Kaimuki RB Ieke Seei-Cleveland runs for a big gain against the Kalani defense. Sylvia Lee | SL

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Despite getting sacked eight times, Kalani QB Seth Tina-Soberano threw four touchdowns and ran in another score. Sylvia Lee | SL

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Sat, Aug 19, 2017 @ Aloha Stadium [ 6:00 pm ]

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Kalani

34

Kaimuki

41

Final	1	2	3	4	T
Kalani (4-4-0)	14	13	0	7	34
Kaimuki (5-4-0)	14	14	7	6	41

• Pass
• Rush
• Rec

Jordan Solomon 128 yd 1 TD

Seth Tina-Soberano 260 yd 4 TD

Ieke Seei-Cleveland 172 yd 3 TD

Seth Tina-Soberano 21 yd 1 TD

Ieke Seei-Cleveland 85 yd

Ryu Yamane 121 yd 2 TD

HALAWA — Kaimuki running back Ieke Seei-Cleveland accounted for three scores and 257 yards of total offense and the defense recorded eight sacks Saturday night to help the Bulldogs top Kalani in league play, 41-34.

A crowd of about 1,500 at Hawaiian Tel Federal Credit Union Field at Aloha Stadium saw Kaimuki, ranked sixth in the ScoringLive/Hawaiian Electric Division II Football Power Rankings, defeat the ninth-ranked Falcons to improve to 2-0 in the Oahu Interscholastic Association D2 standings.

The Bulldogs led 28-27 at the half before using a suffocating defense that kept Kalani off the board until there was 30 seconds left in regulation. Kaimuki also recovered four Kalani fumbles in the victory.

"Our defense, they're ball hawks," said Kaimuki coach David Tautofi. "A lot of it was things we do in practice, keeping our head on a swivel and always being alert."

A fumble recovery by Saburban Castillo helped set up the Bulldogs' first score of the second half. After the change in possession, Kaimuki pieced together a 7-play drive that ended with Seei-Cleveland's 19-yard touchdown run, his third scoring run of the night.

Seei-Cleveland was the star of the Bulldogs' offense, running for 172 yards and three TDs on 26 carries. His longest run of the night was 30 yards, which helped set up Jordan Solomon's 2-yard TD scramble for Kaimuki's last score of the game. Seei-Cleveland also caught five passes for team-high 85 yards.

Kaimuki scored the first two TDs of the game to take an early 14-0 lead, but ninth-ranked Kalani (0-2) stormed back to make it a 14-14 game heading into the second quarter.

The next period was almost a repeat of the opening quarter. The Bulldogs scored two touchdowns to take a 28-14 lead with 4:18 to play in the first half, but the Falcons just came right back and found the end zone twice. Kalani missed on PAT attempt however to make it a 28-27 game at the break.

Despite getting sacked eight times, Kalani QB Seth Tina-Soberano threw four touchdowns and ran in another score. Sylvia Lee | SL    Purchase image

"It definitely was a competitive game," said Tautofi. "It's always a battle with Kalani. They're one helluva of a team and they're definitely going to be a team that's going to be competing for a chance at the title."

Even though the Bulldogs sacked Kalani quarterback Seth Tina-Soberano eight times, the Falcons' signal-caller was able to extend multiple plays with his legs to buy time for his receivers to get open. He finished the night completing 18 of 28 passes for 260 yards and four scores. The Kalani senior also scored on a 37-yard run just before the end of the game for the final points of the contest.

"This quarterback is definitely something special," Tautofi said on Tina-Soberano. "I look forward to seeing some great things from him. He was a pain our butt today."

Tina-Soberano's counterpart, Kaimuki's Solomon, also used his legs to attack the opposing defense. The junior signal-caller rushed 11 times for 87 yards and two scores while throwing for 128 yards and a TD.

Torey Faimealelei and Suliveti Nisa had two sacks each to lead the Bulldogs defensively.

Kalani takes on McKinley at Roosevelt next Saturday while Kaimuki travels to Iolani in a non-league matchup.