With just three workouts this week, Will Proctor and his Aina teammates didn't have time to practice the winning play in the Cornerstone Bancard Hula Bowl yesterday.

It hardly mattered for the Clemson quarterback.

Proctor threw the go-ahead two-point conversion to Tennessee's Bret Smith and the Aina scored 15 points in the final 44 seconds to beat the Kai, 18-10, before 7,919 at Aloha Stadium.

"We literally drew the play up on the sideline," said Proctor, who finished 9 of 15 for 107 yards and was named the Aina's MVP. "It was an amazing catch. I just tried to throw it where no one else could get it but our guy. Fortunately, he came down with it and we came out with a win."

Clemson running back Reggie Merriweather's 1-yard touchdown with 44 seconds left set up the go-ahead two-point conversion for the Aina. The winning drive started at the Kai 39 following a fumble on a mishandled snap between Wisconsin quarterback John Stocco and Harvard center Frank Fernandez.

"In an all-star game, you want to go for two, and try to win it at the end," said West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez, who coached the Aina team. "It was a super play."

On the two-point play, Proctor rolled right and lofted a high pass to wideout Smith who made a leaping one-handed catch in the right corner of the end zone to give the Aina an 11-10 lead.

"This ranks as one of my highest moments in college football," said Smith, who finished with two catches for 26 yards. "I play basketball so I knew I could jump."

Alabama defensive back Ramzee Robinson intercepted Boise State's Jared Zabransky seconds later and returned it 44 yards for an Aina touchdown to seal the game with 10 seconds left.

The Kai got the ball back, but Zabransky's final deep pass fell incomplete.

"This is why people come to watch all-star games," said Zabransky, who went 6 of 11 for 63 yards. He also ran for 20 yards.

The 61st Hula Bowl — Hawai'i's longest running sports attraction — featured seven players from the University of Hawai'i and several others with Hawai'i ties in the senior all-star game.

"It was crazy," said Hawai'i running back Nate Ilaoa, who ran six times for 7 yards and caught two passes for 23 yards and a touchdown. "Somebody had to win. Unfortunately, it wasn't us."

Hawai'i defensive ends Ikaika Alama-Francis and Mel Purcell both suffered injuries in the game. Alama-Francis, who finished with two tackles and a sack, may have torn his right pectoral muscle in the first half, and Purcell, who had two tackles and a sack, likely sprained the medial collateral ligament in his left knee late in game, according to Hawai'i assistant coach Rich Miano who received a preliminary diagnosis from medical staff at the game.

"I was just in the middle of the pile," Purcell said. "Everyone just fell on me."

Fresno State's Dwayne Wright led all rushers with 25 yards on five carries, while Arizona State's Terry Richardson led the receivers with 48 yards on three catches.

Elon outside linebacker Chad Nkang was named MVP for the Kai team. He finished with a game-high nine tackles.

Sparked by players from the Western Athletic Conference, the Kai scored on the opening drive.

Zabransky's 16-yard touchdown pass to Ilaoa gave the Kai an early 7-0 lead. On the play, Ilaoa caught the swing pass on the left side, got an upfield block by Colorado State offensive guard Josh Day and rammed his way into the end zone.

"It was a good thing I was able to score," Ilaoa said. "It ranks up there, but it was mostly hanging out with all these dudes that was special."

Texas' Greg Johnson kicked a 23-yard field goal to extend the Kai lead, but the Aina responded with a 24-yard field goal by Auburn's John Vaughn just before halftime to cut the deficit to 10-3.

The Kai missed two scoring opportunities in the third quarter when its drives stalled on the Aina 28 and 27. Rather than attempting long field goals, the Kai team tried to pass and was sacked on both occasions. The second drive squandered a 60-yard punt return by Kansas State's Yamon Figurs.

"It didn't matter what the outcome was," Hawai'i safety Leonard Peters said. "The main thing was we got to showcase our skills to the NFL scouts. I think people who came out here had fun watching us play."

The Kai team performed the haka at midfield about 20 minutes before the game. Hawai'i running back Reagan Mauia led the Maori war dance that was greeted with a roar from the crowd. Even Fresno State coach Pat Hill, the coach of the Kai team, danced from the back row.

The Hula Bowl was played in Honolulu for the second consecutive year following eight years on Maui.

Joe Dan Rogers, the Hula Bowl's executive director, said the Georgia-based organizers recently signed a five-year contract with a top sports marketing firm and they will continue to host the all-star game in Hawai'i.

"We're not going anywhere," Rogers said. "The Hula Bowl is here to stay at Aloha Stadium. The 61st Hula Bowl was a heck of a success. There's going to be a 62nd, a 63rd, and 64th and more down the road."

Reach Brandon Masuoka at bmasuoka@honoluluadvertiser.com.