No. 3 Nanakuli beats No. 10 Kalani, 22-6

Nanakuli quarterback Nainoa Banks threw for 123 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Kalani. CJ Caraang | SL

NANAKULI – Nainoa Banks threw two touchdown passes and Nanakuli defeated Kalani, 22-6, Saturday night in the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division II regular-season finale at the Golden Hawks stadium.

The Golden Hawks (7-2 overall, 7-1 OIA), third in the Hawaiian Electric Division II Power Rankings, had already clinched the second seed for next week's four-team tournament. But the No. 10 Falcons (4-5, 4-4) needed a win to take the fourth seed. Though tied with Waialua (also 4-4), the Falcons lost to the Bulldogs, who get the fourth seed by the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Ironically, Kalani and Waialua were tied for fourth last year, but the Falcons won the head-to-head tiebreaker.

"I wish we could be in the playoffs," Kalani coach Greg Taguchi said. "I wish we could be more successful this season, but for the most part, we have a lot to be proud of."

Nanakuli will host third seed Kaimuki Friday in one OIA D2 semifinal.

The win might have been costly to Nanakuli, as slot back Clifford Cunningham sustained a shoulder injury in the first half and was not suited in the second half. The team's leading receiver scored the game's first TD on a 10-yard pass from Nainoa Banks. Nanakuli coach Keala Watson said he will not know the severity of the injury until Cunningham is examined by doctors.

"I'm praying that he will be back," Watson said. "He's a big part of what we do."

Cunningham had three receptions for 29 yards before leaving the game.

The Golden Hawks were up against a hungry Falcons team that needed a victory to return to the postseason. But Nanakuli's defense came up with big stops or turnovers whenever the Falcons threatened.

"Our defense has played tough all year," Taguchi said. "Our offense just couldn't sustain drives. We kept moving, penalties, mental mistakes cost us."

"We just had to adjust to what they were doing and execute the plays that were given," Nanakuli linebacker Randy Manewa said. "

Nanakuli's first score was set up by 22-yard punt return by Alexcio Meyers to the Kalani 27 after the Falcons were pinned back at their 10. The Golden Hawks needed only three plays to score on Cunningham's TD grab. Anthony Booker ran in the 2-point conversion to give Nanakuli an 8-0 lead with 5:17 in the first quarter.

The teams then were engaged between 20 yard lines until late in the second quarter. Banks connected with Isain Wong-Lonzanida on a 26-yard TD pass with 29 seconds left in the half. Banks then tossed a pass to Manewa for the 2-point conversion to make it 16-0 and Nanakuli took that lead into the break.

Nanakuli received the second-half kickoff and promptly drove down field on seven running plays, the last being Shandon Laa's 46-yard TD run. This time, the 2-point conversion failed and Nanakuli increased its lead to 22-0 with 9:50 in the third quarter.

Neither team did much until Kalani's final series of the game. The Falcons used 15 plays to travel 99 yards with quarterback Seth Tina rolling right and hitting Payton Awaya on an 8-yard TD pass with 1:23 left. A pass on the 2-point try was incomplete.

Kalani running back Sean Silas led all rushers with 125 yards on 27 carries.

Banks led Nanakuli with 15-of-26 passing for 123 yards and two TDs.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at [email protected].