Moanalua’s hopes of a comeback win to open the conference season faced some long odds.

Just how long?

Try fourth-and-48 long.

Trailing by three late in the fourth quarter and nearly half a field away from a first down, diminutive Menehune receiver Michael Egami broke loose for a 60-yard catch-and-run to keep Moanalua alive.

Jordan Tanioka, a defensive tackle, then plowed the next 7 yards for the go-ahead touchdown to give the Menehune a dramatic 22-18 win over Castle last night at Moanalua’s field.

"The play was just to get open and something took over, I just wanted it so bad," Egami said of the last of his six receptions that covered 200 yards. "Honestly, the whole team just wanted it so bad."

In an often ragged game of wild momentum swings, Moanalua (2-0, 1-0) won its OIA Red East debut by seeing a 15-point lead evaporate before pulling off the rally against the 10th-ranked Knights (1-1, 0-1).

"We made it fun, didn’t we?" Moanalua coach Arnold Martinez said.

Moanalua quarterback Keven Amaral threw for 288 yards and two touchdowns, both going to Egami in the first half, and the Menehune overcame untimely penalties and five turnovers to pull out the win.

After a ragged start for both teams, Amaral rolled to his left and found Egami deep downfield for a 49-yard score to cap Moanalua’s third possession of the game. A Castle fumble then set up a 40-yard field goal by Lee Arakawa to give the Menehune a 9-0 advantage.

Moanalua began its next drive at its own 2, but was aided by three personal foul calls on Castle and converted on third and 25 when Egami took a screen and scooted 28 yards for his second score.

Castle responded when Jacque Hough fielded the ensuing kickoff on a bounce at the 14 and found open space down the left side for an 86-yard touchdown return.

The Knights’ opening drive of the third quarter ended with a field goal to cut the Moanalua lead to 15-10.

Both offenses struggled to hang onto the ball through much of the third and fourth quarters until Castle quarterback Jaymason Lee drove the Knights to a go-ahead score, tossing a 14-yard touchdown pass to Hough with 2:50 left.

Trailing for the first time, Moanalua drove to the Castle 29, but Amaral was sacked for a 12-yard loss on second down and another big loss was compounded by an intentional grounding call, to push the Menehune back to their 33.

After a timeout with 2:23 left, Amaral found Egami crossing over the middle near midfield. Egami then turned the corner and ran past the Castle defense before being pushed out of bounds at the Knights’ 7.

Tanioka then reclaimed the lead with his lone rush of the night.

"He’s been by best friend since we were 5 years old and there was no doubt he was going to get over the goal line," Egami said. "For me to see my brother score is the best feeling. He deserves it."

Castle mounted a final threat, moving to the Moanalua 33. But Elijah Scott knocked down Lee’s desperation pass into the end zone to seal the win for the Menehune, who entered the season seeking to prove they can handle themselves in the OIA Red after going undefeated in the White last season.

"Give it to Castle, that is a tough team," Martinez said. "I think it gives our guys a sense that if we play the best we can play, we can compete. And more than compete, we can win."

Said Egami: "The Red is different, but we belong."

CAMPBELL 14, PAC-FIVE 12

Defensive back Dylan Garcia returned a blocked field goal 57 yards for a touchdown to turn the tide for the Sabers.

The Wolfpack responded with Darius Anderson’s 2-yard run and had a chance to win with 10 secs remaining in the game, but Brendan Sagucio’s 30-yard field-goal attempt was wide left.

ALSO
NO. 1 KAHUKU 54, KAILUA 25

OIA WHITE
KAIMUKI 16, MCKINLEY 2

The Bulldogs broke open a low-scoring game after halftime behind Nahoa Spencer, who connected with Justice Sarcedo on a 31-yard scoring pass and punched in a 1-yard run.

Chester Su’a was the workhorse for Kaimuki, amassing 166 yards on 22 carries.