Posted on: Friday, October 17, 2003

Nanakuli eases into postseason

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

The Nanakuli High School football team got its wish without having to squeeze out tonight's results.

The Golden Hawks, who ended their regular season last week with a 4-3 record in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association, earned one of the Red Conference Western Division's four playoff berths Monday when the league's executive council ruled Leilehua must forfeit its 8-6 victory over Waipahu Sept. 19 because it used an ineligible player.

Previously, Nanakuli needed a loss tonight by Leilehua, Pearl City or Wai'anae to keep its playoff hopes alive. But now that Leilehua's record is 2-4, the Mules cannot finish higher than the Golden Hawks.

"I can sleep good now," Nanakuli coach Al Beaver said Wednesday night, upon learning the news.

Beaver said that with the Golden Hawks' future up in the air, he gave the team Monday and Tuesday off and had players go through only conditioning drills Wednesday.

"We were only going to do conditioning again (on Thursday), but now we can have a regular practice," Beaver said. "We didn't want to get into heavy preparation when we didn't even know if we'd get in the playoffs. We didn't want to get the kids' hopes up."

Now the pressure is on Leilehua, which must beat Mililani (6-0) and hope Wai'anae (3-3) loses to Campbell (1-5). If that occurs, then Leilehua will earn the fourth playoff spot by virtue of its 21-6 victory over Wai'anae Sept. 12.

Before the forfeit, Leilehua could have made the playoffs with a victory over Mililani or a loss by Wai'anae; now both must happen for the Mules to get in.

In the East, the pressure is on Castle (3-3) and McKinley (3-3), who play each other tomorrow night. Neither team can advance with a loss; a tie gets Castle in and McKinley would be out.

Farrington, meanwhile, is in the same position as Nanakuli. Until it was revealed Wednesday that Castle would have to forfeit its 40-32 victory over Kailua Sept. 19, Farrington (3-2-1) was in a position of having to either beat Kaimuki (0-6) tonight or have McKinley lose or tie.

Now, the Governors are in regardless.

Then, there is Kahuku (6-0) and Kailua (5-0-1), whose game tonight now becomes the Red-East title match.

Here is a closer look at that game. Kickoff is set for about 7:30.

Kahuku at Kailua

Advertiser Top 10 ranking: Kahuku No. 2, Kailua No. 6

Last week: Kahuku defeated Castle, 47-15; Kailua tied Farrington, 13-13.

Notes: Kailua has not beaten Kahuku since 1988, an 11-game stretch ... In last year's meeting, also on the regular season's final weekend, Kahuku held off Kailua 12-7 after the game ended with a Surfrider being tackled on the Kahuku 1-yard line ... The Red Raiders put on one of their finest performances in two years last week, amassing 588 yards of offense (382 rushing, 206 passing) and holding Castle to minus-36 yards on the ground. Hyrum Moors (159 yards, two touchdowns) and Waika Carvalho (10-of-13 passing, two TDs) led the offense, and Shosei Yamauchi (two sacks) led the defense ... Kailua running back Kekoa Sua, who rushed for 963 yards in the first five games (including nonleague), has sat out the past two games with an ankle injury. But Damien Torres has stepped in and now leads all O'ahu rushers with 735 yards. ... Wet and muddy conditions hampered the Surfriders' offense last week, as they lost two fumbles and were limited to six pass attempts until midway through the fourth quarter. But on Kailua's final, game-tying drive, quarterback Kelroy Kohatsu completed 6 of 8 passes for 57 yards, including a 7-yard touchdown to Bronson Kamaka with 46 seconds remaining.

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2456.

—Advertiser Staff