Roosevelt senior Aalona Monteilh said he hadn’t played on offense all season.
When the defending OIA Division II champion Rough Riders lost to Kaimuki last week and with undefeated Kaiser coming to Ticky Vasconcellos Stadium this week, it was time for Roosevelt to use every option available on offense to stay in the race for the top spot in the OIA Division II playoffs.
Monteilh took his first handoff of the season 17 yards for a touchdown and added a 38-yard touchdown catch on a ball thrown to his opposite shoulder that he had to turn around and catch in order to score.
The 5-foot-11, 165-pound safety also intercepted three passes and had a 100-yard, pick-6 called back by a penalty to negate what would have been one of the all-time individual performances in Hawaii.
“It was a great win. I have to thank the coaches for making the right choices, Monteilh said. “We knew we just had to get the job done.”
Roosevelt was 15-1 against Division II opponents before a 28-26 setback last week to Kaimuki, which was coming off a 45-31 loss to the Cougars, who entered Friday’s game 7-0 overall and 5-0 in OIA D-II play.
The Cougars had scored a season-high 45 points against Kaimuki and hadn’t been held to fewer than 33 points in six games against Division II opponents until getting shutout by the Rough Riders.
“In all three phases of the game, they were the better team,” Kaiser coach Tim Seaman said. “I was impressed with their whole (defense). They flew to the ball really well.”
Isaac Kaleikau added two interceptions in the second half after Monteilh’s three for Roosevelt, which gave up just 151 total yards in 63 plays ran by Kaiser.
Kaiser intercepted Roosevelt quarterback Sky Ogata three times in the first half, but couldn’t find the end zone. A missed field goal and an interception were just two of the ways the Cougars spoiled early scoring opportunities.
Roosevelt finally got on the board when defensive back Shepherd Kekahuna returned a punt 53 yards for a touchdown.
The Rough Riders continued to get their best players on defense involved offensively with Monteilh scoring on a 17-yard run for a 14-0 lead late in the second quarter.
Monteilh and Kekahuna combined for 30 yards on three carries in the first half with Ogata and starting running back Myka Kukahiwa combining for minus-22 yards on 13 carries.
Ogata took a shot late in the second quarter and had to be helped off the field by teammates. He missed the next four plays, but returned on the next series and finished 21-for-40 for 265 yards and a touchdown to Monteilh, who had to look back and come back to his other side to adjust and catch a 38-yard pass to make it 21-0 in the third quarter.
“When I was running down the field, I looked up, glanced at the ball and seen on the right side of me so I just went for the ball,” Monteilh said.
Eight different receivers caught passes for Roosevelt with Scott Chung’s eight grabs for 96 yards leading the way. Sophomore Kaeo Akana added four tackles for loss, two sacks and a fumble recovery for Roosevelt, which can win out and clinch at least a coin flip for the top seed in the OIA playoffs, assuming Kaiser and Kaimuki don’t lose in its final two games.
Rough Ridahz! Run em hard! Everyone telling us our Boyz can’t repeat, saying Kaiser da best, waaaat evahz! Lol, Great job Boyz! Come on HPW, all Kaiser hype all the time pumping them up. The great return of the cougars lol. They only winning cuz they not playing Kahuku, Waianae, Millilani, Campbell, Farrington no more, hahaha. Yeah our league junk, but we still da best here, hands down bradda! Give us respect now. Howz the score 21- Bolo Head!
Hard fought battle hard earned win. A true test from a quality team. Congratulations to Roosevelt and Kaiser for earning a spot in the playoffs!
Totally agree with comment #1
Totally agree with comment #2.
Good win for the Rough Riders, and impressive performance on the Defensive side of the ball. However, let’s stay humble guys. I agree, Kaiser wouldn’t be undefeated if they played the likes of Kahuku, Mililani, Campbell, Waianae, and Farrington, but I can’t say Roosevelt would fare any better against those opponents as well. I don’t think it would be close for either team. C’mon Man!!
Stay Humble…..RR4L.
@Kaoli
Easy to gloat after a win, where were you when they lost to Kaimuki? Kaimuki, Kaiser and Roosevelt are all good teams and have their own strengths and weaknesses.In playing each other all the home teams have won as should be expected. I agree Roosevelt has been the top team last season and so far this season as they have some terrific players, they are also extremely well coached. Kaiser and Kaimuki also have some good players yet you want to make juvenile comments and disparage Kaiser after a game where they played terrible while Roosevelt was very good. Its HS football, that happens a lot, hardly means Kaiser now sucks, or Kaimuki after losing to Kaiser. It means there is parity and on any given day, any of these 3 teams can beat the other 2. Im curious if you would still be so confident if those 4 very good St Francis players, now Roosevelt starters, had gone to Kaimuki or Kaiser instead. Good luck to all 3 teams in what should be a competitive OIA D2 Championship
What a brilliant comment that Kaiser is only winning because they arent playing Kahuku,Waianae, Mililani,Campbell or Farrington. Hate to break it to you but Roosevelt isnt playing those teams either and would lose to them just like Kaiser would. Since youre not likely a member of MENSA let me break it down for you. Campbell 3125 students, Mililani 2556 students, Farrington 2370 students, Waianae 1788 students, Roosevelt 1715 students, Kahuku 1386 students and Kaiser 1134 students.
There’s a reason Kaiser is D2 as kind of unfair for some schools to be able to draw players from a student body with almost 3 times as many students or even twice as many than another school. If anyone has bragging rights its Kahuku, with a history of excellence second to only St Louis in my opinion, doing more with less with a student body of only 1386 students. Its incredible what they have been able to accomplish year in year out.
Very few if any would ever say Kaiser can compete with those open division schools, they are where they belong and its great whether its Kaiser or Kalani, Kalaheo,McKinley,PC or Waialua. It gives them a competitive environment where they can compete for a championship and enjoy playing the game they love without having to play vastly superior teams each week.
I believe every team in any division is giving their best as HS students playing for their school and I give my love and support to each and every team/player/coach/school etc. and for the record regardless of Roosevelt having some kids transfer in to play as a part of the Rough Riders each and every one of those transfers have DEEP FAMILY ties into Roosevelt itself. Many of their parents are alumni of Roosevelt and most likely felt they were most comfortable with their kids playing with other kids whom they grew up with and also siblings who had also played for Roosevelt as well. From my understanding all our boys are from the Roosevelt district too just to shed some light and not keep putting our kids down no matter what school they decided to go to blessings to you all and proud of you my alumni RED AND GOLD! Aloha families you all have a good day!
@toofunny You no get my point, HPW tryin pump up Kaiser, when we been here in D2 building one solid tradition and championship program., HPW neva give us respect, HPW all of a sudden ack like Kaiser is dominant and way betta dan us an da bulldogs, NoACK! Bradda. Tru Dat, if we was playing those open Div teams we not going win either. They should not be playing dem teams. And if Kaiser was in D2 2 years ago, they would have won games, they would give us hard rubs and compete for da top spot to then too. Point, HPW giving dem all hype and no respect to us. Kaiser not all of a sudden one championship program, lol, keepin it real bradda.
Kaoli
I do agree with you to the extent that we are being overlooked. No love is being showed to Roosevelt. BUT that’s every year, no respect no acknowledgment, no praise. But I think that’s what fuels our kids, coaches and community. Underdogs again? Nothing new let’s prove um wrong boys! But let’s try to stay humble both in victory and defeat. Kaiser played a great game, hats off to them. Credit to Roosevelt staff for all you do for the kids.