Roosevelt's Jordin Davis celebrates after intercepting a Waialua pass attempt to seal a 17-14 double-overtime victory for the Rough Riders. Greg Yamamoto | SL

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Fri, Aug 28, 2015 @ Roosevelt [ 6:00 pm ]

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Waialua

14

Roosevelt

17

Final/OT	1	2	3	4	OT	T
Waialua (5-5-0)	0	7	0	0	10	14
Roosevelt (3-6-0)	7	0	0	0	10	17

• Pass
• Rush
• Rec

Shastyn Kekahuna 179 yd 1 TD

Royce Tashiro 71 yd

Mila Lele 153 yd

Shayne Teruya 134 yd 2 TD

Oursavior Smith 34 yd

MAKIKI - Despite allowing more than twice as many yards, Roosevelt's defense, ironically, was a big difference in its thrilling and emotional 17-14 double-overtime win against Waialua Friday night at Ticky Vasconcellos Stadium.

The Rough Riders denied the previously unbeaten Bulldogs, ninth in the Hawaiian Electric Division II Power Rankings, from their best start since 1955, when Waialua started 5-0 en route to a 12-1 season and the last of their five Rural Oahu Interscholastic Association championships.

"Winning in front of our home field, our family members,"  said Roosevelt defensive back Ethan Valiente, who had three interceptions. "I was glad they go to watch us play."

Dillon Yamamoto's 29-yard field goal to start the second OT and Jordin Davis' second interception of the game in Waialua's half of the second OT sealed the game for the Rough Riders (1-2 overall, 1-1 OIA).

"I just dropped back to my zone," said Davis, in tears. "I just picked it up…It fellt amazing (when the ball was secured)."

The Bulldogs (3-1, 2-1) scored their only offensive TD in the first OT on a 10-yard run by quarterback Royce Tashiro, only to see the Rough Riders force the second OT on Shastyn Kekahuna's 12-yard TD pass to Shayne Teruya.

There were more points scored in the OT periods than the regulaton, which ended in 7-7, but only after some drama.

The Bulldogs had two golden opportunities to score in the final 87 seconds of regulation. They had a drive that started at their own 28 with six minutes, 17 seconds left end with fourth-and-1 at the Roosevelt 5. And despite an interception by Kymani Ayonon gave the Bulldogs possessiion at the Riders' 35, that drive stalled at the 1 as tiem expried.

"Our defense played well all night," Roosevelt coach Jeff Azuma said. "I was just hoping they could stop them one last time. That gave us a shot in overtime…They had their backs against the wall and they came up time and time again."

Waialua outgained Roosevelt 339 yards to 137. But the Rough Riders got six interceptions - three by Ethan Valiente, two by Davis and one by Brendan Namba - to stall the Bulldogs.

After the teams exchanged punt in each of its first two series, Roosevelt broke the ice midway through the first quarter.  Kekahuna's swing-out pass to the right flat was taken in by Teruya, who out ran the Waialua defense to complete the 65-yard TD play.  Yamamoto's PAT pur Roosevelt ahead, 7-0, with 5:46 in the first quarter.

Waialua moved quickly toward Roosevelt territory in part to when Valiente tried to jump a route, but missed, and Roosevelt's Noah Rosa's 34-yard reception put the ball at the Riders' 23. But on second-and-7 at the 8, Valiente redeemed himself with an interception and returned it to the Roosevelt 15.

"I didn't break down hard enough," Valiente said of missing the pass. "But I got the next one."

The Rough Riders eventually punted, but got the ball back when the Bulldogs' lost the ball on a muff. But Waialua's defense stiffened and force Roosevelt to punt.

In the second quarter, Waialua faced fourth-and-28 at the Roosevelt 43. Davis intercepted Tashiro's deep pass at the Roosevelt 9; had he just knocked it away, the Riders would have taken over at their 43.  

Exacerbating the situation came on first down for the Riders. Kekahuna, lined up in shotgun formation, was looking toward the sideline for signals when the ball was snapped over his head and into the end zone. A scramble ensued and Waialua defensive tackle Aaron Nunez came up with the ball for a TD with 4:43 left in the half.  Kamaki Lacar's PAT tied the game at 7.

The second half was scoreless, as the Riders could not cash in on interceptions by Brendan Namba in the end zone for a touchback in the thirfd quarter and in the fourth quarter by Valiente.

Roosevelt ended up punt to Waialua, which started from its own 28 with 6:17 left. The Bulldogs ran 11 straight running plays before reaching the Riders' 24.  A holding penalty on Waialua earlier in the drive made it third-and-18 at the Riders' 24. Tashiro ran for 13 yards and a personal foul penalty tacked on made it half the distance to the goal, but still one yard shy of a first down, making it fourth-and-1 at the 5.  Tashiro was then dropped for a six-yard loss by Ashton Lafaele.

"I thought it was a first down," admitted Waialua coach Lincoln Barit. "Somebody yelled, ‘First down, first down.'"

In that series, running back Mike Lele, who rushed for 153 yards on 30 carries, lined up at quarterback for Tashiro, who had been playing on a bad ankle, Barit said. Tashiro returned for the last two snaps of the 13-play drive.

Roosevelt took over at its 11 with 1:27 left, but on the second play from scrimmage, Kymani Ayonon intercepted Kekahuna at the Roosevelt 35 with 57 seconds left. Four plays later, Tashiro faced second-and-11 from the 20 and rushed 19 yards to the 1 and out of bounds with three seconds left. Tashiro faked a hand-off as a running back dove into the end zone over the right side. Tashiro's reverse pivot was met by Mana Kahooilihala, who stopped the play for no gain as time ran out.

"I had the quarterback," Kahooilihala said. "But everybody else had to do what they had to do."

"That one was a gamble," Barit said of the play.

It was a roller coaster week for the Bulldogs, who had to play the final quarter of Saturday's suspended game against Pearl City on Monday.  The Bulldogs rallied for a 27-23 win and had just three days to prepare for Roosevelt.

"I felt I let the team down," Barit said. "This was all on me. The stuff I had done, I wish I could take it back. The decisions that you make, you have to live with it."