Kalani (4-2, 4-3 overall) used a 21-point first half explosion to establish a lead, then held off Kalaheo (3-3, 3-4 overall) through the final three quarters to escape with a 42-34 victory in a key OIA White division showdown at Kaiser Stadium Saturday.

Noah Kim's run from nine yards out and a Leo Klink kick that followed gave Kalani a 7-0 lead at the 4:45 mark in the first quarter, and the Falcons tacked seven more points on the board a little over a minute later on Derek Costa's five yard fumble recovery and the ensuing Klink PAT.

The lead was extended to 21-0 following a 80-yard strike from Kalani quarterback Noah Brum to Gavin Kim at the 1:45 mark in the first quarter, but Kalaheo responded on the ensuing drive, capped off by Willie Lynch's 55-yard run. The point after failed to end the first with Kalani up 21-6.

Kalaheo tacked on two more scores in the second, both runs by Lynch from 26 and 13 yards out respectively, tying the game up at 21-all with 2:30 left until intermission. But Kalani would answer at the 1:34 mark, as Brum found Ikona Mamiya from 24 yards out to give the Falcons a 28-21 lead at the break.

The second half saw a trading of scores back-and-forth, the first a 10 yard pass to Blaise Manabe from Noah Brum, followed by a 12 yard run by Kalaheo signal caller Stephen Lee at the 2:03 mark in the third to keep the Mustangs with 7 points

Kalani responded midway through the fourth, as Brum found Gavin Kim for a second-time in the game, this time from 25 yards out to extend the margin to 14 with just 5:33 left to play.

Mustangs answered quickly, driving down the field and punching it in from 3 yards out on Cristian Johnston's plunge to trim the lead to 42-34 at the 4:54 mark, but Kalaheo would not get any closer.

The victory puts Kalani into a two-way tie with Nanakuli for third place in the OIA White standings. Kalaheo dropped to 3-3, but both teams remain in mathematical contention for a playoff berth with two games remaining for each.