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Kailua overcomes deficit
The Kailua football team's finishing kick powered the Surfriders to a stirring start to the new season last night.
The Surfriders rallied from a 20-0 first-half deficit to pull out a 27-20 victory over the Kapolei Hurricanes in a non-league game at Kailua's field.
Kelroy Kohatsu's 1-yard quarterback sneak and 2-point conversion pass to Shaun Forges capped the comeback with 7 minutes left in the game as the Surfriders (1-0) hung on to stun the Hurricanes (0-1).
"They showed me they have a heart, and a team with a heart is always in the football game," Gary Rosolowich said after winning in his debut as Kailua's head coach. "That's what happened in the second half. It's just a great way to start."
The Kailua defense gave up touchdowns on Kapolei's first three possessions of the game, but shut out the Hurricanes the rest of the way to spur the comeback. The Surfriders forced three turnovers in the second half and recorded six sacks after halftime, three by linebacker Nelson Akana.
Kailua's ground game, led by Kekoa Sua (108 yards) and Damien Torres (66 yards), then wore down the Hurricanes in the second half.
"We're disappointed -- we thought we could have done better -- but we just folded in the end," Kapolei coach Darren Hernandez said.
"Players win games and coaches lose them, so it's my fault, I'll take the blame. We weren't mentally or physically prepared tonight and it showed."
Kapolei quarterback Jon Medeiros ran for two scores and completed a 23-yard touchdown pass to Ikaika Tan to give Kapolei control early in the contest.
Kailua, meanwhile, struggled offensively, fumbling the ball away twice in the first half.
The momentum started to turn late in the second quarter when Kama Crowell's 44-yard interception return set up the Surfriders' first score. Kelroy Kohatsu rolled to his right and found Forges in the back of the end zone on fourth down with 9.1 seconds left in the half.
An interception by Hapaki Nakamura late in the third quarter set up a 35-yard TD run by Sua, cutting the Kapolei lead to 20-13 heading into the final period.
After Hogan Paleafei recovered a fumble at the Kapolei 15, Kohatsu drove the Surfriders into the end zone, scoring on the quarterback sneak. He then dropped back and completed the 2-point conversion pass to Forges to give Kailua the lead for the first time.
The Surfriders then sealed the win when Torres ran off left tackle for a 33-yard scoring run with 1:19 left.
"We had a rough week of practice, we had a lot of guys sick and it really showed in the first half," Rosolowich said. "I'm glad the coaches were able to make the proper adjustments and the boys responded."
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Kailua 27, Kapolei 20
At Kailua H.S. field
Kapolei (0-1) 13 7 0 0 -- 20 Kailua (1-0) 0 6 7 14 -- 27
Kap--Jon Medeiros 6 run (Aaron Santiago kick)
Kap--Ikaika Tan 23 pass from Medeiros (kick failed)
Kap--Medeiros 2 run (Santiago kick)
Kai--Shaun Forges 10 pass from Kelroy Kohatsu (run failed)
Kai--Kekoa Sua 35 run (Sua kick)
Kai--Kohatsu 1 run (Forges pass from Kohatsu)
Kai--Damien Torres 33 run (kick failed)RUSHING--Kapolei: Radford Raquedan 14-103, Kamuela Foki 6-15, Medeiros 12-8, Gavin Lorenzo 1-(-5), Dominic Seronio 1-(-3), Santiago 1-(-2), Brad Padayao. Kailua: Torres 10-108, Kekoa Sua 13-66, Travis Holeso-Wolfe 3-16, Kohatsu 5-(-2).
PASSING--Kapolei: Medeiros 6-16-3-119, Padayao 1-1-0-0. Kailua: Kohatsu 9-16-0-59.
RECEIVING--Kapolei: Tan 2-63, Jimmy Stevens 1-31, Lokahi Olayan 1-5, Tommy Ross 1-9, Foki 1-7, Raquedan 1-0. Kailua: Keaka Kepa 4-25, Wolfe 1-(-4), Forges 2-15, Sua 2-23.
Junior varsity--Kailua 20, Kapolei 6
