WAI'ANAE — The Kailua High School football team's upset bid against Wai'anae ended prematurely last night, when referee Mathew Smithe called the game with 24 seconds remaining for safety reasons.

Wai'anae won the O'ahu Interscholastic Association quarterfinal, 14-10, with the game ending as Kailua had gained a first-and-10 from its own 19 after a roughing-the-passer penalty on Wai'anae.

Tempers flared after the penalty, and after order was restored Smithe held the ball aloft, indicating the game was over.

A few minutes earlier, with 1:20 remaining on the clock, a fight between fans broke out near a stadium entrance, attracting a big crowd and causing the game to be delayed for about two minutes as police and security intervened.

Kailua coach Gary Rosolowich said Smithe cited safety as the reason for ending the game.

"The explanation he gave was that he felt things were going to get out of hand," Rosolowich said.

Wai'anae coach Danny Matsumoto said it probably was a good decision.

"For the safety of the fans and the players, that may have been the right call," Matsumoto said. "But it's too bad it had to end this way. That's not how we wanted it."

Rosolowich, upset about his Surfriders being flagged 18 times for 166 yards, said he wasn't sure the game's outcome would have changed had they been allowed to finish.

"Under the circumstances, with all the forces that were working against us for (47) minutes, I don't think things would have changed a lot in the next 24 seconds," he said.

The penalties notwithstanding, Kailua (3-7) gave the Seariders (7-2) all they could handle from the outset.

The Surfriders scored on their second possession with Jacob Gibson racing 57 yards for a touchdown on a first-play handoff.

Wai'anae answered with Henry Keomalu's 1-yard quarterback sneak on fourth-and-goal, and his extra point tied it at 7-7.

Kailua then took a 10-7 lead on Kaika Sasaoka's 24-yard field goal 48 seconds before halftime.

The Seariders began the second half with a 15-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, culminating in Curtis Jones' 1-yard run.

Kailua moved the ball effectively into Wai'anae territory several times after that, but penalties and interceptions by Preston Ayala and Chad Pa'ahuli thwarted scoring opportunities. Gibson finished with 142 rushing yards on 20 carries.

"Give credit to Kailua — they're a tough, physical team," Matsumoto said.

"They ran the ball hard and their record does not reflect how good a team they are; they're much better than a 3-7 team. Our defense made big plays when they had to, but we were fortunate to win this one."

KAILUA (3-7) 7 3 0 0 — 10

WAI'ANAE (7-2) 7 0 7 0 — 14

Kai—Jacob Gibson 57 run (Kaika Sasaoka kick)

Wai—Henry Keomalu 1 run (Keomalu kick)

Kai—FG Sasaoka 24

Wai—Curtis Jones 1 run (Keomalu kick)

RUSHING—Kailua: Jacob Gibson 20-142, Gabriel Taito 2-1, Travis Holeso-Wolfe 1-0, Makana Atisanoe 1-0, Keelan Gonda 1-0. Wa'ianae: Jones 10-46, Joshua Telles 1-(minus-1), Darius Fuller 9-11, Keomalu 10-17, Nui Stevens 10-56, David Ferreira 6-21.

PASSING—Kailua: Cowboy Alvarado 7-21-2—99. Wai'anae: Keomalu 7-13-0—94.

RECEIVING—Kailua: Jacob Gibson 1-9, Gerald Ho 1-7, Nicholas Tepea 1-12, Shaun Forges 1-28, Taito 1-24, Atisanoe 1-12, Kenny Gibson 1-7. Wai'anae: Miller Ualesi 2-41, Stevens 1-1, Fuller 2-27, Leroy Lee-Kiaaina 1-1, Bryson Valera 1-24.

JV score: Wai'anae 19, 'Aiea 12

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.