Castle rode Logan Thompson’s punishing running in the second half and a stellar performance by JHeart Sisra on special teams and defense to win a shootout Friday against Waialua.
Thompson rushed 19 times for 175 yards and two touchdowns — all in the second half — and Sisra scored on a kickoff return and had two interceptions as host Castle held off Waialua 41-39 in an OIA Division II game.
The Knights (3-2, 2-0), who trailed 26-14 at halftime, gained 255 of their 319 total yards in the second half. Only 21 yards came through the air.
“I told them at halftime, it’s not about the scoreboard, it’s all about what’s in your heart and how you play for one another and your brothers,” Castle coach Junior Pale said. “They came out believing in themselves.”
The Knights drove to the Bulldogs’ 8-yard line before turning the ball over on downs with 36 seconds remaining. Waialua (2-2, 1-1) botched a hook-and-lateral and had a short completion to end the game.
Thompson was used as a blocking back during the first half for Castle’s run-heavy rushing attack.
He set the tone in the second half against a Bulldogs’ defense that appeared to wear down.
“We came out struggling a little bit,” Thompson said. “By the start of halftime we all got together and realized we still have to play as a team and it’s not over yet. We fought, we came back and came out with the ‘W’ tonight.”
Both of Sisra’s interceptions led to Castle touchdowns.
“Coach set me up and I did what I had to do. I was there in the right spot and the ball came to me,” Sisra said.
Castle botched a handoff on the first play from scrimmage and Waialua’s Sky Hirota recovered the ball at the Knights’ 20.
The Bulldogs scored three plays later on Emery Abilla’s 13-yard pass to Hirota with 10:58 left in the first quarter. Kaies Demello’s PAT kick made it 7-0.
The Knights missed a field goal on their next possession, and the Bulldogs went up 14-0 after a 10-play, 80-yard dive, which was capped by Jace Apau’s 15-yard run off the left side with 2:54 remaining in the first quarter.
The big plays of the drive were a 46-yard pass from Abilla to Hirota on third-and-25, which put the ball at the 24, and a 15-yard defensive pass interference penalty on third-and-16, which placed the ball at the 15. Apau scored on the next play.
Midway through the second quarter, Waialua’s punter dropped the snap and Castle’s Rolly Gamez returned the ball 17 yards to the 1-yard line. Kaunahe Kalahiki-Gohier scored on the next play, and Aztin Pitt made the PAT kick to pull the Knights within 14-7.
Waialua went up 20-7 on Rayden Wilson’s 12-yard run with 2:16 left in the first half. The Bulldogs went for it on fourth-and-6 from their 45, and converted on a 33-yard pass from Abilla to Hirota. Wilson scored on the next play.
Sisra returned the kickoff 90 yards to pull the Knights within 20-14 with 2:02 left in the half.
“My team set up the blocks and I just followed,” Sisra said. “I just told them block and I was going to do my thing.”
The Bulldogs extended the lead to 26-14 on a four-play, 60-yard drive, which was capped by Abilla’s 43-yard pass to Germaine Bagasol with 1:21 to go in the first half.
Waialua had 233 yards of total offense in the first half.
The Knights scored on their first drive on the second half on Kalahiki-Gohier’s 23-yard run, which made it 26-21 with 6:19 left in the third quarter.
Castle took a 27-26 lead on Thompson’s 7-yard run with 3:51 left in the third. The drive was set up by Sisra’s interception and long return.
Waialua quickly retook the lead at 33-27 on Abilla’s 38-yard pass to Hirota with 3:02 left in the third.
The Knights went up 34-33 on Thompson’s 4-yard run and Pitt’s PAT kick on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Castle extended the lead to 41-33 on Kalahiki-Gohier’s 10-yard run with 7:37 left. The drive was set up by Sisra’s interception and 26-yard return to the Waialua 35.
The Bulldogs got within 41-39 on Wilson’s 7-yard run with 4:52 remaining. Waialua failed on the 2-point conversion pass.
Waialua’s Abilla completed 19 of 35 passes for 317 yards. Hirota caught six passes for 162 yards and had two fumble recoveries.
