OIA Football
Olie, Na Alii batter Surfriders in lopsided semifinal win


  

Sat, Oct 22, 2022 @ Radford [ 6:30 pm ]


Final 1 2 3 4 T
Kailua (4-4-1) 0 0 0 00
Aiea (9-4-0) 14 7 14 641





ALIAMANU — It will be the defending champion versus the No. 1 seed for the league crown next Saturday. 

With its resounding 41-0 semifinal win over Kailua Saturday, No. 11 Aiea will get a shot at a second Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I title in as many years when it faces No. 10 Waipahu in the championship game. 

Ezekiel Olie passed for 240 yards with a pair of touchdowns and also ran in a couple of scores to lead second-seeded Na Alii (8-2) in a thumping of the third-seeded Surfriders (4-4-1) in a semifinal at Radford's John E. Velasco Stadium. 

The game was in stark contrast to the regular-season meeting between the teams back on Sept. 10. Aiea won that game by a score of 13-7. 

"We were more focused (this time) and this last week it was all determination rather than playing around," said Olie, a junior quarterback. 

Olie completed 21 of his 29 pass attempts and was not intercepted. His first touchdown pass went for 10 yards to Rico Figueroa and gave his team a two-touchdown lead less than five minutes into the game. 

Aiea capped three of its first four possessions with trips to the end zone. Its opening drive resulted in a 5-yard touchdown run by Kaimana Lale-Saole two plays after a 12-yard completion from Olie to Jayden Chanel to convert a third-and-5. 

After Bryson Boyea Quiton booted the extra point, the Surfriders muffed the ensuing kickoff return and Hiki Kim Choy-Keb-Ah Lo recovered it for Na Alii. 

On the very next play, Geronimo Ulgaran turned a short shovel pass from Olie into a 22-yard gain to set-up Olie's 10-yard scoring strike to Figueroa on a well-executed run-pass-option play design. 

Olie credited Choy-Keb-Ah Lo and the kickoff coverage team for getting the ball back to the offense. 

"I mean, every game that happens. Special teams is one of the most important aspects of our team and having those certain guys on special teams, it's a blessing," Olie said. 

Aiea got another takeaway a few minutes later after Eric Saau recovered a Kailua fumble. Na Alii got into the red zone and attempted a field goal two plays into the second quarter, but Boyea Quiton's kick from 36 yards out sailed wide right and was no good. 

Fortunately for Aiea, however, Kailua's offense could do nothing with it and went three-and-out. A punt of only nine yards set-up Na Alii in optimal field position at the Surfriders' 30-yard line. From there they needed just four plays to cash in on the short field after Olie scrambled for a 10-yard touchdown with eight minutes and 33 seconds left in the second quarter. 

Kailua was able to move the football on its ensuing drive, which spanned 12 plays and included three third-down conversions. The Surfriders drove to the Aiea 33-yard line, but Sila Unutoa forced a fumble by Caysen Samson and Elijah Nahoopii-Makakona recovered it for Na Alii. 

Aiea DL Sila Unutoa gets into the Kailua offensive backfield. Aiea DL Sila Unutoa gets into the Kailua offensive backfield. Michael Lasquero | SL

Aiea DB Elijah Nahoopii-Makakona drops back in coverage against Kailua. Aiea DB Elijah Nahoopii-Makakona drops back in coverage against Kailua. Michael Lasquero | SL

Aiea DE Logan Rouse sacks Kailua QB Romeo Ortiz. Aiea DE Logan Rouse sacks Kailua QB Romeo Ortiz. Michael Lasquero | SL



Reach Kalani Takase at [email protected].




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