Football
Strong second half helps Kahuku deny Punahou


Kalani Takase | ScoringLive
August 12, 2018, 12:20am

  

Sat, Aug 11, 2018 @ Kahuku [ 6:30 pm ]

Punahou

28

Kahuku

41

Final 1 2 3 4 T
Punahou (7-3-0) 14 7 0 728
Kahuku (7-5-0) 7 14 7 1341
Robert Sauvao 187 yd
Hugh Brady 307 yd 2 TD
Wesley Alo-Maiava 101 yd 4 TD
Vincent Terrell 59 yd 1 TD
Duke Heffernan 72 yd
Koa Eldredge 94 yd 1 TD



KAHUKU — After a back-and-forth first half, Big Red dominated the second.

Wesley Alo-Maiava ran in four touchdowns to help No. 2 Kahuku pull away from No. 4 Punahou, 41-28, in an Open Division football game at Carleton E. Weimer Field Saturday night.

A crowd of about 1,000 fans saw the Red Raiders (2-0) overcome three different first-half deficits and score a string of 27 consecutive points to turn back the visiting Buffanblu (0-1), who were making their season debut.

The teams matched each other score-for-score in an entertaining first half and were knotted at 21-all at halftime. However, the second half was all Kahuku.

Offensively, the Red Raiders pounded out 200 of their 333 rushing yards after halftime, while the defense clamped down after surrendering 239 passing yards first half.

Buffanblu quarterback Hugh Brady completed 19 of his 29 first-half attempts with two touchdowns and no interceptions but connected on only eight of his 22 second-half throws.

After racking up 250 yards of total offense before halftime, Punahou managed just 57 after it.

"The difference in the second half was just we had to step back and just take a look at everything and just see what we could do to expose their weaknesses and I feel like we did that (well)," said Kahuku defensive end Tausili Fiatoa.

Fiatoa, a 6-foot-2, 230-pound senior, had four tackles, including 2 1/2 sacks.

"Honestly, we had to just dig deep and we had to just execute. We started off very slow, but honestly, we just had to dig deep. Just plain and simple," Fiatoa said.

The Red Raiders were intent on getting pressure on Brady, sending blitz after blitz at the Buffanblu junior. They succeeded to the tune of seven sacks, four other tackles for losses and a number of hurried passes under pressure.

"Credit to my coaches, first of all, making the adjustments that were needed and I think it's showing how good of a staff I have, which makes my job easier as a head coach, but our boys, they just want it. The offseason workouts, all the time we put in the weight room it showed toward the end of the game," Kahuku first-year coach Sterling Carvalho said.

Carvalho credited defensive coordinator Sola Soliai and his staff for implementing a few halftime adjustments.

"Just our basic coverages, working out our blitzes, our basic schemes and just getting home. As you saw in the second half, we were able to get to the quarterback, but throw out the coverages in which (Brady) had to hold on the ball — that's a lot more difficult there — so coach Sola did a good job there, the defensive coaches as well," Carvalho said.

Red Raiders QB Robbie Sauvao (23) was 8 for 14 for 187 yards through the air and added 112 rushing yards on just nine carries. Leighland Tagawa | SL Red Raiders QB Robbie Sauvao (23) was 8 for 14 for 187 yards through the air and added 112 rushing yards on just nine carries. Leighland Tagawa | SL Leighland Tagawa | SL

Punahou receiver Koa Eldredge led all pass-catchers with 94 yards and this diving score to get the Buffanblu on the board on their opening drive. Leighland Tagawa | SL Punahou receiver Koa Eldredge led all pass-catchers with 94 yards and this diving score to get the Buffanblu on the board on their opening drive. Leighland Tagawa | SL Leighland Tagawa | SL


Reach Kalani Takase at [email protected].




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