The Kailua Surfriders started out strong, then made the necessary adjustments to put the bow on a 30-15 win over rival Castle on Friday night.
“It’s Castle-Kailua. We’re the old east and west rivalry here on the windward side. It was a hard-fought game,” Kailua coach Joseph Wong said. “Credit to coach [Junior] Pale and his staff. They had a great game plan.”
After scoring the only points in the first quarter, Kailua gave up 15 points to host Castle in the second. But the Surfriders defense battened down the hatches and pitched a shutout in the second half to secure Kailua’s first win of the year.
“In the beginning, too many times we had guys on an island. You can’t do that. There’s only so many guys who can play on an island like that every down,” Wong said. “So we had to adjust, and we adjusted at the half. Credit to my staff, and credit to the players for responding to the adjustments.”
Kailua quarterback Romeo Ortiz played a clean game, completing eight of 13 passes for 129 yards with a touchdown on the ground. Ortiz was aided by a pair of running backs with double-digit carries. Ikaika Quidachay carried the ball 12 times for 87 yards and a touchdown, while Caysen Samsan tallied 76 yards on 15 carries with a score.
“We’ve got a stable of running backs. They’re three-year starters for us,” Wong said. “They started in COVID, so they’re battle-tested. They played against everybody as freshmen. Those guys, they never flinched, never blinked. And if you asked them, they would give all credit to the O-line. The O-line opened some gaping holes for them.
A promising first drive ended badly for Kailua. The Surfriders drove the ball to the Castle 2-yard line but lost the ball on a low snap that was recovered by Castle’s Nathanael-Seth Rombawa. The Knights gave it right back. Punter Levi Wright failed to connect and Kailua recovered the ball just outside of the red zone. Quidachay ran for a 17-yard gain, then capped the short drive with a 4-yard touchdown run.
Castle tied the game on the first play of the second quarter. Rombawa carried the ball in from 3 yards out to cap of a nine-play scoring drive. Kailua reclaimed the lead with Kai Fraser’s 22-yard field goal on the next drive.
After a wacky ending to a 12-play drive, Castle took its first lead of the game. Backup quarterback Nai Kalauokaaea completed three passes for 75 yards on the possession. His third completion of the drive was a 27-yard touchdown pass to older brother Trisen Kalauokaaea.
Prior to the scoring play, Castle drew a roughing the passer call that helped the Knights convert a fourth-and-23. Then a completion from Kalauokaaea was called back due to an ineligible man downfield. Castle sent kicker Aztin Pitt out to try a 40-yard field goal, then ran a trick play for a touchdown that was called back for illegal motion. The Knights eventually scored on the Kalauokaaeas’ pass and catch, and Ezekiel Totten ran the ball in for a 2-point conversion.
The third quarter was scoreless until Kailua scored in the final minute of the frame. Ortiz completed a 24-yard pass to Aizek Kaanoi to lead the Surfriders to the 1-yard line, then Ortiz finished the job himself with a 1-yard scoring run.
The defense scored next for the Surfriders. Atunaisa Tongotea recovered a low Castle snap and returned it 25 yards for the score to make it 23-15 Kailua. Samson ran the ball in from 4 yards out on the following drive to give Kailua a 30-15 lead.
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At Castle High School
Castle (1-1) 0 15 0 0 — 15
Kailua (1-2) 7 3 6 14 — 30
KLUA—Ikaika Quidachay 4 run (Kai Fraser kick)
CAS—Nathanael-Seth Rombawa 3 run (Aztin Pitt kick)
KLUA—Fraser 22-yard field goal
CAS—Trisen Kalauokaaea 27 pass from Nai Kalauokaaea (Ezekiel Totten run)
KLUA—Romeo Ortiz 1 run (Ortiz incomplete pass)
KLUA—Atunaisa Tongotea 25 fumble return (Fraser kick)
KLUA—Caysen Samson 4 run (Fraser kick)
RUSHING—Castle: Totten 8-20, Rombawa 7-7, Kaize Steverson 3-7, Ryder Kapuwai-Mapu 3-5, Chayse Nakayama-Hose 2-5, Levi Wright 1-(minus 7), TEAM 3-(minus 19). Kailua: Quidachay 12-87, Samson 15-76, Hiilawe Hekekia 3-37, Ortiz 3-8, TEAM 2-(minus 1).
PASSING—Castle: N. Kalauokaaea 9-19-0-158, Rombawa 2-4-0-9. Kailua: Ortiz 8-13-0-129.
RECEIVING—Castle: T. Kalauokaaea 4-84, Benjamin Domingo 2-40, Steverson 2-30, Logan Thompson 3-13. Kailua: Collin Friel 4-61, John (Joey) Griffiths 2-38, Aizek Kaanoi 2-30.
JV: Kailua 12, Castle 12
