No. 1 Kahuku runs over Castle in OIA, 45-10
By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer
KAILUA — After a slow start last night, the Kahuku High School football team steamrolled division challenger Castle, 45-10, before an overflow crowd of about 5,000 at Kailua Stadium.
The Red Raiders, ranked No. 1 in The Advertiser's statewide Top 10 poll of coaches and media, improved to 5-1 overall and 4-0 in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association's Red Conference Eastern Division. Castle, ranked No. 7, fell to 5-2, 4-1.
Castle led 3-0 after one quarter on Ethan Gonsalves' 48-yard field goal and closed Kahuku's lead to 12-10 with 1:43 remaining in the first half following Blaine Kobashigawa's 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. But the Red Raiders immediately answered with Mau-He Moala's 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, and Jacob Kahawai'i's two-point conversion pass to Spencer Hafoka made it 20-10 at the half.
The Knights suffered another big blow right before halftime, when starting quarterback Junior Mansanas injured his right (throwing) shoulder after a 22-yard run. Mansanas, who took over when original starter Bryce Kalauoka'aea suffered a season-ending knee injury five weeks ago, did not return.
Mansanas had completed 11 of 20 passes for 104 yards and rushed four times for 31 yards. Replacement Jordan Nakayama completed 13 of 26 passes for 95 yards and had two carries for minus-11 yards.
Kahuku also lost its starting quarterback, Bronson Ponciano-Ahue, on the game's second play when he injured his left (non-throwing) elbow. He also did not return.
"He wanted to come back in, but we decided to play it safe and keep him out," Red Raiders coach Siuaki Livai said. "We felt even with our backup, we could wear them down eventually running the ball."
Livai was right.
Kahuku lost a fumble on its first possession and punted on its next two series, but pounded away at Castle's undersized defense and finished the game with 293 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns. Kamuela Alisa led the way with 83 yards on 15 carries, Micah Strickland added 81 yards on nine rushes and Malosi Te'o had 78 yards on eight carries.
The strong ground attack also opened the passing lanes, and Kahawai'i took advantage with a 33-yard touchdown pass to Redmond Tutor to make it 26-10 with 4:53 left in the third quarter. Alisa's 14-yard touchdown run on the second play of the fourth quarter made it 32-10, and Strickland added a 13-yard TD run with 7:13 remaining.
Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2456.
KAHUKU (5-1, 4-0) 0 20 6 19—45
CASTLE (5-2, 4-1) 3 7 0 0—10
Cast—FG Ethan Gonsalves 48
Kah—Malosi Te'o 16 run (run failed)
Kah—Kamuela Alisa 1 run (pass failed)
Cast—Blaine Kobashigawa 90 kickoff return (Gonsalves kick)
Kah—Mau-He Moala 92 kickoff return (Spencer Hafoka pass from Jacob Kahawai'i)
Kah—Redmond Tutor 33 pass from Kahawai'i (kick blocked)
Kah—Alisa 14 run (kick blocked)
Kah—Micah Strickland 13 run (pass intercepted)
Kah—Strickland 12 run (Tutor kick)
RUSHING—Kahuku: Alisa 15-83, Te'o 8-78, Strickland 9-81, Simi Alo 3-22, Hafoka 1-31, Jason Mauai 1-1, A.J. Victorian 1-(minus-3). Castle: Justin Kruse 1-(minus-1), Junior Mansanas 4-31, Nicholas Rapoza 1-2, Jordan Nakayama 2-(minus-11), John Ufuti 4-(minus-3).
PASSING—Kahuku: Kahawai'i 5-14-1—117. Cast: Mansanas 11-20-0—104, Nakayama 13-26-0—95.
RECEIVING—Kahuku: Hafoka 4-84, Tutor 1-33. Castle: Gonsalves 1-10, Lihikai Domingo 4-43, Victor Clore 3-30, Kobashigawa 10-76, Jonathan Horner 2-10, Kruse 1-3, Jordan Kahoekapu 2-21, Alika Kalopodes 1-6.
JV score—Kahuku 40, Castle 28
LEILEHUA 43, KAPOLEI 23
Chustin Senas caught eight passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns to lead the undefeated Mules over the visiting Hurricanes in an OIA Red West Division game.
Leilehua's Bryant Moniz completed 17 of 28 passes for 295 yards and three touchdowns. The Mules led 43-7 after three quarters.
Leilehua (6-0, 4-0) visits Mililani (6-0, 5-0) this Friday.
