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[ OIA RED EAST ]
Knights subdue
Surfriders
Tarann Bajet scored on a 2-point conversion with 2:25 to play, lifting Castle over sixth-ranked Kailua 29-28 last night at Mililani Stadium.
The win elevated Castle to 2-0 in Oahu Interscholastic Association Red East play (3-1 overall). Kailua slipped to 1-1 in OIA Red East play (2-2 overall) following the loss to its arch rival.
Bajet's play came on the heels of a miraculous comeback by the Knights, who trailed 28-14 midway through the second half. Castle's resilience, coupled with Kailua's plethora of mental errors, were directly involved in the Knights' winning drive.
Moments before Bajet's run, Blaine Kobashigawa scored his third touchdown of the game on a 61-yard pass play. In frustration, a Kailua defensive back tossed his helmet off the field, resulting in an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
That set Castle up just a yard and a half from the goal line for the PAT. Trailing 28-27, the Knights conferred and decided to go for two. They lined up in a double-tight end set for the first time all night. Third-string quarterback Jordan Nakayama gave the ball to the fullback, Bajet, who burst through the middle to give Castle the lead.
"Once he threw the helmet, we knew that would be a conduct penalty," Castle coach Nelson Maeda said. "It was a staff decision to go for 2. (Nakayama) had the option. Fortunately for us, he made the right choice."
Kailua got no further than its own 35-yard line on its final possession. Blitzing through the middle, Blaze Soares pummeled Kailua quarterback Kelroy Kohatsu before he could hand the ball off to Damien Torres, forcing a fumble.
The Knights recovered at the Kailua 31 with 1:36 remaining, and ran out the clock.
The loss overshadowed a remarkable performance by Torres, who finished with 226 rushing yards on 30 attempts. He scored on runs of 79 and 47 yards.
"He scored untouched on those runs," Maeda said.
Kobashigawa, the Castle slotback, scored on touchdowns of 59, 6 and 61 yards. He finished with five receptions for 177 yards.
"They had all their guys on me," said Kobashigawa, who was slightly surprised that a linebacker was covering him on the final touchdown play. The 'backer slipped as Kobashigawa ran by for the score. We watched video all week to get ready for this game."
Each team finished with 333 total yards. Kailua amassed 247 rushing yards, depending heavily on Torres. The Surfriders' other key running back, Kekoa Sua, did not suit up due to injury.
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