Castle beats Kailua, 36-29, with three late touchdowns
| • | Reyes helps Wai'anae gain playoff berth |
By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer
KANEOHE — In a high school football game for the ages between two longtime Windward O'ahu rivals, Castle rallied past Kailua, 36-29, last night.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser
An overflow crowd of about 4,000 at Castle saw the Knights overcome deficits of 17-3 and 23-17 to improve to 6-2 overall, 6-1 in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association's Red Conference. Kailua fell to 6-2, 5-2.
Kailua's Felipo Mokofisi sacks Castle quarterback Joel Botelho in the second quarter. Botelho finished with 162 yards passing and 35 yards rushing.
Kailua tailback Brenton Harbottle scored on a 1-yard run with 2:06 remaining to shave a Castle lead to 30-29, but Knights defensive back Bronson Melemai intercepted a two-point conversion pass to preserve the lead. Castle quarterback Joel Botelho scored on a 42-yard touchdown run with 1:02 left, on fourth-and-2, to seal the victory.
"With this team, there is no quiting," Botelho said. "We can be getting killed 57-10, like we did against Kahuku, but we're gonna keep fighting till the end. That's what's great about this team — we have unity."
The Knights needed to pull together after Kailua rushed for 177 yards on its way to a 17-3 first-half lead. Harbottle gained 98 of those yards on 14 carries and finished with 181 yards on 35 rushes.
"It appeared their game plan was to just play smash-mouth football and wear us down," Castle coach Nelson Maeda said. "It was working in the first half — they were controlling the clock and keeping our offense off the field."
Botelho, who entered the game leading the Red Conference in passing (1,380 yards) and rushing (502), started slowly. He missed on his first four attempts, but recovered to throw two touchdown passes in the final 90 seconds of the half to help the Knights tie the game at 17-17.
Surfriders quarterback Taleki Mailau scored on a 2-yard touchdown run with 1:06 remaining in the third quarter to put Kailua up, 23-17, but the extra point was blocked. Botelho tied the game on a 1-yard sneak of his own on the first play of the fourth quarter, but officials ruled Nolan Miranda's extra point no good. His kick hit the crossbar and appeared to fall through the uprights.
On Kailua's next possession, the Surfriders attempted a fake punt on fourth-and-12 from their own 45, but the snap was fumbled and Castle's Dayton AhNee ran it in 40 yards to help give the Knights a 30-23 lead with 7:15 left.
Botelho finished with 162 yards passing and 35 yards rushing.
• • •
Kailua (5-2, 6-2) 0 17 6 6—29
Castle (6-1, 6-2) 0 17 0 19—36
Cas—FG Nolan Miranda 35
Kail—Taleki Mailau 1 run (John Heu kick)
Kail—Safety blocked punt out of end zone
Kail—McDonald Abejon 20 pass from Mailau (Mailau run)
Cas—Dayton AhNee 13 pass from Joel Botelho (Miranda kick)
Cas—Loren Lum 17 pass from Botelho (Miranda kick)
Kail—Mailau 2 run (kick blocked)
Cas—Botelho 1 run (kick failed)
Cas—AhNee 40 fumble return (Miranda kick)
Kail—Brenton Harbottle 1 run (pass intercepted)
Cas—Botelho 42 run (kick failed)
RUSHING—Kailua: Harbottle 35-181, Nathan Leaver 13-61, Mailau 9-20, George Kalaau 2-9, Ranson Kepa 1-4. Castle: Botelho 7-35, Ikaika Ho 1-18, Fale Taupaki 3-8, Ola Keliiholokai 5-5.
PASSING—Kailua: Mailau 9-17-2—87. Castle: Botelho 11-22-0—162.
RECEIVING—Kailua: David Kaihenui 3-43, Abejon 3-39, Kealii Kalahiki 2-6, Micah Brown 1-(minus 1). Castle: Miranda 2-62, Lum 4-50, Holokai 2-19, Ho 2-18, AhNee 1-13.
JV—Castle 21, Kailua 20
