Iolani topples Hawai'i Prep to reach D-II final

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

The rainy weather changed at halftime, and so did the Iolani School football team's fortunes last night in a 17-7 victory over Hawai'i Prep in the Division II state semifinals.

HPA, ranked No. 8, ends its season at 11-3.

Steady rain fell throughout the first half last night at Kamehameha's Kunuiakea Stadium, apparently hampering Iolani's prolific passing attack. Ka Makani, meanwhile, thrived with its ground game and took a 7-3 lead into the locker room.

But the rain stopped in the third quarter, and the Raiders' offense responded.

Iolani took a 17-7 lead after two third-quarter touchdowns and then held on for the victory.

"I think the rain helped us shut them down in the first half," said Hawai'i Prep fullback/linebacker Michael Kopra. "But they have a really good quarterback (Kiran Kepo'o) — he's got an arm — and they're a fast team. They also changed their defense around, and a lot of our guys (play) offense and defense, so it kind of tired us out."

Iolani went 67 yards on four plays after the second-half kickoff, highlighted by Michael Hirokawa's 39-yard run and capped by his 5-yard touchdown catch from Kepo'o.

The Raiders scored again with 2:20 remaining in the quarter on Kepo'o's 59-yard TD pass to Kekai Kealoha. Milo Kalama's extra point made it 17-7.

Kepo'o finished 14 of 24 for 180 yards and was not intercepted. But Iolani also ran the ball effectively in the second half, with 85 of its 104 rushing yards coming after intermission.

Hirokawa finished with 103 yards on 19 carries.

"They killed us with the run in the second half, especially with the draw and the trap," Ka Makani coach Tom Goodspeed said.

Kopra, who rushed for 184 yards and five touchdowns in last week's victory over Waipahu, gained 66 yards on 14 carries in the first half. HPA had 135 rushing yards in the first two quarters, but Ka Makani threw 11 passes in the second half in a comeback effort, compared to just three first-half attempts.

"(Iolani) threw everybody in the box and did a good job shutting down what we do," Goodspeed said. "Then when they got ahead, we had to throw it more."

Kopra finished with 91 yards on 23 carries, and teammate Zach Say gained 97 yards on 12 rushes. Kopra suffered a deep thigh bruise in last week's game and has been battling strep throat the past three weeks, but refused to cite those adversities.

"Those would be excuses, and I don't like to make excuses," Kopra said.

Goodspeed said that is a predictable response from his 5-foot-10, 180-pound senior.

"He's done that several times this year — he'd be sick, but he kept going," Goodspeed said. "But he just embodies the spirit of this team. There's a lot of guys on this team who are the same way but don't get the attention. That's why I'm so incredibly proud of these guys."

Hawai'i Prep took the game's opening kickoff and drove 56 yards in 11 plays, but lost the ball on downs at the Iolani 11 after Kopra was stopped for no gain on fourth-and-1.

The Raiders then went 66 yards on 16 plays and scored on Kalama's 30-yard field goal with 42 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

Ka Makani responded by going 75 yards in just three plays, including quarterback Billy Case's 29-yard scramble and Say's 40-yard touchdown run. Kopra's extra point gave HPA a 7-3 lead with 11:17 left in the half.

HAWAI'I PREP (11-3) 0 7 0 0 — 7
IOLANI (9-2) 3 0 14 0 — 17

Iol — FG Milo Kalama 30

HPA — Zach Say 40 run (Michael Kopra kick)

Iol — Michael Hirokawa 5 pass from Kiran Kepo'o (Kalama kick)

Iol — Kekai Kealoha 59 pass from Kepo'o (Kalama kick)

RUSHING — HPA: Kopra 23-91, Say 12-97, Billy Case 7-52, Andrew Queen 1-2; Iol: Hirokawa 19-103, Micah Kalama 2-10, Kepo'o 2-(minus-3).

PASSING — HPA: Case 5-14-2—50; Iol: Kepo'o 14-24-0—180.

RECEIVING — HPA: Say 2-7, Queen 2-27, Sparky Springmeier 1-16; Iol: Kealoha 7-118, Hirokawa 6-57, Micah Kalama 1-5.

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