Kapolei clutched a feel-good 27-3 victory over No. 10 Kamehameha on Friday night at the Hurricanes’ home field.
Quarterback Noa Bailey and receiver De’Zhaun Stribling got the offense moving in the first half and then the Kapolei defense took over with four second-half turnovers in the interleague contest.
>> Photo gallery of Kapolei’s win over Kamehameha
The victory couldn’t have come at a better time for the Hurricanes (4-5, 1-3 OIA Open), who had lost three straight by a cumulative score of 106-8.
“We’ve been struggling the last couple of games,” said Stribling, who finished with 94 receiving yards, 40 on the ground, while scoring two touchdowns and passing for another. “It felt good. The offense did really well. The line is holding it down and giving us that little extra push we need and it helped a lot today. I think we’ve gotta keep pushing for the best and playing our game.”
The Hurricanes are in a dogfight with Waianae and Farrington for the OIA’s last of four Open Division playoff spots.
It was senior night for Kapolei, which got out of the gate fast. Jayven Reyes, who rushed for 73 yards, got the Hurricanes on the board with a 5-yard touchdown run. Stribling added a 23-yard TD run in the second quarter and the home team took a 14-3 lead at the half.
Fumble recoveries by Kapolei’s Johnson Savusa and Isaiah Mareko, and interceptions by Branston Gasper-Birgado and Zechariah Kanahele-Mone put a serious crimp in Kamehameha’s offense in the second half, making a comeback impossible.
Warriors coach Abu Maafala did not want to comment after the game, but running back Kawika Clemente did.
“I’m disappointed in the loss,” he said. “We could have done better. We didn’t execute on defense or offense and I feel like we could have done more to prepare for them even though we did all we could.”
Kamehameha’s Kiai Keone passed for 190 yards, but the team’s only points came on Preston Rezentes’ 48-yard field goal in the first quarter.
Defensively, Dayne Maeva had a big night for the Warriors with two sacks and three tackles for loss.
“He’s a beast,” Clemente said. “Every time he steps on the field, we know something special is going to happen.”
Bailey threw for 225 yards in his return from a sternum injury. He started out 11-for-11 and finished 16-for-21. He also connected with Stribling for a 39-yard TD in the fourth quarter.
Stribling showed his arm strength with a 26-yard TD pass to Dycen Coyaso in the third period.
“The defense did amazing and I loved it how the whole team was clicking and playing as one,” Stribling said.
Added Kapolei coach Darren Hernandez, “Stribling is strong, tall, fast and a great leader and the kids look up to him.”
Kapolei 27, No. 10 Kamehameha 3
At Kapolei
>> Kamehameha (2-5, 1-5) 3 0 0 0 — 3
>> Kapolei (4-5, 1-3) 7 7 7 6 — 27
Kapolei—Jayven Reyes 5 run (Micah Fonoti kick)
Kamehameha—Preston Rezentes FG 48
Kapolei—De’Zhaun Stribling 23 run (Fonoti kick)
Kapolei—Dycen Coyaso 26 pass from Stribling (Fonoti kick)
Kapolei—Stribling 39 pass from Noa Bailey (kick failed)
RUSHING—Kamehameha: Tanner Moku 5-20, Kawika Clemente 6-19, Andrew Lee-Smith 8-18, Kiai Keone 7-(minus-8). Kapolei: Reyes 15-73, Stribling 5-40, Josh Nahulu 2-10, Dustin Lino-Adkins 3-7, Haleola Thomas 1-3, Coyaso 4-(minus-22), Bailey 5-(minus-30).
PASSING—Kamehameha: Keone 21-34-2-190. Kapolei: Bailey16-21-0-225. Stribling 1-1-0-26.
RECEIVING—Kamehameha: Kalanikuikahi Lorenzo 4-49, Moku 3-18, Shiloh Louis-Kaneakua 2-26, Clemente 2-20, Edward Correa 2-20, Kahekili Pahio 2-20, Wrx Kimura 2-15, Blaze Kamoku 2-8, Isaiah Shizuno 1-7, Micah Park 1-7. Kapolei: De’Zhaun Stribling 6-94, Bula White 4-20, Jason Camarillo 2-57, Coyaso 2-47, Thomas 2-20, Chanzyn Dupont 1-13.
