Kamehameha invited Punahou to play smashmouth football.
For a half, it worked brilliantly, but No. 2 Punahou rallied from a 14-13 halftime deficit for a 47-20 playoff win at Aloha Stadium on Friday night.
Vincent Terrell, limited to 28 yards on seven carries in the first half, bolted for 79 yards in the second half, scoring on a 4-yard run, and adding an electrifying 71-yard punt return to break the game open.
>> Click here to see photos of the game between Punahou and Kamehameha.
Punahou (10-1) will meet No. 1 Saint Louis next week in the ILH second-round final and have to beat the Crusaders twice for the Interscholastic League of Honolulu Open Division title and the lone state-tournament berth. Kamehameha closed its season 3-7 overall. The Warriors were bonecrushers in the first half, limiting Punahou to 21 yards on the ground.
Terrell finished with 107 rushing yards and two TDs, along with the big punt return. Playing from behind is a rarity for the Buffanblu.
“I think I’m more angry running the ball. I’m running for these guys right here. It’s more of a necessity, so it comes out. I don’t ever plan to have a big game. I do what the team needs,” the senior said.
Junior receiver Raydan Kiaaina-Caires stepped up with six receptions for 111 yards and a TD, doing most of his damage during Punahou’s second-half surge.
The first half was a stunning performance by Kamehameha.
On Punahou’s first possession, Kamehameha linebacker Ezra Evaimalo tipped a lateral pass by John-Keawe Sagapolutele and recovered the bouncing ball in the end zone for a touchdown.
Kamehameha, which last beat Punahou in the 2017 playoffs, led 7-0 with 4:26 to go in the first quarter.
After Punahou drove 80 yards and tied it at 7 on Terrell’s 5-yard run, Kamehameha quarterback Jonah Yuen found running back Tanner Moku across the middle of the field. The state hurdles champion sprinted to the end zone for a 53-yard touchdown with 3:39 before the break. Punahou closed it to 14-13 on a 29-yard strike from Sagapolutele to Christopher Paige. The PAT was missed.
Punahou needed just four plays on its ensuing series. Sagapolutele’s 42-yard pass to Koa Eldredge boosted the Buffanblu, who scored on a 29-yard strike from Sagapolutele to Christopher Paige. The PAT missed, and Punahou trailed 14-13 with 2:12 to go in the half.
The Buffanblu made some key adjustments to Kamehameha’s new offensive wrinkles.
“We had to play our game,” Punahou safety Alaka‘i Gilman said. “I told the guys in the locker room, we made our bad mistakes for the whole game already, so let’s go out and play our game. Let’s finish plays, finish tackles, finish physically and win this ball game.”
After rushing for 43 yards in the first half, Moku had just 20 yards on six carries in the second.
Punahou opened the second half with a 13-play, 92-yard scoring drive. Sagapolutele connected with Kiaaina-Caires on a 17-yard touchdown to regain the lead, 20-14, with 6:31 to go in the third.
That was a start of 28 unanswered points.
Yuen, who passed for 123 yards in the first half, was 8-for-17 for 51 yards and two picks after intermission.
After Terrell capped another long Punahou drive with a 4-yard TD run, he was back on the field four snaps later. He hauled in a punt on the left side of the field, then worked his way to the right sideline for the 71-yard TD return. That opened Punahou’s lead to 34-14.
Moments later, linebacker Nathaniel Kia leaped high to snag a pass by Yuen, and he cut back for a 27-yard touchdown return.
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No. 2 Punahou 47, Kamehameha 20
At Aloha Stadium
>> Kamehameha (3-7) 7 7 0 6 — 20
>> Punahou (10-1) 0 13 15 19 — 47
Kamehameha — Ezra Evaimalo fumble recovery in end zone (Preston Rezentes kick)
Punahou — Vincent Terrell 5 run (Quinn Maretzki kick)
Kamehameha — Tanner Moku 53 pass from Jonah Yuen (Rezentes kick)
Punahou — Christopher Paige 29 pass from John-Keawe Sagapolutele (kick failed)
Punahou — Raydan Kiaaina-Caires 17 pass from Sagapolutele (Maretzki kick)
Punahou — Terrell 4 run (Nathaniel Kia run)
Punahou — Terrell 70 punt return (Maretzki kick)
Punahou — Kia 27 interception return (Maretzki kick)
Kamehameha — Titus Maunakea 3 pass from Yuen (kick failed)
Punahou — Peyton Macapulay 38 pass from David Dikeman (kick failed)
RUSHING — Kamehameha: Tanner Moku 16-111, Kawika Clemente 6-48, Andrew-Lee Smith 6-16, Noah Bartley 3-14, Wrx Kimura 1-2, Jonah Yuen 7-(minus 6), TEAM 1-(minus-13). Punahou: Terrell 18-115, Theodore Chun 3-3, John-Keawe Sagapolutele 4-(minus-14).
PASSING — Kamehameha: Yuen 14-26–2-189. Punahou: Sagapolutele 16-23–0-236, Ian Eveleth 3-7–0-27, Dikeman 2-2-0-43, Koa Eldredge 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING — Kamehameha: Clemente 4-67, Blaze Kamoku 2-16, Maunakea 2-16, Moku 1-53, Kahekili Pahio 1-18, Bartley 1-8, Isaiah Shizuru 1-8, Shiloh Louis-Kaneakua 1-3, Denzel Unto 1-0. Punahou: Kiaaina-Caires 6-111, Eldredge 5-66, Paige 3-41, Macapulay 2-43, Noa Takeyama 2-28, Moku Dancil-Evans 2-18, Patrick McInerny 1-(minus-1).
