[ HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ]
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Castle players celebrated after the Knights beat Kailua for the OIA title last night.
Knights had no need Several large electrical signs stand outside the entrances to Aloha Stadium warning people not to bring bags, coolers or weapons into the stadium.
for offense
Knights win OIA
By Marc Dixon
mdixon@starbulletin.comCastle apparently ignored the warnings and snuck in two big weapons to upset Kailua 25-0 last night at Aloha Stadium. The weapons' names were special teams and defense.
On the strength of three touchdown returns and a field goal, Castle scored all its points with the offense on the sideline as the Knights avenged a September 20-0 loss to the Surfriders with a shutout of their own. Castle captured the school's first outright OIA championship since 1945, when the school was known as Ben Parker High.
In a defense-dominated first half that produced eight punts and seven fumbles, Castle's special teams struck first with 3:32 left in the half on an 82-yard punt return for touchdown by Jared Suzui.
Suzui, who made a tactical error on the previous punt when he attempted to field a bouncing ball at the 4 and then fell at the 2-yard line, more than made up for the gaffe with a momentum-seizing return for a touchdown.
"I actually made like I was going the other way to catch it, then I came back to the right to catch it," said Suzui. "I bobbled it and dropped it but there was good blocking. I had to make one guy miss and Elde Agcaoili took care of the last two guys and I was all by myself."
The Knights' offensive workhorse, running back Kawika Sebay, said the return was long overdue.
"Jared, he's the man. Every game he could have done that. He was just one block, one guy away every game," said Sebay.
The second huge special teams play occurred in the third quarter when Castle's Ethan Gonsalves' 44-yard field goal try was blocked by Kailua's Keoki McCabe. Knight holder Ikaika Ho recovered the live ball at the 46-yard line and, after running out of the grasp of a defender, sprinted up the left side of the field, putting a move on Derek Mailau and outracing Ikaika Naki for a 22-0 third-quarter lead.
"I saw the guy come free, but my first job is just to hold," said Ho. "After I found the ball after the block I saw only one guy and then only green."
Defensively, Castle held Surfrider Nathan Leaver to 18 yards and forced nine Kailua fumbles and two interceptions. The first miscue, by Antone Watanabe, was returned 21 yards for Castle's second score.
"I recognized the play because they ran it the play before," said Watanabe. "I was in zone drop and the ball just floated to me."
Castle's defense became the first to shut out Kailua all season in what its coach described as an all-around team effort.
"The defensive guys all played well. Cory Daniel has been exceptional in the middle and Soli Lifiti has some big knockdowns and tackles for loss," said Castle coach Nelson Maeda. "Our defensive backs did a good job stopping their wideouts and the defensive line was able to neutralize their big offensive line. The defensive coaches made the right calls at the right time. We were concerned about their offensive firepower and to shut out a team like them is really something."
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