Defense gives Kailua first conference win

The Kailua defense gave the Surfriders the lead less than a minute into last night's game against McKinley and protected the advantage in a 19-8 victory over the Tigers.

Kailua safety Samuel Trueman's fumble return 58 seconds into the game tilted the momentum in Kailua's favor and Surfrider running back Keelen Gonda helped seal the Oahu Interscholastic Association Red East win at Kailua's field.

"It was a solid win," Kailua coach Gary Rosolowich said. "Every week we're trying to build on something and this week we took a step forward and that was one of our goals."

Kailua improved to 1-1 in the conference, while McKinley dropped its OIA Red opener.

Gonda rushed for 116 yards on 18 carries and scored the clinching touchdown with 2:10 left in the fourth quarter.

"Every time he got the ball he was running with a lot of determination and that lifted everyone else up," Rosolowich said.

The McKinley defense gave up a score in the first quarter as the Tigers fell behind 13-0. But they stayed within striking distance and closed to within five with about 3 minutes left. But the Surfriders pulled away to pick up their first conference win of the season.

"Our defense played awesome as usual. We just have to work on offense and being able to put the ball in the end zone," McKinley coach Robert Grey said. "We're moving the ball fine, but we just can't put the ball in the end zone."

Fumbles led directly to Kailua's first two scores, sending the Surfriders to a 13-2 halftime lead.

The Surfriders took the lead less than a minute into the game when Trueman scooped up a loose ball and raced 25 yards to the end zone.

"Football's a game of emotion and from right there our kids are battling uphill," Grey said. "But they never gave up."

After forcing a punt, Kailua drove deep into McKinley territory as Gonda accounted for 38 total yards on the ground and through the air. On first and goal at the 1, Zachary Akamine tried to score on a quarterback sneak but lost the ball at the goal line, and right tackle Corey Friel fell on it for the Kailua touchdown.

McKinley got on the scoreboard in the second quarter thanks to a Kailua special teams miscue. With Akamine set to punt deep in his own end zone, the snap sailed over his head for a safety.

After a scoreless third quarter, McKinley closed to 13-8 on a 2-yard TD connection from Tilton Kaluna to Tuimatagalu Togiai with 2:59 left in the game. The pass capped a 15-play drive that took 6 minutes off the clock.

Kailua recovered the ensuing onside kick at midfield and Gonda stretched the Kailua lead back to 19-8 by carrying the ball on the next five plays and scoring on a 14-yard run behind the right side of the Surfrider offensive line.