Kaiser grinds out key win over Roosevelt on Senior Night

Rayden Aoki | SL

Kaiser knocked Roosevelt from the ranks of the unbeatens in OIA Division II play, holding off the Rough Riders late to post a 24-12 victory on Senior Night.

Mathias Mafi scored on a fourth and goal play from the one yard line for the Cougars with just over two minutes left in regulation to make it a two score contest.

Mafi was not lined up at quarterback but went in motion and got under center, at which point the ball was quickly snapped and he surged forward and into the endzone.

It was Mafi's first recorded carry of the season, and he also added a five yard reception, another first.

On the ensuing possession, Roosevelt drove the ball down the field with some pace, getting a goal to go situation with just under a minute left in the fourth. The Cougars defense rose up to the occasion, turning back four straight pass attempts to force a turnover on downs and put a cap on the win.

In all, Kaiser had nine passes defended in the contest, two each by Tea Nuuhiwa-Santos and Jesse Oku. Tanner Kaonohi also picked off a pass. The Cougars also had six tackles for loss (one of them a sack) and Nuuhiwa-Santos recovered a fumble forced by Kekahu Kamaiopii.

Roosevelt scored first in the contest on a 51 yard pitch and catch from Ioane Kamanao to Victor Silva in the first quarter, but saw momemtum shift the home team's way in the second.

Morgan White got the home team on the board via a 21 yard field goal in opening moments of the second, and following a recovery on the ensuing kickoff, took the lead on a five play drive that was capped off by a leaping catch over a defender by Caleb Hamasaki that made it 10-6.

Kaiser closed out the scoring in the half on Aiden Leong's 42 yard burst down the right seam that made it 17-6. Leong finished with 10 carries for 72 yards on the evening.

After the intermission, Roosevelt clearly adjusted to Kaiser defensively and it showed. On six drives in the second half prior to the game-sealing score by Mafi, the Rough Riders held the home team to just 30 yards in total.

Roosevelt committed to the stopping the Cougars' run game and it showed. A stacked box and waves of pressure applied to Kaiser QB Jesse Shinagawa yielded three sacks and 12 tackles for loss, led by Izaiah Nakamura (8 tackles, 3 TFL), Ezekiel Soon (10 tackles, 2 TFL) and Kona Siamani (6 tackles, 2 TFL)

The adjustments happened on offense as well, as Keawe Davis seemed to become a focal point. After catching just one pass for 22 yards in the first two quarters, Davis exploded for nine receptions for 140 yards down the stretch, including a 51 yard bomb that got the Rough Riders back in it.

Kamanao completed 15 of 40 passes for 233 with an interception and added 13 carries for 78 yards.

The win for the Cougars created a three-way tie for first in the division, with Kaiser, Waialua and Roosevelt at 3-1 chasing Castle at 3-0. Four teams qualify for the OIA Division II tournament.