Bronson Beatty made the one play coach Reggie Torres challenged his team to make at halftime.
Beatty intercepted a pass with a minute remaining to end Waianae’s upset bid as Kahuku hung on to defeat the Seariders 20-16 in an OIA Red quarterfinal game on Friday night.
Kahuku (8-1), ranked second in the Star-Advertiser Top 10, rallied in the final 4 minutes to advance to play Leilehua in the first semifinal game next Friday at Aloha Stadium.
Aofaga Wily scored the game-winning touchdown with 3:35 remaining after Kahuku forced a three and out deep in Waianae’s territory.
The Red Raiders trailed 16-14 and faced a fourth and 4, but head coach Reggie Torres elected to punt the ball instead of go for it at the Waianae 40-yard line.
“It gave us a chance to get better field position if we don’t get it,” Torres said. “That was a good call by my coaches. They were pushing to punt, punt, punt.”
After Wily’s touchdown gave Kahuku the lead, the Seariders got the ball back on their own 25. They managed to get the ball to the 50 before Beatty’s interception sealed the win.
“(Waianae) got a lot better,” said Beatty, whose team shut out the Seariders in the preseason. “Our coaches coached us up well, the boys up front got good pressure and I was happy to come up with it.”
Kahuku took a quick 7-0 lead less than 2 minutes into the game after Waianae punter Austin Reese mishandled the snap on a punt attempt.
The Red Raiders recovered the ball on the Waianae 7 and scored two plays later on Wily’s 5-yard run.
Waianae’s defense stepped up in the first half, sacking Kahuku quarterback Viliami Livai four times.
Thompson Toetuu-Aipa dropped Livai on fourth down for a sack, giving Waianae the ball early in the second quarter.
A 40-yard pass from Kekoa Kaluhiokalani to Lawrence Akana put the ball on the Kahuku 10 and Leighton Panui punched it in on the next play, running through a host of Kahuku defenders to tie the game at 7.
Arnold Voa was the next Searider to drop Livai for a sack, forcing a fumble recovered by teammate Cleghorn Borge.
A 20-yard run by Panui put the ball on the Kahuku 5 and Kaluhiokalani dove into the end zone from a yard out to put Waianae up 13-7.
The score stayed that way at the half after Kahuku missed on three straight passes inside the Waianae 20 in the final 15 seconds of the second quarter.
“I challenged our kids to play to not win and not be afraid to lose,” Torres said. “I told them this is the opportunity you dream about and go out there and make a play, create a turnover, do something to help this team.”
Wily finished with 156 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries, accounting for three quarters of the Kahuku offense.
Livai was held to only 57 yards passing.
“We didn’t have any time to throw,” Torres said. “Waianae’s defensive line was tough and made it hard for us.”
Panui finished with 58 yards on 14 carries and a touchdown to lead Waianae, which finished with 136 total yards.
at Kahuku H.S. field
| Waianae (4-6) |
0 |
13 |
3 |
0 |
— |
16 |
| Kahuku (8-1) |
7 |
0 |
7 |
6 |
— |
20 |
Kah—Aofaga Wily 5 run (Kekahu Aluli kick)
Wain—Leighton Panui 10 run (Shaughn Spencer kick)
Wain—Kekoa Kaluhiokalani 1 run (kick failed)
Kah—Viliami Livai 1 run (Aluli kick)
Wain—FG Spencer 39
Kah—Wily 11 run (run failed)
RUSHING—Waianae: Panui 14-58, Jaylen Mitchell 9-20, Kaluhiokalani 9-20, Jason Towne 3-(-4), Lexun Kamealoha 1-(-4), Austin Reese 1-(-25). Kahuku: Wily 27-156, Sterling Moe 3-17, TEAM 1-(-1), Livai 11-(-13).
PASSING—Waianae: Kaluhiokalani 7-17-1-71, Brandon Johnston 0-1-0-0. Kahuku: Livai 5-10-0-57.
RECEIVING—Waianae: Lawrence Akana 3-59, Koali Opunui 2-10, Mitchell 1-2, Panui 1-0. Kahuku: Spencer Nagy 2-30, Wily 1-19, Norman Solomon-Unga 1-7, Kawehena Johnson 1-1.
OIA WHITE SEMIFINALS
Pearl City 26, McKinley 12
Kaimi Paredes threw for 207 yards and three touchdowns as the Chargers defeated the Tigers in an Oahu Interscholastic Association White playoff game played at Pearl City.
At Pearl City
| McKinley (5-4, 6-4) |
0 |
6 |
6 |
0 |
— |
12 |
| Pearl City (9-0, 10-1) |
6 |
7 |
7 |
6 |
— |
26 |
PC—Kelson Laboy 15 pass from Kaimi Paredes (kick failed)
McK—Fia Duarte 8 pass from Alex Ironside (kick failed)
PC—Keanu Harris 24 pass from Paredes (David Laranol kick)
PC—Rakeel McMillian 31 run (Laranol kick)
McK—Duarte 15 run (run failed)
PC—Laboy 48 pass from Paredes (Laranol kick)
RUSHING—McKinley: Duarte 17-96, Jay Alcala 5-21, Mathias Tuitele-Lafeta 4-7, Ironside 9-(-1). Pearl City: McMillian 9-51, Paredes 12-17, D.J. Moe 1-6, Troy Barboza Scanlan 1-4.
PASSING—McKinley: Ironside 13-31-1-101. Pearl City: Paredes 15-26-1-207.
RECEIVING—McKinley: Jordan Aikau 3-24, Will Rollman 3-23, Duarte 3-10, Tristan Ramones 2-7, Ray Monterde 1-22, Terrell Tuiasosopo 1-15. Pearl City: Laboy 3-70, Shawn Lopez 3-34, Daicorri Briscoe 3-26, Adrian Fonoimoana-Hall 2-18, Laranol 2-17, Harris 1-24, McMillian 1-18.
Junior varsity—Pearl City 42, Kaimuki 0
Waipahu 36, Kaimuki 22
No statistics were reported from this semifinal.
