The Kaiser Cougars roll into Kapolei ranked eighth by the Star-Adveriser, but the Hurricanes could have something to say about it.
A quick look at the two rosters shows Kaiser with 26 available players for tonight’s game while Kapolei is over 60.
This is the first meeting between the schools since 2003. The Hurricanes are 2-0 all-time in the series, winning 14-7 that season and 21-6 in 2002.
In-game updates will follow below.
6:30 p.m.: Kapolei leading 7-0 in JV scrimmage at halftime.
Cougars warming up behind south end zone. They do not list a quarterback on their official roster but Nic Tom, Parker Higgins and Kawika Richardson-Phillips are warming up as QBs.
They’ve called the JV scrimmage right at 7:05 with Kapolei leading 20-0 in the third quarter so the varsity game will start on time right at 7:30 p.m.
Captains for Kaiser: Parker Higgins, Nic Tom, Jensen McDaniel, Michael Eletise.
Captains for Kapolei: Sean Auwae, Chanson Akiona.
Kaiser will kickoff.
Both teams score on their opening possession. Kapolei mixes the pass and run well as Ezra Saves goes 3-for-3 for 41 yards and scores on a 10-yard run on third-and-goal.
Kaiser answers with a similar style but McDaniel does most of the damage, rushing eight times for 44 yards. He scores on an 8-yard TD run to tie it at 7 with 3:04 in Q1.
Kapolei is 3-and-out on the next drive as Parker Higgins picks up the sack on second down and then makes a great tackle on a screen pass to force fourth down.
Nic Tom finds Jonny Hanawahine for a big 31-yard pass to end the first quarter. Kaiser at the Kapolei 20.
Kaiser with third-and-goal at the 1. McDaniel is in from the 1 but they call an illegal block on Kaiser. Huge penalty. Tom with a 7-yard run to the 4 and it’s fourth-and-goal. McDaniel is stopped at the 5. Kapolei ball.
Savea with a nice 15-yard scamper but is then picked off.
More big hits on defense by Higgins, who is a monster out here. Kaiser ball on its own 30 with 5:51 left in half.
Jaymin Sarono has a 63-yard TD called back due to penalty. Sarono gets them again after a Kaiser penalty with a 48-yard reception down to the 20 with 3:12 left in the half.
Savea rolls to his right and finds Ty-Noah Williams who makes a sliding grab in the end zone. 19-yard TD catch gives Kapolei the lead with 3:01 remaining.
Cougars fumble the kickoff and Jay Amina recovers for the Hurricanes.
Savea does a great job stepping up in the pocket with it collapsing around him and finds a wide open Williams deep down the center of the field on the next play. Back-to-back TDs, this one from 39 yards. 21-7.
Cougars marching down the field but clock is the enemy. McDaniel takes the option pitch to the 13 but doesn’t get out of bounds and Kaiser has to turn its last timeout with 7 seconds remaining. They put 9 seconds on the clock. Kaiser on the Kapolei 13. Tom rolls out and is tackled just as time runs out. He loses two yards. We go to the half.
FIRST HALF BOX
at Kapolei H.S. field
Kaiser 7 0
Kapolei 7 14
Kapo—Ezra Savea 10 run (Beau Meyer kick)
Kais—Jensen McDaniel 8 run (Andrew Kaufusi kick)
Kapo—Ty-Noah Williams 19 pass from Savea (Meyer kick)
Kapo—Williams 39 pass from Savea (Meyer kick)
RUSHING—Kaiser: Jensen McDaniel 19-93, Nic Tom 9-45, Emmett Garcia 3-7. Kapolei: Savea 9-27, Kainoa Bardon 3-10, Sarono 1-9, Rocky Savea 1-7, Mykah Kuratani 1-1.
PASSING—Kaiser: Tom 7-10-0-93. Kapolei: E. Savea 9-13-1-59.
RECEIVING—Kaiser: Kaufusi 5-28, Jonny Hanawahine 2-42, McDaniel 1-23. Kapolei: Williams 3-67, Sarono 2-50, Jenesus Tago-Sue 2-31, Bardon 2-11.
