Kalanimoku Pauole threw four first-half touchdown passes to spark No. 8 Leilehua to a 42-30 victory over No. 10 Kaiser on Friday night at rainy and wet Hugh Yoshida Stadium.

Kaiser rallied furiously in the fourth quarter to make it close at 35-30. That rally included a safety and was helped out by four second-half fumbles by Leilehua.

But the Mules wrapped it up with a 61-yard drive, capped by Ikaika Piceno’s 2-yard TD run with 1:23 left. 

The Mules (6-1, 6-1) took over first place in the OIA Red in their regular-season finale and stopped the Cougars’ four-game winning streak.

Kahuku can overtake Leilehua for the OIA Red title if it can beat Waianae at Aloha Stadium on Saturday night. The Mules, however, clinched a first-round bye in the playoffs that start next week.

"We’ll get a chance to rest up and see what else needs fixing in all three phases of the game," Mules coach Nolan Tokuda said. "Defense is going to lead the way (into the playoffs), but the offense and special teams are a huge part. (As for the fumbles), Kaiser really attacks the ball, and when they hit the football, it comes out. Part of that was the weather and wet ball."

Pauole shook off a slow start and connected with slippery receiver Tyreek Keough for three TDs in the first half.

"He (Keough) has so much explosion and he is just a joy to coach," Tokuda said.

With the score knotted at 21 in the second quarter, Leilehua got some separation with two touchdowns in the final three minutes of the half for a 35-21 lead at the break.

Jensen Cassium’s sideline catch for a 21-yard gain and two timely Pauole quarterback-draw runs led to Keough’s third TD — a 4-yard toss against double coverage.

After a three-and-out by Kaiser (4-3, 4-3), Leilehua struck again quickly after a short Cougars punt. The Mules took over at midfield with two minutes left in the half, and four plays later, Pauole found Lauriano Lucas a few steps ahead of his defenders in the end zone for a 36-yard score.

Kaiser fought back hard in the fourth quarter with a safety by Manase Palu, who tackled Pauole in the end zone, and a 1-yard TD run by Jensen McDaniel to make it 35-30 with 3:34 to go.

McDaniel finished with 109 rushing yards and quarterback Kalawaia Judd ran for 125 yards out of the spread option.

"There are four to five plays in each game that will decide it. Leilehua made the key plays," Kaiser coach Cameron Higgins said. "Our boys played until the last second, but we had too many three-and-outs and we can’t afford to give them a short field."

The Cougars sprinted out to a 14-0 lead. Zeno Choi’s fumble recovery set up the first TD, and Kaiser took advantage of great field position for the second score. Both touchdowns went for 25 yards from Judd, one to Destin Moss and the other to Jordan Kannys.

Kaiser won the turnover battle 5-1.

"We just couldn’t convert (when it counted)," Judd said. "The defense gave us four or five chances and we didn’t get it done. Oh … I would definitely like to see them (the Mules) again."

Kais–Destin Moss 25 pass from Kalawaia Judd (Matt Sai kick)

Kais–Jordan Kannys 25 pass from Judd (Sai kick)

Lei–Austin Molina 99 kickoff return (kick failed)

Lei–Tyreek Keough 18 pass from Kalanimoku Pauole (Keough pass from Pauole)

Kais–Jensen McDaniel 27 run (Sai kick)

Lei–Keough 11 pass from Pauole (Gilliland kick)

Lei–Keough 4 pass from Pauole (Gilliland kick)

Lei–Lauriano Lucas 36 pass from Pauole (Gilliland kick)

Kais–Safety, Levi Richards tackled Pauole in the end zone.

Kais–Jensen McDaniel 1 run (Sai kick)

Lei–Ikaika Piceno 2 run (Gilliland kick)

RUSHING–Kaiser: Judd 26-125, McDaniel 20-109, Keith Jones II 2-(minus-1). Leilehua: Piceno 15-75, Pauole 7-39, Toma Savea 8-32, TEAM 5-(minus-17). 

PASSING–Kaiser: Judd 10-26-1-137. Leilehua: Pauole 11-21-0-192, Gilliland 0-1-0-0. 

RECEIVING–Kaiser: Moss 4-33, Isaiah McDaniel 2-48, Kannys 2-37, Andrew Kaufusi 1-14, Isaiah Pongasi-Adric 1-5. 

Leilehua: Lucas 6-93, Keough 4-78, Jensen Cassium 1-21. 

Junior varsity–Leilehua 41, Kaiser 0