Kapolei (2-4, 2-2) 7 0 0 16—23
Leilehua (6-0, 4-0) 7 14 22 0—43
Lei—Justin Lawelawe 10 run (Ryan Bibilone kick)
Kapo—Radford Raquedan 9 run (Aaron Santiago kick)
Lei—Lawelawe 3 run (Bibilone kick)
Lei—Mene Coffin 39 interception return(Bibilone kick)
Lei—Chustin Senas 65 pass from Bryant Moniz (Lawelawe run)
Lei—Senas 20 pass Moniz (Bibilone kick)
Lei—Guy Cantrell 14 pass from Moniz (Bibilone kick)
Kapo—Caleb Spencer 11 pass Brad Padayao (Spencer pass from Padayao)
Kapo—Tony Talo 13 run (Lokahi Olayan pass from John Medeiros)
RUSHING—Kapolei: Medeiros 9-86; Raquedan 9-41; Ikaika Tan 5-10; Padayao 3-45; Talo 8-52; Joshua Alison 1-0; Etu Mafi 2-6. Leilehua: Lawelawe 6-45; Sione Faleofa 4-33.
PASSING—Kapolei: Padayao 3-13-1—50; Medeiros 2-9-2—13. Leilehua: Moniz 17-28-1—295; Lawelawe 0-1-0—0.
RECEIVING—Kapolei: Jimmy Stevens 1-28; Santiago 1-11; Raquedan 1-2; Keoki Lapina 1-11; Spencer 1-11. Leilehua: Anthony Palmares 4-66; Senas 8-188; Dwight Villanueva 3-24; John Felix 1-3; Cantrell 1-14.
JV score—Leilehua 28, Kapolei 26.
Reported by Udie Algoso
BIIF
Hawai'I Prep 56, Ka'u 6
Michael Kopra and Mana Purdy each ran for a pair of touchdowns and the visiting Ka Makani rolled past the Trojans in a Big Island Interscholastic Federation game last night.
Timothy Garcia hauled in two touchdown passes from Billy Case as Hawai'i Prep improved to 5-0 in league play.
Hawai'i Prep (5-2, 5-0) 21 21 14 0—56
Ka'u (0-6, 0-5) 0 0 0 6— 6
HPA—Michael Kopra 16 run (Kopra kick)
HPA—Kopra 6 run (Kopra kick)
HPA—Timothy Garcia 5 pass from Billy Case (Kopra kick)
HPA—Zachary Say 1 run (Kopra kick)
HPA—Garcia 20 pass from Case (Kopra kick)
HPA—Sparky Springneier 30 pass from Billy Case (Kopra kick)
HPA—Mana Purdy 40 run (Kopra kick)
HPA—Purdy 30 run (Kopra kick)
Ka'u—Curtis Alcoran 1 run (kick failed)
Reported by Kealani Gangwes
WAIAKEA 42, KOHALA 21
CJ Rosencrans ran for two touchdowns and host Waiakea scored 21 points in the third quarter to turn back Kohala on Friday night at Wong Stadium.
KOHALA 0 13 0 8—21
WAIAKEA 7 7 21 7—42
Wai—CJ Rosencrans 2 run (Gene Okamura kick)
Koh—Cameron Kawai 82 run (kick good)
Wai—Joshua Yamamoto 8 run (Okamura kick)
Koh—Reyn Matsu 33 run (kick failed)
Wai—Rosencrans 16 run (Okamura kick)
Wai—Glenn Kyota 6 run (Okamura kick)
Wai—Tim DeloSantos 26 run (Okamura kick)
Wai—Aka Kaleo 5 run (Okamura kick)
Koh—Heliz Ramos 60 run (conversion run)
Konawaena 30, Kamehameha 17
Michael Nahe threw three touchdown passes to Cody Silsley to carry host Konawaena over Kamehameha on Friday night.
Kamehameha (4-2, NA) 10 0 0 7—17
Konawaena (4-2, 4-1) 0 15 7 8—30
KIF
Kaua'i 14, Kapa'a 10
Kekoa Crowell hit Kevin Cadiente with a 73-yard touchdown pass with 9:51 to play as Kaua'i beat Kapa'a in a Kaua'i Interscholastic Federation game Friday night at Vidinha Stadium.
Kaua'i (2-1) 0 7 0 7—14
Kapa'a (0-3) 0 7 0 3—10
Kap—Kailima Leong 11 run (Kai Kanoho kick)
Kau—Niko Elbenia 2 run (Frank Speetjens kick)
Kap—Kanoho 25 fg
Kau—9:51 Kevin Cadiente 73 pass from Kekoa Crowell (Speetjens kick).
RUSHING—Kaua'i: Elbenia 19-82, Crowell 7-36, Brian Rodrigues 2-1. Kapa'a: Leong 15-84, Lance Taniguchi-Fu 13-36, Bronson Yadao 9-42, Lot Sarsona 5-11, Ekolu Allianic 4-(minus 5), Chris Baltazar 2-17.
PASSING—Kaua'i: Crowell 8-21-1 159. Kapa'a: Leong 3-11-2 60, Allianic 0-1-1 0.
RECEIVING—Kaua'i: Cadiente 4-107, Chad Lopez 3-46, Lucky Andres 1-6. Kapa'a: Sarsona 1-36, Allianic 1-19, Taniguchi-Fu 1-5.
JV score—Kaua'i 35, Kapa'a 0.
Reported by Harold Naumu