Third quarter starting at about 8:55 p.m.
Tom returns the kickoff 35 yards. After a 9-yard pass to Kaufusi, Tom keeps as everyone goes for McDaniel and runs over a defender en route to a 46-yard TD run. Just like that it’s 21-14.
Freshman Taulia Tagovailoa in at QB for the Hurricanes. First pass is 8 yards to Williams. A 35-yard run by L.J. Esperas sets up a 15-yard TD from Tagovailoa to Sarono.
Kaiser wastes no time answering back. Three carries for 25 yards for McDaniel then Tom fakes to McDaniel and goes up the middle for a 42-yard TD. 261 rushing yards and counting for Kaiser. Both Tom and McDaniel are over 100.
Tagovailoa now 4-4, 65 yes, 2 TD. A 30-yard screen pass to Esperas sets up a 12-yard quick throw outside to Williams, who catches his third TD. 35-21, 7:28, Q3.
Kaiser finally gets a stop. It tries to go deep after getting the ball back but Tom’s pass is picked off by Tana Liana, who is shaken up on the play.
Kaiser gets it right back as Esperas fumbles and Keoni Pangan recovers for the Cougars.
Tom with a 9-yard scamper but he’s down. Trainers are laughing so it might be a cramp but he hobbles off and is in some pain. Kaiser’s drive immediately stalls as Higgins is in at quarterback and his third-down pass is way short. Kaiser to punt from around midfield to start the final quarter.
Kaiser goes for it and Higgins makes a nice throw but Kaufusi drops it as he gets hit at the same time. Hurricanes take over.
Tagovailoa with two great throws finding Tago-Sue down the middle and then lofting a perfect pass to Sarono for a 24-yard TD. 42-21, 11:37, Q4. Tagovailoa 8-11, 160 yds, 3 TD.
Kaiser up to 393 rushing yards as they ran it down the field against the Hurricanes. Parker Higgins in on a 2-yard run to make it 42-28 with 7:38 remaining.
Kaiser has Kapolei in third-and-28 and Savea dumps off a pass to Esperas for 22 yards. Flag on the play but it’s picked up. Kaiser gets a stop but is called for a 5-yard face mask. Fourth-and-1 and Savea rushes for a first down. 39-yard TD for Savea makes it 49-28 with 5:02 left and closes the book on this one.
Kaiser gets inside the 10 in the final seconds. Final pass is incomplete.
at Kapolei H.S. field
Kaiser 7 0 14 7 — 28
Kapolei 7 14 14 14 — 49
Kapo—Ezra Savea 10 run (Beau Meyer kick)
Kais—Jensen McDaniel 8 run (Andrew Kaufusi kick)
Kapo—Ty-Noah Williams 19 pass from Savea (Meyer kick)
Kapo—Williams 39 pass from Savea (Meyer kick)
Kais—Nic Tom 46 run (Kaufusi kick)
Kapo—Jaymin Sarono 15 pass from Taulia Tagovailoa (Meyer kick)
Kais—Tom 42 run (Kaufusi kick)
Kapo—Williams 12 pass from Tagovailoa (Meyer kick)
Kapo—Sarono 26 pass from Tagovailoa (Meyer kick)
Kais—Parker Higgins 2 run (Kaufusi kick)
Kapo—Savea 39 run (Meyer kick)
RUSHING—Kaiser: Tom 21-200, McDaniel 33-167, Higgins 8-39, Emmett Garcia 7-26. Kapolei: E. Savea 11-69, L.J. Esperas 4-45, Kainoa Bardon 3-10, Sarono 1-9, Rocky Savea 1-7, Mykah Kuratani 1-1.
PASSING—Kaiser: Tom 15-21-1-132, Higgins 0-2-0-0. Kapolei: Tagovailoa 8-11-0-160, E. Savea 11-15-1-196.
RECEIVING—Kaiser: Kaufusi 10-53, Jonny Hanawahine 3-54, McDaniel 1-23, Higgins 1-2. Kapolei: Williams 7-123, Sarono 4-91, Esperas 3-66, Jenesus Tago-Sue 3-65, Bardon 2-11.
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