Kahuku took care of Moanalua as expected Friday, and the Red Raiders look primed for next week’s showdown for the OIA Open Division’s top seed.
Waika Crawford completed 11 of 17 passes for 128 yards and five touchdowns and all three of Kache Kaio’s receptions went for touchdowns — with the pair’s production all coming in the first half — as No. 1 Kahuku steamrolled host Moanalua 60-7.
“The first half, I felt like we came out strong,” Crawford said. “Getting a fast start is what we wanted and that’s what we did.”
Kahuku (7-2, 5-0) will conclude the regular season on Oct. 15 by hosting current fellow unbeaten Mililani (4-0). The Trojans host Kapolei tonight.
Friday’s results locked in Kahuku, Mililani, Campbell and Kapolei for the four-team OIA tournament, with seedings to be determined. The top three finishers will advance to the state tournament.
“We didn’t want this to be a trap game coming off a big game against Saint Frances (of Maryland, a 22-15 loss),’’ said Kahuku coach Sterling Carvalho. “We treated this game like a springboard to get ready for Mililani next week. They’ll be ready as much as we’ll be ready.”
The Red Raiders scored on four of their first five possessions, with the average starting field position being Na Menehune’s 36.
Kahuku led 19-0 after the first quarter on Crawford’s 23-yard touchdown pass to Kaio with 10:07 left, Crawford’s 4-yarder to Kaio with 7:36 remaining and Lamana Tapusoa’s 12-yard run with 4:14 to go.
“No. 33 (Kaio) is actually a childhood friend, our families are really close,” Crawford said. “Those were his first three touchdowns of the season. He hasn’t really gotten many targets lately, so I knew I had to get his confidence up and hopefully we can keep it going.”
Kahuku took a 48-0 lead into halftime on Crawford’s 11-yard pass to Kaimana Carvalho, Madden Soliai’s 43-yard interception return off a lateral from Carvalho, and touchdown passes from Crawford to Kaio and Shaun Niu Jr.
Niu also had two interceptions, Devon Enesa recovered a squibbed kickoff and Nitus Auelua had two of his team’s five sacks before halftime.
“Defensive-wise, we did amazing. Everybody works together, everybody communicates,” Carvalho said.
Kahuku had 186 yards of total offense in the first half, while Moanalua (2-5-1, 1-4) had 30.
Keona Poouahi-MacPherson scored on an 8-yard run on the first drive of the second half and Vaaimalae Fonoti scored from 19 yards out in the fourth to make it 60-0.
Na Menehune scored on backup quarterback Cade Rodriguez’s 15-yard pass to Cameron Johnson with 3:59 remaining.
Kahuku used a balanced rushing attack en route to 272 yards, while Moanalua had minus-33 yards.
—
KAHUKU 60, MOANALUA 7
At Moanalua
Kahuku (7-2, 5-0) 19 29 6 6 — 60
Moanalua (2-5-1, 1-4) 0 0 0 7 — 7
Kah—Kache Kaio 23 pass from Waika
Crawford (Zaden Mariteragi kick)
Kah—Kaio 4 pass from Crawford (kick failed)
Kah—Lamana Tapusoa 12 run (kick failed)
Kah—Kaimana Carvalho 11 pass from Crawford (Mariteragi kick)
Kah—Madden Soliai 43 interception return
off lateral from Kaimana Carvalho (Mariteragi kick)
Kah—Kaio 6 pass from Crawford (Maximum Fonoimoana from Carvalho)
Kah—Shaun Niu Jr. 15 pass from Crawford (Mariteragi kick)
Kah—Keona Poouahi-MacPherson 8 run (kick failed)
Kah—Vaaimalae Fonoti 19 run (kick failed)
Moan—Cameron Johnson 15 pass from Cade Rodriguez (Andy Nguyen kick)
RUSHING—Kahuku: Fonoti 8-81, Damon
Lauaki 6-79, Poouahi-MacPherson 9-60, Tapusoa 4-55, Sitani Suguturaga 2-4, Crawford 1-(minus 7). Moanalua: Johnson 3-1, Rodriguez 1-0, team 1-(minus 3), Tayden-Evan Kaawa 5-(minus 21).
PASSING—Kahuku: Crawford 11-17-0-128, Suguturaga 0-4-1-0. Moanalua: Rodriguez 10-17-0-105, Kaawa 9-18-3-63.
RECEIVING—Kahuku: Kaio 3-33, Kingsley Ah You 3-47, Tavian Hallums 3-22, Carvalho 1-11, Niu Jr. 1-15. Moanalua: Eric Stephens 4-37, Johnson 4-31, Keenan Ulu 3-55, Kingston Ishimine 2-14, Jayce Bareng 2-2, Niko Armstead-Lehti 1-13, Thor Gante 1-10, Daniel Bittle 1-3, Gabe Wells 1-3.
Junior Varsity—Kahuku 47, Moanalua 0
