Football
No. 1 Kahuku crushes No. 6 Kapolei to return to OIA title game


  

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


Final 1 2 3 4 T
Kapolei (6-5-0) 0 0 0 77
Kahuku (12-2-0) 0 20 9 1544





KAHUKU — Waika Crawford threw three touchdown passes in the second quarter as No. 1 Kahuku rolled past No. 6 Kapolei, 44-7 in the OIA Open Division semifinals at Carleton E. Weimer Field.

For the fifth time, the Red Raiders (9-2 overall, 7-0 OIA) will face No. 3 Mililani (7-3 overall, 6-1 OIA) in the Open Division championship game on Friday, Oct. 28 at Farrington's Edward ‘Skippa' Diaz Stadium at Kusunoki Field.

The Red Raiders and Trojans clinched spots in the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA State Football Championships starting in November.

The Hurricanes dropped to 6-4 overall and 3-4 in league play and will face Campbell (6-3 overall, 4-3 OIA) for the third and final state tournament berth.

Crawford finished with 213 passing yards on 15-of-29 passing and his three touchdowns went to three different receivers.

Kaimana Carvalho hauled in a 17-yard score but the kick was blocked for a 6-0 Kahuku lead.

After Kapolei went three-and-out, the Crawford finished a nine-play, 60-yard drive with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Brock Fonoimoana.

The Red Raiders forced another punt and went 72 yards and got another score as time expired. Liona Lefau, who plays mostly defense caught a touchdown pass from 5 yards out for a 20-0 lead going into halftime.

Vaaimalae Fonoti finished with 63 yards on nine carries and added a 5-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

On the next play, Nitus Auelua knocked the ball out of Tuli Tagovailoa-Amosa's hand and Tryton Keliikipi recovered it in the end zone resulting in a safety.

The Red Raider defense got two takeaways in the third and fourth quarter.

Aiden Manta intercepted Tagovailoa-Amosa and Madden Soliai came up with another pick that led to points. Keona Poouahi-MacPherson rushed for a 23-yard score to make it, 36-0 to start running clock.

Tagovailoa-Amosa completed 14 of his 28 pass attempts for 100 yards.

Keliikipi had 12 carries for 67 yards and scored Kapolei's only points with an 11-yard touchdown.

Sitani Suguturaga threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Carson Mariteragi for Kahuku's final points of the night.

Kahuku won the regular season matchup on Sept. 23, 35-0.



Reach Brandon Ching at [email protected].



MORE STORIES

Community bids farewell to Aiea High Stadium

Final event on the field at Aiea High School featured music and food and ushered in the soon-to-be constructed...

Repeat champion Warriors led by Campbell, Kahoohanhano

Kamehameha-Maui swept top honors following a second straight state championship, led by OPOY Zedekaiah...

All-Hawaii D1 picks led by Aiea's Kim Choy-Keb-Ah Lo, Kailua's Honebein

Na Alii's Hiki Kim Choy-Keb-Ah Lo named Offensive Player of the Year and Surfriders' Ben Honebein named...

Campbell sweeps All-Hawaii Open Division honors

Seniors Brayden Medeiros and Tainoa Lave were named Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively;...

PAC-5's Ahu, Mililani's Hookala headline All-Hawaii D1 teams

Wolfpack senior infielder Alika Ahu and Trojans' senior pitcher Zayne Hookala were named Position Player...

Napoleon-Umeda did it all in Honokaa's Division II title march

Senior utility Josyah Napoleon-Umeda was a threat both on the mound and at the plate in the Dragons'...