With storm clouds hovering over Aloha Stadium, it seems like the perfect weather for another Waianae-Kahuku clash. Kickoff will be at about 5:30 p.m. as the junior varsity games beforehand ran late.
Waianae gets the ball first and immediately loses 15 yards on a bad snap that QB Ioane Kaluhiokalani can’t handle. Waianae manages a first down on third-and-14 as Kaluhiokalani finds John Barbieto for 14 yards. Seariders punt on fourth-and-1 from the 38.
Let’s see what Kahuku has on offense. Nothing on the first drive as David Torres makes a great tackle on Keala Santiago‘s first rushing attempt for a loss of 4 yards. Two short completions by Tuli Wily-Matagi and Kahuku punts.
Seariders move the ball across midfield on a 15-yard run by Kaluhiokalani. The Kahuku defense stiffens as Soli Afalava gets the big sack on third down. Waianae punts. Get the punt tracker up and running.
Double move by Likio Vea and Wily-Matagi hits him for a 57-yard touchdown. Big play from the Kahuku offense to put the Red Raiders ahead 7-0.
Waianae has a second-and-1 at its 43 to start the second quarter. A 21-yard pass from Kaluhiokalani to Nayton Kuresa sets up a 36-yard field goal by Niko Kala-Mahial. Kahuku 7, Waianae 3, 7:37, Q2.
Alohi Gillman with a 40-yard kickoff return and BOOM! Another big play from the Kahuku offense. Perfect throw from Wily-Matagi to Keala Santiago down the sideline. 42-yard touchdown pass and it’s 14-3 Red Raiders with 6:33 left in the first half.
Seariders pounding the rock. Big third-down run by Barbieto who spins out of a tackle gets the first and then is drilled by Afalava. Ball is loose but Waianae recovers. Now Afalava comes up with a big sack on second down. Third and long and Afalava teams up with Semisi Kauvaka on another sack. Kahuku defense shuts the door there.
Wily-Matagi with a nice 16-yard pass play to Jrue Williams but then throws a poor ball up in the air down the middle of the field. Salamanesa Taufi on the pick for the Seariders defense, which gets a big stop with less than 2 minutes remaining in the half.
Waianae takes over on its 3. Kahuku tries to call timeouts to force a punt but Kaluhiokalani completes a 10-yard pass on third down to Kuresa. It’s halftime.
Waianae ran 33 offensive plays while Kahuku only had 12, but the Red Raiders made them count with two big pass plays.
Halftime box score
at Aloha Stadium
Kahuku (5-1, 5-1) 7 7
Waianae (4-2, 4-2) 0 3
Kah—Likio Vea 57 pass from Tuli Wily-Matagi (Gabriel Pinheiro-Alves kick)
Wain—FG Niko Kala-Mahiai 36
Kah—Keala Santiago 42 pass from Wily-Matagi (Pinheiro-Alves kick)
RUSHING—Kahuku: Wily-Matagi 4-15, Santiago 1-(minus 4). Waianae: John Barbieto 11-49, Christopher-Dukua Passi 3-5, Javen Towne 4-3, Jurick Valdez 2-(-2), Ioane Kaluhiokalani 10-(-11).
PASSING—Kahuku: Wily-Matagi 5-7-1-124. Waianae: Kaluhiokalani 3-3-0-45.
RECEIVING—Kahuku: Vea 2-64, Santiago 1-42, Jrue Williams 1-16, Pua Falemalu 1-2. Waianae: Nayton Kuresa 2-31, Barbieto 1-14.
Junior varsity — Kahuku 14, Waianae 7
Sophomore Kesi Ah Hoy is on the field to start the second half after not playing the first half. He immediately goes to work with a 14-yard reception and then two runs for 13 yards. Wily-Matagi with a great fake and pass to Falemalu for 24 yards. First-and-goal at the 6 as the Kahuku offense has really looked good on this drive, mixing it up. They do it again and Wily-Matagi finds Chance Maghanoy for the 6-yard TD. Third TD pass by Wily-Matagi. It’s 21-3.
A three-and-out by the Kahuku defense. Two plays later, Wily-Matagi deep down the middle for Maghanoy for a 33-yard TD. Big plays from the Kahuku offense, which has looked good tonight. 28-3. 5:06
Barbieto fumbles when it looked like he had hit the ground. Nonetheless it is ruled Kahuku ball at the Waianae 41.
Holding penalty kills Kahuku drive as the Red Raiders are three-and-out and will punt with 42 seconds remaining in the third quarter. Punt goes 11 yards and Waianae takes over on its 43.
Fourth-and-10 with 8 minutes left and Kahuku fakes a punt. Ah Hoy runs 16 yards for a first down but Wily-Matagi with a terrible throw on the next play right to Jaylen Gonzales who gets the INT.
Waianae drive stalls after a Pena Fitisemanu sack.
Seariders march late in the garbage time. 80 yards in 11 plays ends on a 1-yard TD run by Kaluhiokalani. Two-point conversion is no good 28-9 with 56 seconds remaining.
Kahuku had a late fumble and the game ended with an 11-yard TD pass from Kaluhiokalani to Jurick Valdez. Final score 28-15.
Kahuku grabs the No. 1 seed out of the Blue. It will play the winner of the first-round playoff game between the No. 4 team in the Red and the No. 5 team in the Blue.
at Aloha Stadium
Kahuku (6-1, 6-1) 7 7 14 0 — 28
Waianae (4-3, 4-3) 0 3 0 12 — 15
Kah—Likio Vea 57 pass from Tuli Wily-Matagi (Gabriel Pinheiro-Alves kick)
Wain—FG Niko Kala-Mahiai 36
Kah—Keala Santiago 42 pass from Wily-Matagi (Pinheiro-Alves kick)
Kah—Chance Maghanoy 6 pass from Wily-Matagi (Pinheiro-Alves kick)
Kah—Maghanoy 33 pass from Wily-Matagi (Pinheiro-Alves kick)
Wain—Ioane Kaluhiokalani 1 run (run failed)
Wain—Jurick Valdez 11 pass from Kaluhiokalani
RUSHING—Kahuku: Kesi Ah Hoy 4-32, Wily-Matagi 8-23, Lisiate Tovo 3-14, Pena Fitisemanu 1-0, Michael Mauai 1-0, Jrue Williams 1-(minus 1), Alohi Gilman 1-(minus 1), Santiago 1-(minus 4), Samutea Avea 2-(minus 7). Waianae: John Barbieto 16-67, Kaluhiokalani 19-58, Valdez 4-13, Christopher-Dukua Passi 4-10, Javen Towne 5-8, Nicholas Keliikoa 1-0, Kala-Mahiai 1-(minus 2).
PASSING—Kahuku: Wily-Matagi 11-17-2-215. Waianae: Kaluhiokalani 7-15-0-93.
RECEIVING—Kahuku: Maghanoy 3-36, Vea 2-64, Williams 2-33, Pua Falemalu 2-26, Santiago 1-42, Ah Hoy 1-14. Waianae: Nayton Kuresa 2-31, Zeffaniyah Kauihana-Kaimimoku 2-27, Barbieto 1-14, Valdez 1-11, Robert Delenia 1-10.
Junior varsity — Kahuku 14, Waianae 7
Although Kahuku is leading 14-3 with those two passing TD’s, I dont like the fact that the running game is non-existent for the Red Raiders.