’Iolani hands Kaimuki another heartbreaker

Maybe it was luck or maybe it was skill.

Either way, it's a victory for 'Iolani.

Junior Jarrett Arakawa tossed a 77-yard touchdown pass to Kela Marciel with 23 seconds remaining to give the No. 10 Raiders a stunning 11-8 victory over Kaimuki in a nonconference game yesterday at Eddie Hamada Field.

It was the second straight late-game loss for Kaimuki

Neither team scored a touchdown in the first 47 minutes, but combined for 15 points in the final 60 seconds. The Bulldogs took the lead on a 1-yard scoring run by Tevita Aholeilei with a minute remaining, but gave up the game-winning touchdown on a broken fourth-down play to fall to 1-2 on the season.

"They made the big play," Kaimuki coach Darren Johnson said. "Luck was with them. You've got to have breaks and you've got to have luck and we didn't get any breaks and we didn't get any luck."

Arakawa had completed 11 of 32 passes when he faced a fourth down from his own 23-yard line. Bulldogs defensive lineman Desmond Tautofi busted through the line and started to wrap up Arakawa for the apparent victory-clinching sack when he turned and chucked the ball downfield.

Marciel, who didn't start at quarterback for the first time this season, made the catch around midfield and raced down the sideline, going untouched the rest of the way to give the Raiders (2-1) an improbable victory.

I was actually trying to throw it to him," Arakawa said with a smile. "I knew if I could just get it in his hands he could make the play for us. I just knew where he was supposed to be; that's where I tried to throw it."

Marciel, who also started at cornerback and had two interceptions, finished with 145 receiving yards and was responsible for 67 percent of Iolani's total offense.

"It only takes one big play to spark our offense and it was just a matter of being in the right place," he said. "He wasn't looking for me at first, but when he got in trouble he looked for me and threw it across the middle.

"I just went up and got it."

The switch at quarterback didn't catch the Bulldogs off guard. They dominated the trenches and held Iolani to just 28 rushing yards.

Arakawa had just 112 passing yards before the game-winning touchdown, but leaving him at quarterback allows Marciel to help the Raiders both on offense and defense.

"We've always thought all along from last year that (Arakawa) was going to be a hell of a quarterback, and it was just a matter of getting enough reps and experience," Iolani coach Wendell Look said. "For us here (at Iolani), it's like playing chess. You've got to move your pieces around to try to maximize your potential talent."

After Marciel's second interception of the game stopped the Bulldogs on the 1-yard line, Kaimuki tackled Iolani running back Kellen Imada in the end zone for a safety and a 2-0 lead.

The score stayed that way until Andrew Skalman booted a 27-yard field goal with 7 minutes remaining that looked like it might be enough to win.

But the Bulldogs answered with a 15-play drive that covered 75 yards. Kaimuki needed four plays inside the 1-yard line to score, but finally got it on Aholeilei's run with a minute left.

We could have done that every series if we eliminated those penalties," Johnson said. "We've got to work harder in practice."

Aholeilei finished with 99 rushing yards on 25 carries.