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Kahuku’s girls rugby team defeated Catholic Memorial (Wis.) 33-29 on Sunday in the championship of the High School National Invitational Tournament in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
The Red Raiders scored the go-ahead try and conversion on the very last play of the game to win the title. “We got a slow start. I think the heat really got to us,” Kahuku co-coach Arnetia Tukuafu told TheRugbyBreakdown.com. Catholic Memorial took a 19-14 lead into the break.
Right after the break, Nohea Uluave sent a ball through the line and it bounced into the hands of teammate Taina Scott, who then scored the try to give Kahuku a 21-19 lead. Forward Tiara Letoi scored her second try (worth five points) of the game with about 10 minutes left to cut the deficit to three at 29-26.
Kahuku was able to get an advantage as an opponent received a yellow card in the last few minutes. Anna Tufaga went over the line to give Kahuku the go-ahead points while Uluave added the conversion for the final score right as the referee blew the whistle to end the game.
Earlier in the tournament, Kahuku defeated St. Joseph 57-0 in the first round and then held off Divine Savior Holy Angels 25-24 in the semifinals. It was the third year in a row Kahuku faced St. Joseph in the tournament while the semifinal victory over DSHA was a rematch of the 2017 NIT final, which DSHA won 6-0.
