Football
Punahou downs Kamehameha to keep state tourney hopes alive


Edward Zhang | SL
October 13, 2024, 7:46am

  

Sat, Oct 12, 2024 @ Punahou [ 3:00 pm ]

Kamehameha

13

Punahou

25

Final 1 2 3 4 T
Kamehameha (5-4-0) 7 6 0 013
Punahou (3-6-0) 0 9 7 925
Hunter Fujikawa 280 yd 2 TD
Pono Kahaulelio 123 yd
Nelson Aau 55 yd 1 TD
Nainoa Melchor 78 yd 1 TD
Zion White 152 yd 2 TD
Noah Aki 61 yd



Win, or see you next fall.

Coming off a stunning upset of Saint Louis, Kamehameha had one last hurdle between them and a spot in the ILH championship game. A Punahou squad they had beaten 21-17 in their last matchup.

However, the Buffanblu made sure their seniors' final home game wasn't their last taste of meaningful football.

The first half presented a low-scoring battle that saw both defenses step up to the occasion.

On Kamehameha's first drive of the game, Iloa Kaio laid the boom on senior quarterback Pono Kahaulelio, and teammate Jonah Naa pounced on the forced fumble.

That momentum was quickly wiped out by back-to-back interceptions, one that bounced off the hands of Sean Connell, and another as Dash Watanabe fell to the turf several feet away from the ball. In between these possessions, star Kamehameha RB Nainoa Melchor twisted around two Buffanblu defenders for a touchdown.

As the teams traded field goals, Kamehameha held on to a 13-3 lead with 1:49 remaining in the first half.

To Punahou fans, it looked like the same old story.

But for the first time all season, the Buffanblu pulled it together. Or should I say, Zion White and Hunter Fujikawa woke up.

The sophomore-freshman duo connected multiple times on what was an absolutely perfect 80-yard two-minute scoring drill.

Fujikawa, who has struggled with ball security throughout the season, looked surgical. And White, with his towering 6'3 frame, seemed to be too much to handle over the middle of the field. In fact, it was a 25-yard deep crosser to White right over the linebackers heads that set up a Bubba Aau's two yard plunge into paydirt just before halftime.

Improved gap discipline out of the gate on defense saw Punahou slow down the tricky Kamehameha run game that had success during the first half.

Indeed, the Warriors stayed true to a game plan full of jet sweeps, quarterback draws, and triple options that utilized the strengths of running QB Pono Kahaulelio, as well as utility WR Nui Kaapana and workhorse RB Nainoa Melchor.

To Kamehameha fans dismay, however, they would post zero points in the second half. Furthermore, if White woke up during the two-minute drill, he made his mark with 7:30 left in the third.

From 3rd and six on the Warriors' 48 yard line, Fujikawa linked up with White on a 30 yard bomb down the right sideline.

One play later, Fujikawa looked for White again: reaching around DB Kekaialii Keaweehu, White trapped the ball against Keaweehu's helmet, and then came down in the end zone with as spectacular of a catch as I have ever seen in high school football.

But he wasn't done yet, as a fumble on the next possession from Melchor led to yet another 20 yard fade that White corralled in the back corner of the end zone.

His final stats: nine catches for 152 yards and two touchdowns.

When asked about his performance, White simply showed gratitude: "I want to thank my O-Line, I want to thank Hunter Fujikawa, and I want to thank my teammates, I do it for all my teammates."

Fujikawa for his part on the afternoon completed 19 of 30 passes for 280 yards, both career marks in both completions and yards.

To make matters worse for the Warriors, a safety from an errant snap flying out of the end zone, followed by some good power running from Punahou meant that suddenly, it was 25-13 Punahou with only two minutes left in the game.

Here, a senior leader took the baton of individual dominance from the sophomore White. In simpler words: Ko'o Kia shut the door.

In a singular drive, Kia recorded a batted pass, 2 tackles, and 2 sacks (on his only two pass rush snaps of the day). Kamehameha could not muster up any points as the final horn sounded.

"When I saw the scoreboard, I saw how much time we had, and I just saw my boys. And I was just like, 'I'm gonna do it for my boys'," said Kia, who's huge afternoon on the defensive side of the ball included 15 tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and a pass break up.

"It's a bittersweet moment, I love these guys, I love all my seniors. It came so fast, I didn't realize it would come this fast. But the bonds we create will surely last forever. These are my boys, I love these guys," added Kia when asked about the final drive, and having played his last home game.

So as the shadows stretched across Alexander Field, the Buffanblu's Senior Night festivities began on a high note.




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