
Roosevelt extended the advantage to 24-14 on Kamanao’s 30-yard pass to Taimane Souza-Fautanu, who caught a short pass and broke a tackle on his way to the end zone with 7:58 remaining in the third. Luke Tuasivi recovered a fumble on the previous play.
Souza-Fautanu also finished with 13 tackles and forced a fumble.
Roosevelt went up 27-14 on Journey DePeralta’s 33-yard field goal with 1:53 left in the third.
Kamanao hooked up with Souza-Armstead on an electrifying 97-yard touchdown pass, which put the Rough Riders ahead 34-14 with 7:59 remaining in the game. The drive was set up by Kolo Taetakua Thompson’s interception.
“My leg is hurt, so it’s kind of hurting more,” Souza-Armstead said. “I was on an island. I just got the job done. I want to shout out my QB, he always makes the right reads on the passes.”
Kaimuki ended Roosevelt’s scoring run on Letuli’s 1-yard sneak and his 2-point conversion run with 4:51 remaining, which got the Bulldogs within 34-22.
The Rough Riders had 183 yards of total offense in the first half and 227 in the second.
Kaimuki, which had won four of its previous five games, went primarily with a heavy formation, which had two tight ends and three running backs aligned in front of quarterback Letuli. The Bulldogs often shifted to three- or four-receiver sets in passing situations.
“The defense worked hard this week,” Kahooilihala said. “They knew they were going to come in with the big package. A lot of work went in this week with the coaches.”
The Bulldogs scored on their first possession on Letuli’s 30-yard pass to Jeremiah White, who caught a short pass on the left side, juked a defender and sped down the sideline with 6:17 left in the first quarter. Hinano Kahawai’s PAT kick made it 7-0.
Kaimuki benefited from 25 penalty yards against Roosevelt on the drive.
The Rough Riders drove to the Bulldogs’ 2 on the next possession, but Kamanao was sacked and left the game with an injury.
DePeralta capped the drive with a 22-yard field goal with 4:16 remaining in the quarter, which got Roosevelt within 7-3.
Kamanao returned on the next Roosevelt possession but got injured again on another sack. He returned on the next Roosevelt drive.
Letuli completed 16 of 31 passes for 131 yards and rushed 28 times for 143 yards for Kaimuki.
Roosevelt’s Kaleikaumaka Akiona rushed 29 times for 111 yards.
On Aug. 18, Roosevelt beat Kaimuki 28-13.
OIA D-II CHAMPIONSHIP
ROOSEVELT 34, KAIMUKI 22
At John Kauinana Stadium
Kaimuki (5-6) 7 7 0 8—22
Roosevelt (8-3) 3 7 17 7—34
KAIM—Jeremiah White 30 pass from Iosefa Letuli (Hinano Kahawai kick) ROOS—FG Journey DePeralta 22 KAIM—Niutupuivaha Uluave 65 pass from Iosefa Letuli (Kahawai kick)
ROOS—Ioane Kamanao 10 run (DePeralta kick)
ROOS—Jahsiah Souza-Armstead 6 pass from Kamanao (DePeralta kick) ROOS—Taimane Souza-Fautanu 30 pass from Kamanao (DePeralta kick) ROOS—FG DePeralta 33 ROOS—Souza-Armstead 97 pass from Kamanao (DePeralta kick)
KAIM—Iosefa Letuli 1 run (Iosefa Letuli run)
RUSHING—Kaimuki: Iosefa Letuli 28- 143, Lukela Hicks 7-46, Iosua Letuli 3-2, Team 1-(minus 1). Roosevelt: Kaleikau- maka Akiona 29-111, Souza-Fautanu 5-36, Kamanao 4-(minus 9). PASSING—Kaimuki: Iosefa Letuli 16-31- 1-131. Roosevelt: Kamanao 12-20-0- 259, Souza-Fautanu 2-3-0-13. RECEIVING—Kaimuki: Uluave 5-89, White 4-28, Hicks 4-9, Harmon Sio 1-3, Peter Maulolo 1-2, Ezekiel Kuiee-Matias 1-0. Roosevelt: Souza-Armstead 5-164, Souza-Fautanu 3-48, Keawe Davis 3-39, Dayten Tilton 3-21.
