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Kamehameha-Maui dominates OIA champion Kaiser to reach its first Division II state football final

STEVEN ERLER / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER
                                Kamehameha-Maui Warriors running back McKay Pali celebrated his touchdown during the first half.

STEVEN ERLER / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER

Kamehameha-Maui Warriors running back McKay Pali celebrated his touchdown during the first half.

Kamehameha-Maui, making just its second appearance in the state tournament, and first since 2005, dominated undefeated OIA champion Kaiser 48-24 tonight to advance to next Thursday’s championship game against Kapaa in the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Football State Championships.

Sophomore quarterback Makana Kamaka-Brayce threw for 369 yards and four touchdowns and 6-foot-4 senior lineman Kale Spencer’s 52-yard interception return in the third quarter highlighted a one-sided affair at Farrington’s Skippa Diaz Stadium.

Kahoa Abreu had five catches for 106 yards and a touchdown in the first half while Po’okela Aiu had three receptions for 44 yards and a score to help KS-Maui build a 21-3 lead at the break.

>> PHOTOS: KS-Maui vs. Kaiser

Ho’ohenomauloa Stone-Han sandwiched touchdown grabs of 13 and 64 yards around Kale Spencer’s 52-yard interception return for a TD to push the Warriors’ lead to 41-3.

Kaiser quarterback Easton Yoshino threw an 81-yard touchdown pass to Justin Kanekoa and Kamakana Mahiko caught TD passes of 72 and 5 yards in the fourth quarter after the game was out of reach.

Kamaka-Brayce added a 1-yard TD run for the Warriors’ final score.

Aiu had five more catches in the second half to finish with 127 receiving yards on eight grabs.

The loss was the first in the state tournament for Kaiser, which went 3-0 en route to the 2013 Division II state title in its only other appearance.

The Cougars entered the tournament 9-0 after running the slate in the OIA and beating Redford in the title game on Friday, 52-17.

Kapaa beat Hawaii Prep 51-0 in this afternoon’s semifinal.

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