GAME NIGHT 9/21: Kailua/Castle

CASTLE 38, KAILUA 21, FINAL

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10:06: Wow. Third rushing touchdown of the night for Senituli Punivai … and 233 yards rushing. He’s put this thing to bed. That’s second all-time for Castle.

10:04: Castle’s running out the clock on the ground.

10:01: Annnnd … Kailua muffs another one. Sky kick that’s tough to handle is fumbled and Castle recovers at the Kailua 25. Not looking good for the Surfriders.

9:59: Punivai makes Kailua pay with a 15-yard pinball run for touchdown, his second of the night. He’s up to 214 yards. Castle by two scores with 3:13 remaining.

9:57: Oh, man. Kailua muffs the punt return and Castle’s Keanu Tilton recovers it. Huge play. Castle at Kailua’s 20.

9:56: Punivai is dropped for a loss of 11 by Kailua and the Knights must punt from midfield facing fourth and long. 4:14 left in this game.

9:53: Kailua opens up the field with 36-yard connection from Ho-Mook to Kaniala Williams. But Kailua has to punt from midfield. … They fake! But Castle is ready and stops Koalii Kama-Toth for a loss of 3. Castle takes over in Kailua territory

9:49: Huge stop for the Surfriders, who turn back Punivai at the 3. They take over on downs.

9:46: Punivai is at 200 yards on the ground, just the third Castle player to do so. Knights in the red zone but now have fourth and goal from the 5 after Punivai bobbles the snap and is dropped for a loss of 3. Knights call timeout to commiserate.

9:39: Senituli Punivai is up to 164 yards rushing tonight. That ties for fifth in Castle’s second-game records.

9:36: Kailua has something going with Brian-Allen Kamanu back there with Raynen Ho-Mook. And the Surfriders’ passing game is finally going, too. Kailua drives 72 yards, capped with Ho-Mook’s 23-yard pass to Kamryn Kahoonei in the end zone. This rivalry game’s living up to its billing.

9:28: Sudden change, again. Raynen Ho-Mook fumbles the snap on Kailua’s next play after the turnover and Castle recovers at the Surfriders’ 6. They need two plays for Bruce Pakele’s 3-yard touchdown rumble. Pakele lined up at wildcat QB for the first time tonight. Pakele’s second rushing touchdown tonight.

9:24: Punivai is picked deep for the second time tonight, this time by Kailua’s Kalena Hanawahine. Surfriders take over at their 5.

9:21: Ballsy call by Castle on fourth and 3 from their own 42. But Punivai picks it up on an 8-yard gain. Drive continues.

9:16: Kailua receiver Isaiah Hopson draws a key pass interference call, getting it up to the 17. Kamanu rumbles for 14 yards, setting up Lahaina Kane’s 2-yard score around the left edge. Surfriders back within a field goal.

9:09: Second half underway. Kailua’s Shayden Baker fumbles the kickoff but recovers and tears off a huge return up to the Castle 43.

8:54: Kailua was held to just 29 yards of total offense in the first half.

8:52: The teams go into the half with Castle up by 10. Senituli Punivai with 127 yards rushing on 13 carries with a touchdown, just 1-for-2 passing for 9 yards in the air with an interception.

8:51: The Surfriders keep the drive going and turn to Brian-Allen Kamanu at running back to get up to the 33. From there, the Surfirders are driven back, however, as Ho-Mook absorbs an 11-yard sack. Great punt by Kailua pins Castle at the 1 with 36 seconds left in the half.

8:43: Kailua lineman Orlando Pagan goes out hurt.

8:39: Castle swiftly makes Kailua pay for the mistake. Punivai completes a 9-yard pass, his first completion of the night, to Kanekulani Kahala-Giron, then does a spin move at the 5 and rolls in for the 12-yard touchdown.

8:34: Raiden Wong sacks Ho-Mook on third and long. Kailua punts from deep in its own territory. Castle will take over … nope, roughing the kicker called and Kailua moves up to the 28. But on the next play, Samson Rasay fumbles and Castle takes over at the Kailua 24.

8:32: Kailua changes up quarterbacks. It’s Raynen Ho-Mook at the controls.

8:29: Looks like Punivai lost a fumble, but it’s ruled still to be Castle ball on the 24. Sets up a 40-yard FG try by Cheyden Costa … GOOD. Great kick. 10-7 Knights.

8:17: Weber goes incomplete on third and 11 and Kailua goes three-and-out again. Other than starting at Castle’s 10 thanks to a muffed punt return, Kailua hasn’t been able to do anything significant to move the ball … yet. First quarter ends. Scoreboard has died, so we could have a delay.

8:14: Castle gets tagged with a holding call 10 yards behind the line of scrimmage. Sets up first and 30 from the Castle 40. Punivai looks deep … ball is tipped … and taken down by Kailua’s Kase Oshiro at the Kailua 23.

8:10: Kailua muffs the kickoff return, but the Surfriders recover at their 22. However, they go three-and-out. Pakele returns the punt up to the Kailua 40. Great position.

8:08: This rivalry game is UNDERWAY. Senituli Punivai shows why he is so dangerous, dancing around in the backfield then tearing off gains of 56, 16 and 15 yards to set up Bruce Pakele’s 1-yard touchdown scrum.

8:02: Kailua hands off to Brian-Allen Kamanu and he pinballs around and through for the 4-yard touchdown. Surfriders make the Knights pay for the turnover. XP is good.

8:00: With its ground game — four men in the backfield — Kailua has advanced the ball to the 4, but it has fourth and goal. Surfriders call timeout to talk strategy.

7:56: A bobbled snap, a run wide left by Samson Rasay and an incomplete pass and Kailua has to punt it right back. But Castle muffs the punt return and Kailua recovers at the Castle 10.

7:53: Kailua kicks off to start the game. Castle, at its 20, has its running game sniffed out with Senituli Punivai at the controls. They lose 2 yards on all three downs and have to punt. Kailua takes over at the Castle 46. Cole Weber starts it off for Kailua.

7:50 p.m.: Per Kailua coach Joseph Wong, Cole Weber gets the nod at quarterback tonight.

Golden Knights paratroopers were to jump down and present the game ball, but wind conditions unfortunately nixed it just before kickoff. We’re going to have a 7:50 p.m. kickoff now.

JV final — Castle 12, Kailua 9

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For Kailua’s roster, click here
For Castle’s roster, click here
SERIES HISTORY: Kailua leads 38-28
NOTES: Kailua has won five of the last six meetings between the rivals, losing in 2016 … The Surfriders have not had a quarterback throw from more than 199 yards against the Knights since Kelroy Kohatsu in 2003 in a game that was eventually forfeited when Castle used an ineligible player … The Surfriders have had a player rush for more than 100 yards in the last two meetings, with Samson Rasay gaining 124 against them last year … Kailua hasn’t had a receiver gain more than 100 yards against their rival since John Kepa‘s 107 in 1998, a span of 20 meetings … Kailua held Castle quarterback Jaylen Uyemura-Lee to 19 yards passing last year, the biggest passing shutdown in the series since Jacob Ramos failed to complete a pass for the Knights in 2002.

KAILUA STATS

CASTLE STATS