[ HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ]
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
The Castle football team celebrated its 25-0 win over Kailua last night. It is the Knights' first OIA title since 1945.
Knights win OIA Sometimes it's just your night.
Castle takes first title in 57 years
Knights had no need for offense
with shutout of Kailua
By Jason Kaneshiro
jkaneshiro@starbulletin.comThat may be the only way to explain Castle's 25-0 victory over Kailua in the Oahu Interscholastic Association football championship last night at Aloha Stadium.
The Knights relied on a swarming defense, big plays on special teams and the bounce of the ball to pull out the win against the much bigger Surfriders.
While Kailua struggled to create anything positive on a damp Halawa night, even Castle's miscues turned to gold.
"We just found a way to win," Castle coach Nelson Maeda said. "The ball bounced our way."
The championship is Castle's first under its current name. Ben Parker High won the league championship in 1945.
"This is really the story of the little train that could," Maeda said. "We win with (5-foot-5) corners and 170-pound defensive linemen, and it's simply amazing. They just played their hearts out, and they believed and they found a way to win.
"It's a great day for Castle High School and Castle football."
Castle will be the OIA's top seed in the Chevron State Football Championship, which opens next week. The Knights will play Hawaii Prep in the first round on Nov. 22 at Aloha Stadium. Kailua will travel to Kauai to face Waimea in the first round.
The Knights, who lost to Kailua 20-0 in their regular-season meeting on Sept. 20, produced just 66 yards in total offense last night, attempting only two passes.
But the Knights got the score they needed on Jared Suzui's 82-yard punt return in the second quarter.
Castle stretched its lead with an interception return for a score and put the game away with perhaps the most bizarre play of the season, as the Knights turned a blocked field-goal attempt into a touchdown.
The Castle defense held off Kailua's vaunted offense the rest of the way, limiting the Surfriders to 168 total yards, 275 below their season average.
Kailua entered the game averaging 218 rushing yards per game, but managed just 43 last night. Kailua quarterback Ranson Kepa struggled to grip the wet football, making the passing game a nonfactor in the contest.
"We just couldn't get something generated," Kailua coach Darren Johnson said. "We were making mistakes, we were putting the ball on the ground. They were putting the ball on the ground, but it was bouncing back into their hands.
"It just wasn't our turn tonight. But we have to change that, we have to make it our turn."
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Kailua's Ranson Kepa let a snap slip through his fingers in a loss to Castle last night. Kailua fumbled four times in the first half.
Blaze Soares led the Castle defense with nine tackles, four for losses. He also intercepted a pass and recovered two fumbles and helped spearhead an aggressive Castle defensive unit that shot through gaps in Kailua's massive offensive line to frustrate the Surfriders' running game.
"I'm very happy with their effort," Castle defensive coordinator Tony Pang Kee said. "I can't ask for anything more with the effort they put out there. I'm just proud of our guys that they never gave up competing against some giants."
Pang Kee was a member of the 1985 Castle team that lost to Waianae 17-16 in the OIA Championship game, and could appreciate what his players accomplished.
"To fall short here and come back here, I'm even more grateful," he said.
Castle took a 15-0 halftime lead thanks to big plays on defense and special teams in a half that took less than an hour to complete.
Both offenses played conservatively early in the game, combining for seven punts on the game's first eight possessions.
Castle did not attempt a pass in its 19 offensive plays, and threw just twice in the game.
Kailua started strong, with Kekoa Sua taking a screen pass from Kepa and racing 55 yards to the Castle 15. But Kepa fumbled the snap on the next play and Soares recovered for Castle.
Kepa struggled just to receive the snap in the first half, fumbling four times and recovering three.
Castle committed an error of its own when Suzui muffed a Koa Sniffen punt and had to fall on it at the Castle 2. But the Castle offense was able to move out of danger and punt the ball away.
After the Knights' defense stopped Kailua on five plays, Suzui again muffed the punt. But this time he picked it up at his 18, escaped the first wave of Kailua's coverage team and ran untouched along the Surfriders' sideline for an 82-yard return for a touchdown.
Castle's defense added to the lead 83 seconds later when Antone Watanabe stepped in front of a Kepa pass and returned the interception 21 yards for a score. Castle lined up in the swinging gate on the extra-point attempt and snapped the ball to Suzui, who took it in for the 2-point conversion.
The third quarter didn't start any better for Kailua. Kepa threw an interception on the Surfriders' first play of the half with Soares giving the Knights possession at the Kailua 19.
The Kailua defense forced Castle to attempt a 44-yard field goal and Ethan Gonsalves' kick was blocked by Keoki McCabe. The ball was recovered by Ikaika Ho, the holder on the field-goal attempt, at the Kailua 46.
Ho weaved through the Kailua pursuit and eventually broke into the clear for a 26-yard touchdown run. Gonsalves' kick gave Castle a 22-0 lead.
Gonsalves connected on a 26-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter to cap the win for Castle.
And to top things off on a magical night for the Knights, Leina Daniel, mother of Castle linebacker Cory Daniel, won a 2002 Honda Civic in a halftime promotion.
"Things just went our way," Cory Daniel said.
At Aloha Stadium
Castle (8-4)01573--22 Kailua (9-2)0000--0 Cas -- Jared Suzui 82 punt return (Ethan Gonsalves kick)
Cas -- Antone Watanabe 21 interception return (Suzui run)
Cas -- Ikaika Ho 26 blocked field goal return (Gonsalves kick)
Cas -- Gonsalves FG 27RUSHING -- Castle: Kawika Sebay 27-69, Jacob Ramos 11-4, Suzui 1-(-5), Louis Mansanas 2-(-4), Elde Agcaoili 1-1. Kailua: Nathan Leaver 8-18, Bronson Kamaka 4-26, Ranson Kepa 7-(-1), Kealii Kalahiki 3-6 David Kaihenui 1-(-6).
PASSING -- Castle: Ramos 0-2-0-0. Kailua: 11-26-2-125.
RECEIVING -- Kailua: Kekoa Sua 2-63, Leaver 1-(-3), Kaihenui 4-52, Brad Ching 1-11, Kalahiki 3-2.
OIA junior varsity championship -- Kahuku 21, Kaimuki 6.
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