Kahuku runs down Kapolei

Jede Malufau wouldn't admit that one play could make the difference in a four-quarter game, but a key interception by the junior defensive back has the third-ranked Kahuku Red Raiders still eyeing a fourth straight Oahu Interscholastic Association championship.

Lehi Aumua rushed for 92 yards and three touchdowns and Malufau turned the game around with a 40-yard interception return for a touchdown late in the first half as the Red Raiders ground out a tough 33-15 victory over Kapolei in the quarterfinals of the OIA Red playoffs yesterday at Carleton Weimer Field.

Kahuku quarterback Richard Torres added 109 yards rushing, as all 362 yards gained by the Red Raiders came on the ground.

"We started slow early, but our offensive line kept their heads in the game," Aumua said. "I told them not to play scared and they came out and did a great job in the second half."

Early on, Kapolei junior quarterback Mason Koa had his way with the Red Raiders defense, as he led the Hurricanes 75 yards on their opening drive and scored on an option keeper from 30 yards out to give them a 7-0 lead.

"Their quarterback is just awesome," Kahuku coach Reggie Torres said. "We saw how well he played in their last two games, so we knew we'd have our hands full."

Koa finished the first half with 161 rushing yards as Kapolei held a 9-7 lead with less than 2 minutes to go when the Kahuku running game took over. With the ball at their own 8-yard line, the Red Raiders needed only four running plays, including a 51-yard scramble by Torres, to put the ball at the Kapolei 5-yard line, where Aumua punched it in to give Kahuku a 13-9 lead.

Things only got worse for Kapolei just 20 seconds later. On the first play of the ensuing drive, Koa's pass intended for Caleb Spencer was deflected into the air and into the hands of Malufau, who returned it 40 yards for a touchdown. It proved to be the turning point of the game.

"Instead of going into the half with a lead, we gave up two scores in just 25 seconds, and you can't do that against a good team like Kahuku," Kapolei coach Darren Hernandez said. "We were running the ball well and had things going, but the turnovers deflated us. You just can't have that many turnovers."

It was all Kahuku from that point on, as Koa was held to negative 24 yards rushing in the second half. The Kapolei defense forced the Red Raiders to turn the ball over on downs on their first two possessions of the second half. But with the offense struggling to find any momentum, the defense eventually wore out and Aumua's third touchdown of the game, an 8-yard run with 7 minutes left, put the game out of reach.

"We saw they were bringing guys on the outside but then blitzing them up the middle, so we just had to adjust," Aumua said. "We took the ball outside and started to find success."

Kapolei's Aaron Santiago hauled in a 13-yard touchdown catch from Koa, who also threw for 137 yards, with 3:28 to play, but Kahuku managed to recover the onside kick, and Junior Mataafa ran untouched 50 yards for a touchdown for the game's final score.

"Offensively, we couldn't sustain drives, which is something we're going to have to fix," Torres said. "We had a bye week to rest up, but it wasn't enough. We need to get healthy and it's a short week so we can't do much contact because we have to stay healthy."

Even in defeat, Kapolei still managed to rush for more than 200 yards, a feat rarely accomplished against Kahuku.

"The game was closer than the score indicates, and I love my team for how hard they played tonight," Hernandez said.

Kapolei finished the season 4-6, but got the school's first playoff victory last week against Kailua. The Red Raiders, meanwhile, advanced to the semifinals of the OIA playoffs, and will face Leilehua on Friday at 4 p.m. at Aloha Stadium.

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