Kahuku's big catch — a Maui transfer

• Kahuku prevails over Kailua
• Farrington wins OIA 3rd-place game, 14-6
• OIA Football Championship Photo Gallery

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Kailua running back Kekoa Sua looks for running room as Kahuku's Afa Garrigan, right, and his Red Raider teammates close in for the stop. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

The 6-feet-5, 224-pound senior transfer from Maui High made a circus catch for a 6-yard, game-winning touchdown with 20 seconds left to propel the Red Raiders over Kailua, 6-0, for their fifth league title in six years.

Finau, an Maui Interscholastic League basketball all-star forward, ran a five-yard-and-out drag, where he turned to his right, leaped, tipped the ball with his right hand and hauled it in at the 1 before fighting off a defender into the end zone.

"I had to grab it," he said. "I could see the linebacker behind me."

Quarterback Waika Cravalho, who was a dismal 3 of 14 with one interception for 25 yards, said nerves had got to him earlier in the game. But he put the ball where only the 6-5 Finau could reach it.

"It was all him" Carvalho said. "It was all him."

In fact, before Finau's catch, Carvalho's only two completions were to Spencer Hafoka.

The Red Raiders got the ball with 2:47 left in the game at Kailua's 27, but struggled their way to the 6. They faced fourth-and-1 at the 18 when running back Hyrum Moors broke a tackle in the backfield for two yards for a first down to keep the drive alive. He later had a four-yard gain on third-and-4 at the 10 to put the ball at the 6. After two incompletions, Finau, who lined up as the right tight end dragged out to the right to make his catch.

Finau said he transferred from Maui High because of academic problems.

"I decided to transfer where I could get some Polynesian teachers surrounding me," he said.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Konawaena advances in BIIF: Frank Cantiberos, Braxton Luta and Daniel Libre scored for host Konawaena as it defeated Honoka'a, 21-7, last night in the Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division II semifinals.

Konawaena plays at Hawai'i Prep for the Division II championship Friday at 2 p.m.

Baldwin wins MIL: Baldwin defeated Maui, 26-12, to claim the Maui Interscholastic League's overall championship and the league's berth in the Division I state tournament.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8042.