Last month, defensive end Reggie Walker became engaged.

On Sunday, he earned a ring.

Displaying an appetite for destruction, Walker made 3.5 sacks and forced a fumble to lead Kai to a 23-7 victory over ‘Aina in the Newsweek Hula Bowl at Aloha Stadium. He was named Kai’s most valuable player.

“Man, I was definitely nervous when I proposed,” said Walker, who popped the question during Kansas State’s senior night festivities. “That right there is a memory I’ll never forget. And this (game) is a memory I’ll never forget. … It’s a blessing. What a time to be alive. I’m enjoying life to the fullest.”

The all-star game, resurrected after a 12-year hiatus, was played in a unique setting.

>> Photo Gallery: Hula Bowl returns to Hawaii

It was a one-sided game, with the announced crowd of 5,500 sitting only in the mauka section.

On third-and-10 from the Kai 25, ‘Aina quarterback Ryan Willis and running back Anthony Jones teamed on a 9-yard completion to the 16. The officials ruled it a first down, and two plays later, the ‘Aina prepared for what should have been a fifth-down play.

And former UH wideout JoJo Ward secured what should have been a 43-yard scoring pass on the first play of the fourth quarter. But the TD was nullified when the Kai team was flagged for holding, only the game’s third penalty to that point.

But what remained true was that opportunistic defenses win games. The Kai parlayed four turnovers into 20 points.

“Blue came out to play,” linebacker Solomon Matautia said of Kai’s jersey color. “I think it was because we were underdogs. We were ready to go.”

Kai featured five former UH players — Ward, Matautia, running back Dayton Furuta, safety Ikem Okeke and slotback Jason-Matthew Sharsh. Rush end Kaimana Padello, who was assigned to ‘Aina, did not play while recovering from a knee injury.

Okeke assisted on two tackles, Ward caught a 9-yard pass, and Furuta set up Cameron Mayberry’s 1-yard scoring run. The past two UH seasons, 5-foot-11, 253-pound Furuta was the power back known as “Froot Train.” In practices the past week, he shifted to fullback, a position he played as a third-year sophomore in 2017. Furuta sealed a rush end, opening the way for Mayberry to slide past to extend Kai’s lead to 10-0 with 3:31 left in the first half.

On being a lead blocker instead of a ball carrier, Furuta said, “I didn’t have to worry about keeping the ball high and tight. I didn’t have to worry about them chopping me. I loved it.”

Matautia recovered the football after a bad exchange between ‘Aina quarterback Roland Rivers III and running back Ty Flanagan. That led to Hale Bailey’s 39-yard field goal, the second of his three treys.

“You just go out there and hit your ball,” said Bailey, who opened the scoring with a 51-yarder. “I was glad (Kai coach Rex Ryan) let me try it. Great snap by (Jacob) Tilghman. Great hold by Austin (Parker). It was target practice out there.”

Matautia also was instrumental in the Kai’s final touchdown — Gabriel Sewell’s scoop, pause, and then score — with 3:34 remaining in the third quarter. A bad ‘Aina snap led to a ricochet, with the ball eventually going to Sewell at the 30.

“I’m used to college rules,” said Sewell, who played linebacker at Nevada. “Right when I landed on it, I started celebrating a little bit. And then Solomon Matautia was saying, ‘Run,’ so I got up and ran.”

Sewell’s 30-yard fumble return was his first since … well, forever.

“I’ve come close a lot of times in college,” Sewell said. “But this being possibly my last game, it’s an amazing feeling I was able to find the end zone.”