JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM Moanalua's Roland Pubols couldn't quite come up with the touchdown pass during the first half as Castle's Seth Estioko covered on the play.

Castle comes through at the end for wild win at Moanalua

Castle sprinted out to a big lead and nearly gave it all away before recovering in the final minutes to beat host Moanalua 27-14 last night in Oahu Interscholastic Association Red East football.

The high-scoring and wacky first half gave way to a defensive struggle in the third quarter. Then in the fourth quarter with the Knights (2-2, 2-0) clinging to a 19-14 lead, both teams worked hard for the decisive blow as time kept ticking away.

The Menehunes (1-3, 1-2), who had wrested momentum and field position away from Castle late in the first half and kept it until midway through the final quarter, desperately needed points when they took over at their own 20 with 6:28 left.

After a first down, Moanalua sputtered and lined up for a punt as quarterback/punter Jordan Monico looked for a receiver downfield, but the pass fell incomplete with 4:37 remaining. Huge moans erupted from the Menehunes' fans, who were looking for an interference call.

"We played our best, but we didn't get the calls at the right time," Monico said. "On that pass, it was definitely interference."

Castle took over at the Moanalua 30 and sewed it up on first down as Bryson Ukauka found Scott Keiter-Charles in the end zone for the clincher. Damian Spotkaeff, who was later ejected for an apparent late hit, charged into the end zone for the 2-point conversion and the final 27-14 score.

"We weren't playing too good for a while," Keiter-Charles said. "We had a lot of penalties that took us out of it, but we pulled it off at the end. I love how we finished it. We're out to do something we haven't done in three years, and that's make the OIA playoffs."

The Knights led 19-6 early, but the Menehunes scored twice to gain the momentum going into the locker room.

With 7:01 left in the half, Castle starting quarterback Moku Bruhn threw an incomplete pass from his own end zone, but the Knights were called for a block in the back, resulting in a safety.

"We played with a lack of discipline," said Castle coach Nelson Maeda. "It was fortunate we scored (the late touchdown) because it was such a tight game. That gave us some breathing room."

Moanalua got the ball back and drove 45 yards for a score. Four straight penalties were called on the Menehunes before two unsportsmanlike infractions on Castle gave the hosts a golden chance. Eventually, Monico scored on a 10-yard run to make it 19-14.

The early part of the game went back and forth. Moanalua struck first as Robbey Eusibio intercepted a Castle pass on the game's first play from scrimmage and it led to Monico's 28-yard TD toss to Pono Tiave for a 6-0 edge.

The Knights immediately took a 7-6 lead as Jesse Humalon got loose for an 82-yard TD return on the ensuing kickoff and Keiter-Charles added the extra point.

Castle took a commanding 19-6 lead early in the second quarter as Bruhn passed to Sheldon Bastatas for a 24-yard TD and Seth Estioko returned an interception 35 yards for a score.

Keiter-Charles was a two-way standout for Castle. He made a key fumble recovery late in the third quarter after Corey Paredes' hit on Moanalua's Mark Tupas. Paredes also blocked an extra point and Blake Soares had two sacks.

Moanalua's gang-tackling defense kept the Knights off the board for most of the second half.

"I wouldn't trade our kids for anyone else in the world," Menehunes coach Arnold Martinez said. "They played their hearts out and they were crying after the game because they care so much about each other."