Six games are on tap Saturday night on Oahu while both St. Francis and Kamehameha hit the neighbor islands for nonleague contests.
Moanalua Na Menehune travels to face the Kailua Surfriders in the OIA opener for both schools. It’s also the season debut for the Surfriders, who are coming off a seven-win season in 2015. Moanalua QB Alakai Yuen threw for 364 yards and six touchdowns in a win over Damien last week. Ryan Ramones caught 10 of those passes for 268 yards and five scores.
Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. and live updates will follow:
9:22 p.m.: Yuen kicks the onside attempt out of bounds. Kailua takes over at the Moanalua 49. Kailua can take knees to wrap this one up. And that’s it. Kailua needs everything it has to win at home over Na Menehune.
9:20 p.m.: Moanalua isn’t done yet. Yuen orchestrates a 53-yard drive, highlighted by two great grabs by Ryan Ramones. Yuen finds Rylan Miguel for the 1-yd TD grab, xp good, Moanalua within 16-13 with 1:09 left.
9:10 p.m.: Ambush! Yuen is brought down in the end zone, fumbles, and Alika Teramoto recovers. Surfriders convert the extra point and it’s 16-6 for the hosts with 2:24 to go.
9:07 p.m.: 4th and G from the 2 … Lagazo is denied! Na Menehune turn him back at the 1 and take over on downs. 3:09 to play.
9:05 p.m.: Moanalua faces 4th and 2 from its own 10. Na Menehune call timeout. Yuen punts it out of his end zone. Kailua back in control at Moanalua 35. 6:32 left.
Kailua calls time knocking on the door thanks to Lagazo, again. 3rd and G from the 4, 3:20 to play.
8:53 p.m.: Alika Teramoto with the perfect punt for Kailua. Refs rule it out at the 2.
8:51 p.m.: Multiple false starts are hamstringing Kailua, which now faces 4th and 20 from the 35. Kailua brings on its punting team.
7:28 remaining.
8:47 p.m.: Another huge 4th conversion by Lagazo has the Surfers on the 20. 22-yard pickup on 4th that time.
8:45 p.m.: Big decision coming for Kailua, 4th and 1 at midfield. Mark Lagazo gets it for the Surfers. Kailua into Moanalua territory
8:40 p.m.: Kailua driving as 3Q comes to an end, Surfriders up 9-6
8:36 p.m.: Behind Yuen’s arm, Moanalua drives all the way to the Kailua 13. But Na Menehune are pushed back by penalties and a sack and turn it over on downs late 3Q
8:25 p.m.: Mark Lagazo puts Kailua on his back, big time. Hauls in an amazing grab one-handed across the middle for a 54-yard gain, then caps off the drive with a 2-yard rushing TD. Kailua back up 9-6, 7:29 left 3Q
8:17 p.m.: Moanalua QB Alakai Yuen kicks off to start the 3Q
Kailua pinned deep, punt bounces backward onto Surfriders’ own 16. Yuen in the game taking over for Moanalua. Yuen needs two plays to notch the game’s first touchdown. He finds his favorite target from last week, Ryan Ramones, for a 16-yard strike. Moanalua goes for 2. Pass fails. 6-2 Na Menehune, 9:37 3Q
8:12 p.m.: Moanalua QB Alakai Yuen kicks off to start the 3Q
7:57 p.m.: Moanalua with -56 yards on the ground, totally offsetting their 57 yards in the air from Grace. Kailua faring only marginally better; 48 yards of total offense.
7:52 p.m.: Grace gets sacked to end the first half. 2-0 Surfriders at the break. Can count the total number of first downs on one hand.
7:45 p.m.: Moanalua tries another fake punt, this time Grace goes incomplete.
7:41 p.m.: Kailua comes ever so close to converting on 4th-and-G from the 20, but Serikawa to Lagazo is down at the 1. Moanalua takes over still trailing 2-0.
7:36 p.m.: Kailua is saying forget this fancy passing stuff. Mark Lagazo tears off a big gain and Kolo Hanawahine-Wong follows up with another first down. Surfriders knocking on the door. Lagazo has a direct snap keeper for touchdown wiped off by holding.
7:31 p.m.: Moanalua 0: Kailua on the board first as two bad snaps in a row by Moanalua have the ball go out the back of the end zone. 2-0 Surfriders, 10:23 2Q. Kailua at an even 0 in yardage, Moanalua well negative right now.
7:24 p.m.: Moanalua tricked Kailua with a fake punt, but Kailua’s La‘a Russell recovers a fumble at the Moanalua 15. Once again, Kailua doesn’t do anything with the outstanding position. Moanalua recovers a fumble back in the final seconds of the first quarter.
7:13 p.m.: Mark Lagazo nearly comes up with a pick of Moanalua QB Ezra Grace, but the refs rule it incomplete. Moanalua to kick it away again in what’s quickly become a punt-fest.
7:10 p.m.: Moanalua defense holds firm, Kailua turns it over on downs gaining just a yard
7:08 p.m.: Defensive battle so far as Kailua forces another 3-and-out punt Christian Mejia just made an outstanding play for Kailua, blocked the Moanalua punt and collected it himself. Kailua takes over at the Moanalua 25
7:02 p.m.: Kailua gets backed up with Serikawa at the controls, goes 3 and out also. Moanalua had the passing game sniffed out on that sequence.
6:58 p.m.: Moanalua tries a double pass on its first play from scrimmage, incomplete. Na Menehune go three and out.
6:56 p.m.: Sophomore Ezra Grace in at QB for Moanalua to start the game
6:54 pm.: Looks like last year’s top Kailua rusher, Gabe LeLesch, is inactive today
6:32 p.m.: Keoni Serikawa starting at QB for the Surfriders. Projected backup Aaron Mejia (younger brother of all-state DE Christian Mejia) broke a collarbone during scrimmage against Aiea last week. That means RB Mark Lagazo is also the backup QB.
Both Moanalua and Kailua are missing a handful of academically ineligible guys they expect to get back for next week.
6:24 p.m.: Moanalua 26, Kailua 6 in the jayvee contest. Kickoff around the corner.
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