[ HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ]
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Castle's Jared Suzui, who scored on a 74-yard punt return last night, stumbled for some yards in a win over HPA.
For the first time ever, the Castle football team's Thanksgiving festivities will include preparing for a state tournament game. Knights advance with shutout
McKinley grinds out win over Baldwin
By Jason Kaneshiro
jkaneshiro@starbulletin.comThe Knights advanced to next week's semifinals of the Chevron State Football Championship with a 35-0 victory over Hawaii Prep yesterday at Aloha Stadium.
A week after winning its first Oahu Interscholastic Association title under its current name, Castle (9-4) earned its first state tournament victory in three appearances. The Knights were eliminated in the first round the last two years.
"It's a big accomplishment," Castle coach Nelson Maeda said. "We've never gone beyond the quarterfinals, so for them to overcome a team like HPA was a great step for our program.
"People have doubted Castle all year long, even with where we're at now as OIA champions. (The Castle players) just try to go out every week and try to prove to themselves that they belong where we're at."
HPA, the Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion, ended its season at 8-4. Ka Makani's loss also kept the BIIF winless in state tournament play. BIIF teams have been outscored 155-22 in four tournament games.
Still, HPA left Aloha Stadium grateful for the opportunity to play on the state's biggest stage after winning its first league title since 1993.
"It was wonderful," HPA coach Tom Goodspeed said of his team's state tournament experience. "We were in the game. We had our chances, maybe it could have been a different story."
Brad Lau, who set the BIIF single-season rushing record with 1,810 yards, picked up 137 yards on 27 carries last night. But fumbles hampered HPA's offense as Ka Makani put the ball on the ground nine times, losing it twice.
Castle linebacker Cory Daniel racked up 13 tackles, three for losses, and two sacks for a stubborn Knights defense.
"The defense did a great job, especially against a tough runner like Lau," Maeda said.
Castle outgained HPA 318 yards to 183 as quarterback Jacob Ramos completed 14 of 22 passes for 166 yards and a score. He also rushed for 36 yards and a touchdown.
After attempting just two passes last week, the Knights threw the ball 25 times and stayed in a no-huddle offense most of the night.
"Our game plan was to try to speed up the game," Maeda said. "Because they like to run the ball so much, we wanted to make sure when we got the ball we made maximum use of that."
HPA quarterback Pat Blasdell struggled just taking the snap in the first half, fumbling five times on the center exchange.
HPA's first lost fumble didn't hurt as Ka Makani got the ball back on the next play. Castle took over at the HPA 25 and Ramos lofted a pass to Ikaika Ho, who had the ball in his hands for an instant but had it knocked away by HPA cornerback Carl Lam. Linebacker Mike Vitousek caught the ball in the end zone to give HPA the ball.
But the generosity continued as an HPA fumble gave Castle the ball near midfield. The Knights capitalized by driving 51 yards in three plays with Ho snagging a 13-yard touchdown pass from Ramos to give the Knights the lead early in the second quarter.
At Aloha Stadium
Hawaii Prep (8-4) 0 0 0 0 -- 0 Castle (9-4) 0 13 8 14 -- 35 Cas -- Ikaika Ho 13 pass from Jacob Ramos (Ethan Gonsalves kick)
Cas -- Ramos 14 run (run failed)
Cas -- Jared Suzui 74 punt return (Ramos run)
Cas -- Louis Mansanas 6 run (Gonsalves kick)
Cas -- Ernesto Lopez 44 interception return (Gonsalves kick)RUSHING -- Hawaii Prep: Brad Lau 27-137, Pat Blasdell 16-(-26), Leighton Hind 2-0, Carl Lam 0-1. Castle: Kawika Sebay 8-79, Ramos 9-36, Emil Kruse 1-6, Mansanas 1-6, Elde Agcaoili 1-2.
PASSING -- Hawaii Prep: Blasdell 4-15-1-71. Castle: Ramos 14-22-1-166, Mansanas 2-3-0-23.
RECEIVING -- Hawaii Prep: Carl Lam 2-23, Kyle Lee 1-42, Scott Paulson 1-6. Castle: Suzui 5-66, Gonsalves 1-7, Ho 5-67, Sebay 4-41, Blaze Soares 1-8.
BACK TO TOP |
At War Memorial Stadium McKinley advances to Chevron State
Football Champsionship semifinals
McKinley 7 0 7 14 -- 28 Baldwin 0 6 0 8 -- 14 McK -- Joshua Bumanglag 8 pass from Alex Werner (John Mai kick)
Bald -- Michael Donahoo 22 FG
Bald -- Donahoo 45 FG
McK -- Michael Vasconcellos 3 run (Mai kick)
McK -- Werner 9 run (Kick fail)
Bald -- Kaluka Maiava 1 run (J.J. Eno run)
McK -- Quinton Sayers 28 run (Vasconcellos pass from Werner)RUSHING -- McKinley: Michael Vasconcellos 20-75, Joshua Bumanglag 3-20, Quinton Sayers 1-28, Golden Lawrence 1-(-3), Abel Werner 13-(-10). Baldwin: Waylen Costa 13-20, Akamu Aki 1-8, Gerad Mochizuki 1-7, Kaluka Maiava 1-1, Michael Donahoo 4-(-6).
PASSING -- McKinley: Werner 15-27-1, 248 yards. Baldwin: Donahoo 14-32-2, 207 yards.
RECEIVING -- McKinley: Isaiah Iaea 7-94, Anapuni Coleman 1-62, Iama Lauvao 2-49, Bumanglag 4-32, Inkopo Taumua 1-12. Baldwin: Eno 5-96, Aki 6-59, Cody Nakamura 1-38, Mochizuki 2-9, Reid Kaya 1-5.
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