KS-Maui rumbles past Waimea win back to back D2 titles

Kinue Miller I ScoringLive

For the second straight season, the Valley Isle is no ka oi in Division II.

Kamehameha-Maui, led by its dominant rushing attack, eventually overwhelmed Waimea in the second half en route to a 48-24 victory, repeating as titlists in the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Division II State Football Championships.

"Being able to come back here, continue what we did last year, come back stronger, bigger and better and finish what we wanted to do, it's awesome," said Kolt Kahoohanohano of the win.

Senior Zedekiah Campbell carried the ball 25 times for 146 yards and two scores, both of which came in the final quarter of play. His final carry of his career, a 16 yard score helped him eclipse 1000 yards for the saason, giving the Warriors a pair of runners reaching that mark.

"Once I reached it, my only motive was to get out of the game and get Zeddy his 1000 yards," said sophomore Xander Pagan, who reached the mark on his sixth carry of the game. "He's a big leader and he's taught me a lot."

Campbell was quick to credit the offemsive front for leading the way.

"Having my three (fellow) senior lineman and those two just all together, they were a really good and dangerous line," he commented.

Waimea was first to get on the board, find the endzone on a 25 yard pass from Kolby Correa to Nash Schaefer, the first attempted in the state tournament for the Menhunes.

The Warriors answered with a score of their own at the 1:36 mark of the opening quarter on a scoring toss from Kekoa Keau-Davis to Campbell, then took the lead on a nine yard run by Pagan at the 9:20 mark of the second. That advantage would be short lived as Correa found Schaefer for a 48 yard scoring toss that got Waimea right back in the game with 5:08 to play in the half, his second receiving score of the game,

On the ensuing kickoff, Pagan had the immediate momentum changer, breaking free for a 91 yard return that put the Warriors back on top, 20-12.

"They should have watched film on me and know not to kick it to me," laughed Pagan. "But yeah, it felt great to return it down the middle and I'd like to thank the kickoff return team for the beautiful blocking."

The Menehunes got back into the game on Correa's third touchdown pass of the day, an eight yard strike to Kaulana Makua that closed the gap to two points again, but the Warriors had the response in a passing score of its own, as Keau-Davis connected with Loea Asuega-Stark on a seven yard route to stretch the margin back.

From there, the Warriors' running game took control, as Pagan's third score of the game coming on a nine yard run to closed out the third, before the two TD runs by Campbell slammed the door on any comeback for the Menehunes.

Correa tossed his fourth score of the day, a 38 yard pass to Kalawaia Martins, but it would be a bit too little too late.

Kamehamha-Maui's defense gave up 288 total yards to Waimea but forced five turnovers that resulted in 20 points. Kahoohanohano was a standout on the afternoon, registering nine total tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble.

"We definitely stepped it up (in the second half)," said Kahoohanohano. "The first half wasn't really how we wanted it to go, but we stuck with our coaches, our game plan came out for the second half and just rolled from there."

The Warriors' win over the Menehunes helped exact a bit of revenge for a loss suffered in the 2023 title game, a 31-28 defeat, of which Kahoohanohano and Campbell, among others played.

"I'm probably going to all my '24 friends and alumni after this and just call them up," Campbell said. "I told them this one is for them already."