Off to a busy start in Aiea, where Na Alii got a 50-plus-yard interception return for a touchdown by Francisco Jajo on Waianae’s opening possession.
The Surfriders got a tremendous kick return by Trensten Spragling, plus a 15-yard penalty on Aiea, to set up a field goal by Pookela Noa-Nakamoto to cut the lead to 7-3 early on.
7:42 p.m.
Fullback Mahvan Tau scores on a blast up the left side to give Waianae a 9-7 lead with less than 7 minutes left in the first half. PAT kick was blocked.
7:45 p.m.
Aiea responds almost immediately with a 59-yard screen pass from Mana Kaahanaui to Shaenan Hernandez-Fonoti. Aiea leads 13-9, after a missed PAT kick, with 5:40 left in the first half.
7:57 p.m.
Kekoa Kaluhiokalani finds Iokepa Ili for a nice TD pass, play action, on first down near the red zone to give Waianae a 16-13 lead with 1:36 to go in the first half.
Waianae has been extremely deliberate in its no-huddle, milking the clock and playing smashmouth football out of its I formation.
8:59 p.m.
Kaluhiokalani to Jonathan Naperiela-Rose for a touchdown pass. Seariders lead 29-13 with less than 10 minutes to play.
9:15 p.m.
Game has been halted for the past 10-15 minutes after an injury to Aiea’s Shaenan Hernandez-Fonoti. He made a leaping catch on a bomb to the 4-yard line, hit the ground on his back in a collision with a defender and never rose. One of the trainers removed his helmet quickly and one knee was up, but they straightened out both legs since.
He’s able to move his fingers, but they’re taking precautionary measures. An ambulance is on the way.
11:05 p.m.
Hernandez-Fonoti raised his arm and let everyone know he was in good spirits, all things considered, as paramedics carried him off to the ambulance. That picked up his teammates and coaches, who were also in better spirits after that 40-minute delay — and scare.
Coach Wendell Say noted that Hernandez-Fonoti had gotten a stinger earlier in the week, but felt well enough to play by game time. Hope you get well soon, Shaenen.
All in all, Na Alii did a good job staying with the No. 5 Seariders for a half. But without their starting QB (Jordan Liilii) and their backup QB (Kaahanui) still playing linebacker, it was a huge task against a stellar Waianae defense.
Seariders coach Danny Matsumoto was not entirely thrilled with his team’s lack of consistency, even from his two best offensive weapons, Kaluhiokalani and running back Jemery Willes. But they’re now 3-0, and Matsumoto did say he’s thankful for a win over a tough OIA Red West foe.
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