RIVALS WAIKIKI FOOTBALL GAME OF THE WEEK
After taking over the No. 1 spot in the Bedrock Sports Hawaii high school football Top 10 last week, Kamehameha continued its hot streak with a 35-28 Interscholastic League of Honolulu victory over No. 3 Punahou on Friday night at Aloha Stadium.
There was no letdown for the Warriors (2-1) after their huge, 23-21 upset of four-tine defending state Open Division champion Saint Louis a week earlier.
Punahou (1-2) led 7-0 and 14-7 before Kamehameha got back in front, but the score was tied 21-all heading into the fourth quarter, thanks to a 77-yard kickoff return for a TD by Punahou’s Travis Ross. That’s when the Warriors took the momentum with two fourth-quarter TDs en route to the victory.
Kamehameha QB Kealii Ah Yat threw three TD passes in the win.
(Image credit: Kealii Ah Yat’s Twitter page).
A late Buffanblu touchdown — with just 52 seconds to go — brought the Puns closer for the 35-28 final.
Noah Bartley rushed for 108 yards and two touchdowns for Kamehameha to lead the way, and Kealii Ah Yat threw for 206 yards and three TDs.
John-Keawe Sagapolutele, the Punahou quarterback, was held to 97 yards passing and he was sacked three times. Sagapolutele connected with Astin Hange for two passing touchdowns.
Among the defensive standouts for the Warriors were Diego Ortiz and Luke Kaleiwahea, who had one and a half sacks each. Altogether, Kamehameha had six tackles for loss, and Connor Hackbarth came up with an interception.
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Defensively for Punahou, the highly recruited Tevarua Tafiti had eight tackles that included a whopping 5.5 tackles for loss, one of which was a sack. He also had two forced fumbles, and teammates Fua Ioane and Kekai Burnett each recovered a fumble. As a team, the Buffanblu had 10 tackles for loss.
Alika Cavaco-Amoy was another defensive standout for Punahou with 10 tackles and a forced fumble.
With the victory, the Warriors and coach Abu Maafala avenged a 33-28 loss to the Buffanblu earlier this season.
The Buffanblu take on Saint Louis next Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Aloha Stadium. The second-ranked Crusaders won the first matchup between the two schools this season, 41-23.
John Keawe Sagapolutele
was held to 07 yards passing.
(Image credit: The Prototyp).
The ILH Open wars will continue through October. The Kamehameha vs. Saint Louis rematch is Oct. 15.
But that’s not all. On Oct. 22, the first-place ILH Open team gets a bye while the other two teams play in a playoff game for a right to see the regular-season champ for the overall league title.
The state tournament is expected to be held in late December and January, after the OIA season (which starts Oct. 15) ends. The ILH gets only one team into the four-team Open bracket.
No. 1 Kamehameha 35, No. 3 Punahou 28
At Aloha Stadium
No. 3 Punahou (1-2). 7. 7. 7. 7. — 28
No. 1 Kamehameha (2-1). 0. 7. 14. 14. — 35
PUNAHOU—Astin Hange 5 pass from John-Keawe Sagapolutele (Jordan Kapisi kick)
KAMEHAMEHA—Noah Bartley 5 run (Winston Frietas kick)
PUNAHOU—Noah Macapulay 35 pass from Sagapolutele (Kapisi kick)
KAMEHAMEHA—Dwight Apao 2 run (Freitas kick)
KAMEHAMEHA—Sheyden Iokia 48 pass from Kealii Ah Yat (Freitas kick)
PUNAHOU—Travis Ross 77 kickoff return (Kapisi kick)
KAMEHAMEHA—Raiden Morris 21 pass from Ah Yat (Freitas kick)
KAMEHAMEHA—Bartley 15 run (Freitas kick)
PUNAHOU—Hange 4 pass from McCutcheon (Kapisi kick)
