In his first start at quarterback, Kamehameha junior Justice Young’s record performance powered the Warriors to a resounding 63-21 senior night win over ‘Iolani on Friday at Kunuiakea Stadium.
Young passed for a school-record 374 yards and four touchdowns, all of the scores going to senior receiver Kumoku Noa, who finished the night with nine receptions for 193 yards, and the fifth-ranked Warriors (4-2, 1-2) picked up their first win of the ILH season.
"I was pretty calm, some nerves, but I just played for the seniors tonight," Young said after the homecoming win in the Warriors’ second and final game on the Kapalama campus this season.
Noa came up 4 yards short of his career high, and now owns three of the top four totals in school history. Fatu Sua-Godinet, who had replaced an injured Thomas Yam at quarterback, moved back to receiver and caught 10 passes for 165 yards, including a 43-yard touchdown from Brett Yap. Running back Jordan Bayudan ran for 108 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.
Yam set the previous single-game record of 323 yards in the Warriors’ nonleague win over Baldwin on Aug. 15 in their previous appearance at Kunuiakea Stadium.
Young had completed six of 10 pass attempts for 68 yards and two touchdowns in four appearances prior to Friday’s start. He connected on five of six throws for 66 yards on the Warriors’ first possession and opened the scoring with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Noa.
"Before the game we talked to him and told him ‘Just keep your composure,’ " Noa said. "He does that every practice and he finally showed what he’s got."
The duo later connected on a 55-yard touchdown pass and a 2-yard score and the Warriors took a 28-9 lead into halftime. Noa turned a short pass into a 49-yard score in the third quarter on his final reception of the game.
"He’s a playmaker," said Young, who completed 23 of 41 throws. "I just got him the ball and he got the touchdowns."
Kamehameha coach Doug Cosbie said the coaches finalized the decision to give Young the start and move Sua-Godinet back to receiver on Monday.
"We’re just a little more dynamic on offense with Fatu playing receiver — that’s his natural position," Cosbie said. "So Justice and (Yap) both did a good job."
The Kamehameha defense contributed to the scoring with Kainalu Martin’s 57-yard interception return in the third quarter.
‘Iolani quarterback Tai-John Mizutani threw for 289 yards and a touchdown and receiver Keoni-Kordell Makekau caught 12 passes for 127 yards.
Makekau went without a reception until the Raiders’ fourth drive of the night, but caught five passes for 54 yards on their fourth possession, which he capped with a 42-yard field goal.
Kamehameha pulled away with touchdowns on its next three drives, with Young throwing touchdown passes to Noa sandwiching Bayudan’s 5-yard run.
A miscue on a punt attempt briefly stalled the Warriors’ momentum and gave ‘Iolani the ball at the Kamehameha 29 late in the second quarter.
Makekau then ran down a touchdown pass from Mizutani on the next play, moving him into fifth on the career receiving list for Oahu schools.