Castle 41, Waialua 39
At Castle
Waialua (2-2, 1-1) 14 12 7 6 — 39
Castle (3-2, 2-0 ) 0 14 13 14 — 41
WAIL—Sky Hirota 18 pass from Emery Abilla (Kaies Demello kick)
WAIL—Jace Apau 15 run (Demello kick)
CAST—Kaunahe Kalahiki-Gohier 1 run (Aztin Pitt kick)
WAIL—Rayden Wilson 12 run (kick failed)
CAST—JHeart Sisra 90 kickoff return (Pitt kick)
WAIL—Germaine Bagasol 43 pass from Abilla (kick blocked)
CAST—Kalahiki-Gohier 23 run (Pitt kick)
CAST—Logan Thompson 7 run (kick failed)
WAIL—Hirota 38 pass from Abilla (Demello kick)
CAST—Thompson 4 run (Pitt kick)
CAST—Kalahiki-Gohier 10 run Pitt kick)
WAIL—Wilson 7 run (pass failed)
RUSHING—Waialua: Wilson 8-54, Apau 4-38, Taylor Calaro 2-11, Hirota 2-8, Bagasol 1-(minus 7), Demello 1-(minus 18), Abilla 12-(minus 24). Castle: Thompson 19-175, Kalahiki-Gohier 8-59, Aiden Kahele 9-39, Riley Burton 6-22, Christopher Ano 1-4, Nai Kalauokaaea 1-(minus 3), Noa Sebay 1-(minus 4).
PASSING—Waialua: Abilla 19-35-2-317. Castle: N. Kalauokaaea 3-7-0-21.
RECEIVING—Waialua: Hirota 6-162, Bagasol 10-102, Hayze Ramos 3-53. Castle: Haaheo Felipe 1-13, Yoshi Kalauokaaea 1-7, Ano 1-1.
‘Iolani 22,
Kamehameha I-AA 12
At Eddie Hamada Field
KS II (1-2, 0-2) 0 0 0 12 — 12
‘Iolani (3-3, 1-0) 9 13 0 0 — 22
IOL—FG Austin Dang 22
IOL—Kekama Kane 85 pass from CJ Villanueva (kick failed)
IOL—Keon Pruesser 58 pass from Villanueva (kick failed)
IOL—Jaeden Park 12 pass from Villanueva (Dang kick)
KS—Carson Akau 18 pass from James-Scott Krasinsky (kick failed)
KS—Ashton Akau 7 run (2pt failed)
RUSHING—Kamehameha II: A. Akau 21-150, Zion Labanon 11-47, Krasinsky 7-12, Dominick Kelley 1-(minus 8). ‘Iolani: Jones Vierra 15-59, Quincy Oka 2-3, CJ Villanueva 2-(minus 11).
PASSING—Kamehameha II: James-Scott Krasinsky 5-11-0-30, Dominick Kelley 2-8-1-6. ‘Iolani: Villanueva: 17-27-1-280.
RECEIVING—Kamehameha II: C. Akau 4-26, Keale Auld 1-5, Gabriel Kinoshita 1-3, Josh Sazer 1-2. ‘Iolani: Kane 7-154, Preusser 4-78, Park 3-30, Vierra 1-7, Tyger Hayashi 1-3.
Nanakuli 59, Pearl City 22
At Bino Neves Stadium
Nanakuli (2-4, 1-1) 0 16 36 7 — 59
Pearl City (0-4, 0-2) 16 6 0 0 — 22
PC—Safety
PC—Ikaika Torres 38 run (Bronson Abendanio pass from Torres)
PC—Lennon Elder 4 run (PAT failed)
PC— Elder 1 run (PAT failed)
NAN—Zade Kalua 5 pass from Kingston Salausa (Chance Asinsin kick)
NAN—Lyric Anuenue 29 pass from Salausa (PAT failed)
NAN—FG Asinsin 11
NAN—Kamuela Farias 14 run (Farias run)
NAN—Malosi Muaau 20 pass from Salausa (Asinsin kick)
NAN—Talitonu Keohuhu 5 run (Asinsin kick)
NAN—Muaau 39 pass from Salausa (Asinsin kick)
NAN—Shaysen Akiona 90 fumble recovery (Asinsin kick)
NAN—Keohuhu 29 run (Asinsin kick)
RUSHING—Nanakuli: Farias 9-86, Keohuhu 6-83, Kalua 8-44, Richard Federico 3-26, Salausa 5-15, Kainoa Decanto 1-2.
Pearl City: Torres 9-72, Elder 13-53, Joshua Cabaong-Liborio 2-18, Adriel Jonas Garrido 1-6, Jonah Galanto 1-(minus 7).
PASSING—Nanakuli: Salausa 19-26-0-225. Pearl City: Torres 14-32-1-203, Galanto 1-1-0-5
RECEIVING—Nanakuli: Muaau 3-65, Anuenue 4-53, Federico 4-45, Kalua 3-34, Vai Fanuaea 2-12, Keohuhu 2-9, Davin Bright-Lee 1-7. Pearl City: Abendanio 3-96, Tayvon Ching-Harrell 4-40, Elder 2-33, Javian Mizuno 2-23, Christian Kihewa 4-16.
