Seven games with major state tournament implications in most are on tap tonight on Oahu.
It’s hard to imagine but Pearl City (5-2, 5-1 OIA D-II) is in the rare position of either finishing with the No. 1 seed in the OIA D-II playoffs with a win over Waialua (4-2, 4-2) or the No. 4 seed with a loss. The Chargers had a five-game winning streak snapped with a 20-17 loss last week to Kaimuki. Waialua has won four of its last five to clinch a playoff berth for the second consecutive season.
HISTORY: Pearl City leads the all-time series 22-6 but Waialua won the last meeting, 27-23, last season.
Live updates of the 6 p.m. kickoff will follow below.
FINAL
Waialua 14, Pearl City 12.
Waialua becomes the third-place team and will play Kaimuki next week in the playoffs. PC drops to fourth place and will meet Waipahu.
Boxscore
Pearl City (5-3, 5-2) 0 0 6 6 — 12
Waialua (5-2, 5-2) 0 7 7 0 — 14
WAI—Howard Nahooikaika 31 run (Dylan Hardin good)
WAI—Lancen Kuni 7 pass from Tevesi Toia (Hardin kick)
PC—Kekainalu Simon 1 run (kick blocked)
PC—Brody Padilla 5 pass from Patrick Nunez (pass failed)
RUSHING—PC: Charles Freitas 6-18, Andre Carter 4-6, Kobe Jackson 5-14, Kekainalu Simon 4-0, Robert Yamasaki 1-3, Nunez 1-14, Isaiah Asinsin 2-(-10), Joe Maneafaiga 4-17. Waialua: Risein Campbell 23-153, Lancen Kuni 2-10, Nahooikaika 11-96, Tevesi Toia 9-2, Team 2-(-2).
PASSING—PC: Simon 4-14-0-39, Zion Tupuola-Fetui 0-2-0-0, Nunez 1-1-0-5, Asinsin 1-2-0-10. Waialua: Toia 5-11-2-55.
RECEIVING—PC: Patrick Nunez 1-9, Daniel Sarajina 1-17, Calvin Mock 2-12, Isaiah Asinsin 1-11, Padilla 1-5. Waialua: Caleb Apau 2-31, Kuni 2-17, Kyler Dicion 1-7.
Correction: Adds passing stats for Nunez and receiving stats for Padilla.
FOURTH QUARTER
The Bulldogs have this under control until Toia inexplicably runs out of bounds on keepers on back-to-back plays. That saves PC a couple of time outs (that it didn’t have). But Campbell rumbles for 15 yards on third-and-11, and Waialua runs out the clock. Final. The OIA D-II seedings are wacky, for sure.
PC ball, 3:30 left after a Waialua punt, ball at its 46. Drive stalls, not sure why, but Isaiah Asinsin is at QB. He fumbles on a scramble, Waialua can’t pick the ball up, it bounces backwards and out of bounds for a 14-yard loss. Fourth down, fake punt, pass incomplete while PC’s WR asks for a P.I. Waialua ball, 2:15 left.
PC with the toss left to Patrick Nunez, and his option pass to Brody Padilla is an easy one, wide open, 5-yard TD. Nice call. PAT pass, same play with a reverse, is deflected in the end zone. WAIL 14, PC 12, 7:55.
Waialua goes three and out, losing 14 yards on a sack. Brody Padilla returns the punt 34 yards to the Waialua 10. Huge play on special teams. Third and goal from the 5 for PC. Time out, 8:02. Crucial call here. Probably four-down situation.
First play of the fourth quarter, Pearl City tries a double pass (lateral to a WR), and there’s a receiver wide open downfield, but he’s overthrown. Nice call. Punt.
THIRD QUARTER
Quarter ends with Pearl City driving near midfield, methodically and all on the ground. Joe Maneafaiga got three carries in a row, 14 yards, before leaving with an injury. He’s been beset by injuries all season.
Robert Yamasaki’s 71-yard kick return sets up PC’s first TD, a 1-yard sneak by QB Kekainalu Simon. Matthan Hatchie blocks the PAT. WAIL 14, PC 6, 6:27.
Risein Campbell bullish on the opening series, carrying 29 yards to the PC 6. After getting tackled for a 1-yard loss, Toia fires a pretty bullet ahead of Lancen Kuni, who is completely draped by a defender, but dives for the 7-yard TD pass. One of the smoothest plays I’ve seen this season. That’s chemistry. WAIL 14, PC 0, 8:31.
HALFTIME
The Bulldogs passing game has been dormant, but they fumbled away a completion and dropped two passes in the first quarter. The picks haven’t helped. This is not how you topple a first-place team. Could come back to hurt them, not cashing in on opportunities.
Boxscore
At Tosh Nakasone Field
Pearl City 0 0 x x — 0
Waialua 0 7 x x — 7
WAI—Howard Nahooikaika 31 run (Dylan Hardin good)
RUSHING—
PC:
Charles Freitas 6-18,
Andre Carter 1-(-1),
Kobe Jackson 4-11,
Kekainalu Simon 2-(-11).
Waialua:
Risein Campbell 11-59,
Lancen Kuni 2-10,
Nahooikaika 6-78,
Tevesi Toia 4-7.
PASSING—
PC:
Simon 4-10-0-39.
Waialua:
Toia 3-6-2-24.
RECEIVING—
PC:
Patrick Nunez 1-9,
Daniel Sarajina 1-17,
Calvin Mock 1-2,
Isaiah Asinsin 1-11.
Waialua:
Caleb Apau 1-7,
Kuni 1-10,
Kyler Dicion 1-7.
SECOND QUARTER
Waialua QB Tevesi Toia gains 16 on a keeper left and runs out of bounds to stop the clock with :58 left. But he’s sacked on the next two plays. Time out, Bulldogs, :12. Waialua tries a reverse lateral and pass, but the contain is there and WR Lancen Kuni’s pass goes out of bounds. I think he just tried to avoid the sack and the clock running out. :03 left, time out, PC. One last pass, Toia rifles a deep shot to Kuni but it’s too far, too hard and Kuni’s diving attempt is short. Half ends 7-0, Waialua.
Pearl City very conservative, but a penalty and a sack completely stop the next series. Punt. Shanked. It’s a 14-yard punt out of bounds, Waialua takes over at the PC 24-yard line, 1:06 left in the half.
Waialua breaks the ice. Howard Nahooikaika blasts off left tackle and scores on a 31-yard TD run. WAIL 7, PC 0, 7:41.
FIRST QUARTER
The opening period ends with Waialua punting again. They’re exchanging punts at this point, passing up any high risk. Waialua had fourth and 1 before that punt on its 39.
Waialua with the ball at the PC 46, but two plays later, a fumble by the RB and recovered by the Chargers. Fumble-itis!
PC with the big break, but it’s three and out. Punt.
Chargers fumble the opening kick return, Waialua ball at the 27. But the Bulldogs fumble the ball back on a pass play at the PC 12.
Pearl City wins the coin toss and elects to receive the opening kickoff. Waialua will defend the mauka end zone.
PRE-GAME
3:10 p.m. Overcast and breezy at Waialua. It’s drizzling in Central Oahu, and it rained here a little earlier in the day judging by the wet pavement. It has been awhile since I got it to enjoy the peace and quiet out here. The rush of cars at the nearby highway and roundabout, faintly audible from here. The roosters are loud and clear.
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