The Wildcats celebrate after a first half touchdown against Waipahu. CJ Caraang | SL

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Konawaena third-year coach Brad Uemoto hugs his assistant coaches after his team defeated Waipahu. CJ Caraang | SL

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Konawaena defensive lineman Tevin Canda recovers the game-sealing fumble against Waipahu. CJ Caraang | SL

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Fri, Nov 3, 2017 @ Konawaena [ 7:00 pm ]

---

Waipahu

50

Konawaena

53

Final	1	2	3	4	T
Waipahu (10-1-0)	6	13	18	13	50
Konawaena (9-3-0)	21	3	29	0	53

• Pass
• Rush
• Rec

Austin Ewing 370 yd 4 TD

Braden Amorozo 337 yd 3 TD

Austin Ewing 35 yd 2 TD

Alfred Failauga 283 yd 4 TD

Tyler Libarios 135 yd 1 TD

Matthew Fiesta 152 yd 2 TD

KEALAKEKUA, Hawaii — When the clock hit triple zeros at Julian R. Yates Field Friday night, Konawaena coach Brad Uemoto was in tears.

After the wild contest against visiting Waipahu that evening, no one could blame him.

In a game that featured almost anything possible, it was the Wildcats who made history that night. 

Konawaena will play in its first-ever state title game after outlasting Waipahu in a 53-50 thriller in the semifinals of the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Division II football state tournament.

The Wildcats (9-2), ranked fifth in the ScoringLive/Hawaiian Electric D2 Power Rankings, will meet defending state champ and top-ranked Lahainaluna in the title game on Nov. 18 at Hawaiian Tel FCU Field at Aloha Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m.

Uemoto's team also gets the honor of being the first-ever team to represent the Big Island Interscholastic Federation in the championship game.

"This win right here is the first in Big Island history," said Uemoto, whose team fell short in the semifinals to the eventual state champ the past two years. "We did this for our island and we did this for our community. We're going to celebrate this, but we want a state title."

Konawaena defensive lineman Tevin Canda recovers the game-sealing fumble against Waipahu.

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_17110424_FB_WAIP-KONA_CJCARAANG-8287.jpg - CJ Caraang | SL

“Honestly it came down to who had the biggest heart,” said defensive lineman Paka Cacoulidis, who had two sacks in the win. “They was marching the ball down, but it just came down to who had the biggest heart. It was an amazing feeling watching that ball pop out and a green jersey over it.”

Waipahu coach Bryson Carvalho said turnovers hurt his team “big time.”

“It was just a killer,” he said. “Things just didn’t bounce our way tonight, especially at the end there. We had a chance to go and win the game on the last drive. That’s all you want. It just didn’t bounce our way.”

The Marauders turned it over on their first play of scrimmage when Boaz Ayers picked off Amorozo on a deep corner route. The Wildcats were able to recycle the turnover into a 10-play, 51-yard drive that was capped with Ewing’s 6-yard TD run. Harry Hill was good on the PAT to give Konawaena a 7-0 lead with 9:13 to play in the first quarter.

Waipahu answered with Ezekiel-Kai Kapanui-Reyes’ 69-yard TD pass to Zeondre Benjamin out of the wildcat formation, but the extra point went off the right upright to leave the score at 7-6.

Konawaena got its next score of the night after Orion Smith recovered a bad Waipahu snap and returned it 34 yards to make it a 14-6 game with 6:41 to go in the opening period.

The Wildcats’ other score that came off a turnover was when Banagan-Brock stripped Failauga and Ethan Abe was able to recover it. Three plays later Ewing found Jeriah Cacal for a 41-yard TD to put Konawaena ahead, 46-31, halfway through the third quarter.

Cacal also caught a 1-yard TD and had an interception on defense. Tyler Libarios was also key for Konawaena, hauling in seven passes for 135 yards and a 54-yard score, the Wildcats’ first of the second half.

Amorozo finished the night with 337 passing yards and three TDs against two picks. His most effective target was Fiesta, who had seven receptions for 152 yards and two TDs.

Special teams also played a factor in the game. Amorozo's younger brother, Brycen, only made 2 of 3 PAT attempts while the Marauders failed to get a 2-point conversion on any of their five attempts. On the other hand, Hill booted a 35-yard field goal in the second quarter and was a perfect 6-for-6 on PATs. Ewing also ran in a 2-point conversion to give Konawaena a 39-25 lead in the third quarter.

INJURY UPDATE: Waipahu coach Bryson Carvalho said junior defensive lineman Dason Santana is doing OK after suffering a back injury in the third quarter. The game was delayed for about 25 minutes as Santana needed to be strapped on to a gurney before taking an ambulance to the hospital.