Konawaena passes its way past Leilehua into state Division I final

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Keenan Alani completed 20 of 36 passes for 359 yards and five touchdowns, and Aliimalu Tan caught nine passes for a school state-tournament record 191 yards and three scores as host Konawaena beat Leilehua 45-20 in the semifinals of the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA State Division I Championships on Friday.

Alani completed a 10-yard scoring pass to Austin Takaki and a 51-yarder to Hayden Nishida in the first quarter and scores of 40, 22 and 28 yards to Tan. Alani tied Austin Ewing’s school record of five touchdown passes in an HHSAA game but fell 11 short of Ewing’s mark for yards.

Tan broke the previous Konawaena mark of 149 receiving yards set by Zedekiah Anahu-Ambrosio.

The Wildcats, who led 24-0 after the first quarter, also scored on a 20-yard field goal by Nakoa Ige and an 18-yard pass from Armenio Blanco to Elias Malapit.

Leilehua’s Bennett Strobel completed 20 of 37 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns. Romeo Tubon caught nine passes for 104 yards and a score. Running back Cameron Keeve was held to 64 yards on 16 carries but passed Jemell Vereen for most state tournament rushing yards by a Mule with 325 in two games.

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At Konawaena

Leilehua 0 7 0 13 — 20

Konawaena 24 0 14 7 — 45

KONA—FG Nakoa Ige 20

KONA—Austin Takaki 10 pass from Keenan Alani (kick failed)

KONA—Hayden Nishida 51 pass from Alani (Ige kick)

KONA—Aliimalu Tan 8 run (Hercules Nahale run)

LEI—Talon Tarpley 9 pass from Bennett Strobel (Rodel Alano kick)

KONA—Tan 22 pass from Alani (Ige kick)

KONA—Tan 28 pass from Alani (Ige kick)

LEI—Romeo Tubon 23 pass from Strobel (Alano kick)

LEI—Kyin Rivera-Galbraith 31 pass from Strobel (kick failed)

KONA—Elias Malapit 18 pass from Armenio Blanco (Ige kick)

RUSHING—Leilehua: Cameron Keeve 16-64, Rivera-Galbraith 6-(minus 1), Strobel 9-(minus 8). Konawaena: Nahale 27-90; Jiohvani Soto Ramos 3-3, Alani 1-2, Team 1-(minus 3).

PASSING—Leilehua: Strobel 20-37-1-222. Konawaena: Alani 20-36-0-359, Blanco 1-1-0-18.

RECEIVING—Leilehua: Tubon 9-104, Tarpley 5-52, Rivera-Galbraith 3-40, Brennan Kepaa 2-24, Trustin Gomes 1-2. Konawaena: Tan 9-191, Takaki 6-96, Nishida 2-53, Soto-Ramos 2-15, Malapit 1-18, Max Taetuna-Faut 1-4.