PEARL CITY 22, KALANI 16 OT
Makoa Cooper scored the game-winning touchdown on a 15-yard run in overtime to lift Pearl City to a 22-16 victory over Kalani on Saturday night at Ticky Vasconcellos Stadium.
Kalani rallied for 13 points in the final 2:25 and had a chance to take the lead after Seth Tina-Sobarano’s 7-yard touchdown pass to Joshua Titialii on fourth-and-goal with 47 seconds remaining.
Kalani was called for a delay of game celebrating the touchdown and then missed the extra point to keep the game tied at 16.
The Falcons failed to score on their first possession of overtime and Cooper scored on a 15-yard scamper to end the OIA Division II opener for both teams.
“Football games are peaks and valleys,” Chargers coach Robin Kami said. “Lucky we get the overtime rule now and get a chance to come back and win the game.”
Kalani had been held to a lone field goal when it started a drive from its own 1-yard line midway through the fourth quarter.
The Falcons faked a punt on fourth down from their own 8-yard line and ended up going the length of the field with Tina-Sobarano firing a 4-yard TD pass to Logan Matsuoka.
Matthew Wu recovered the onside kick for Kalani and Tina-Sobarano tied it up with his second TD pass of the game.
The Chargers held the Falcons scoreless in overtime when defensive back Kasey Kikuyama batted away a fourth-down pass in the end zone.
— Billy Hull, Star-Advertiser
KAIMUKI 63, WAIALUA 0
Ieke Seei-Cleveland rushed for 165 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries and also scored on a 46-yard pass from Jordan Solomon as Kaimuki dominated the defending OIA Division II champions.
Solomon was efficient in the pocket, passing for 199 yards on 11-for-15 accuracy with four TDs and one pick in the regular-season opener for both teams.
Waialua had at least a dozen players in street clothes for various reasons, forcing many starters to play on offense and defense for the duration of the game. Kaimuki rushed for 293 yards on 32 carries and finished with 492 yards of total offense.
Waialua finished with minus-34 rushing yards.
— Paul Honda, Star-Advertiser
KAUAI 0, ST. FRANCIS 42
Scott McLeod set a Saints single-game receiving record with 112 yards on seven receptions and quarterback Jonah Aina-Chaves finished 15-for-17 for 188 yards and three touchdowns in the shutout of the Red Raiders (1-1).
Lachmann Atoa caught a 79-yard touchdown pass on a third-and-30 play in the third quarter and Shepard Kekahuna hauled in two TD passes for the Saints (1-1), who improved to 4-3 against neighbor island teams all-time.
“There was a lot of good,” St. Francis coach Kip Akana said. “This is a new offense and we seem to be progressing.”
The Saints play at Konawaena next week.
— Billy Hull, Star-Advertiser
CASTLE 33, RADFORD 28
Jon Hao won his first game as Castle coach and has second-string quarterback Makana Smith to thank for it.
Smith, the starter last season, completed six of 12 passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns and also rushed for a score as Castle beat host Radford.
Smith, a senior, entered midway through the first quarter after starting quarterback Jaylen Uyemura-Lee left the game after being sacked. Smith started the game at wide receiver.
Elijah Catrett and Kalani Cabana-Zukeran caught touchdown passes for Castle.
The Knights led 33-6 in the third period. The Rams cut the deficit to five with 56 seconds remaining, but the onside kick attempt was unsuccessful.
Hao previously served as coach of Saint Louis, his alma mater.
— Kyle Sakamoto, Star-Advertiser
NANAKULI 12, AIEA 7
Nanakuli quarterback Nhum Kipi and Clyde Enos connected for a pair of touchdown passes as the Golden Hawks edged Aiea for their first win since 2015.
Kipi finished 13-for-24 with 143 yards and an interception while Enos hauled in four catches for 54 yards in total.
Nanakuli’s Po‘okela Pi‘ilani led all rushers with 13 carries and 69 yards on the ground, while Aiea’s Sam Okomoto caught four passes for a game-high 89 receiving yards.
— Christian Shimabuku, Star-Advertiser
