KEALAKEKUA — One yard decided the BIIF Division II championship on Saturday night.
Down 27-23 with five seconds left in the game, Kamehameha attempted a pass in the corner of the end zone, but it was picked off by Konawaena (7-1 BIIF, 8-1 overall), which captured its second consecutive DII crown, and fifth in six years.
The go-ahead score came in the fourth quarter, when Konawaena quarterback Austin Ewing connected on a 10-yard touchdown pass to Kamakana Ching.
The Wildcats also earned berth in the HHSAA DII tournament with the victory. While nothing is official, Konawaena is expected to be a top seed when the brackets are announced next week.
Ewing was 16 of 43 for 205 yards and three total touchdowns. Konawaena running back Micah Laban ran for 101 yards.
While the loss will be tough to swallow, Kamehameha’s youthful squad doesn’t have anything to hang their heads about. Sophomore Kaimialoha Like passed for 209 yards and three touchdowns. Two of those scores went to Makana Manoa, who racked up 121 yards receiving. The season is over for the Warriors, who finish at 6-4 overall.
Coming off a week where the offense mustered just 21 yards of offense, the Warriors had little trouble out of the gate. Like hit on 6 of 7 passes early, including a 16-yard strike to Manoa in the right corner of the end zone.
Meanwhile, the notoriously slow-starting Wildcats couldn’t get going. Ewing completed just one of his first eight attempts, and Warrior defenders were setting up camp in the backfield.
Konawaena got a much-needed spark when senior cornerback Jordan Kikugawa jumped a short Like pass and returned it 16 yards to tie up the game. It would be the only score of the first half for the Wildcats.
The Warriors didn’t lose faith in their sophomore, going right back to the pass on another sustained drive, marching down into the red zone. However, after a holding penalty, Tyler Kahananui picked off Like for the second time of the night.
Kamehameha’s offense came out converting first downs on short passes and picking up chunks of yardage with junior Israel Bowden out of the Wildcat. But in the second quarter that strategy changed. The Warriors repeatedly looked deep, especially to Bowden in single coverage. Konawaena was not biting and Chauncey Mariani-Louis provided stellar coverage.
Konawaena gave Kamehameha a chance before half, when Kailikea Kekuawela recovered an Ewing fumble at the Wildcats 35-yard line. The Warriors turned the ball over on downs when a long pass fell incomplete with 2:28 remaining in the half — more than enough time for the Konawaena offense to go to work.
As he had for most of the first half, Ewing put on an improv show, dipping and ducking in and outside the pocket. Sometimes it was effective, other times it was not. The Wildcats did get into field goal range, but after some confusion, didn’t get the kick off and the teams entered the break tied 7-7.
Michael Jumalon picked off Ewing the first play out of the half, and returned it to the Wildcats 20-yard line. Like and Manoa connected on an 18-yard strike, but the Warriors were stuffed on three consecutive tries from the goal line out of the Wildcat formation. Justin Kenoi hammered an 18-yard field goal to give Kamehameha a 10-7 edge early in the second half.
Ewing and the Wildcats rebounded nicely from the mistake.
Konawaena drove 54 yards on its next drive, highlighted by Ewing picking up a first down with his legs on fourth down, and then diving over the pylon on a 9-yard run for a score.
Kamehameha responded with it’s own offensive antics. In field goal range, Abishai Campbell converted on 4th an 1, and just a few plays later Bowden hauled in a 13-yard touchdown catch to put the Warriors up 17-13 with 3:36 to go in the third quarter.
The Wildcats offense sputtered a bit, but were helped by two personal foul penalties on their next drive. Konawaena wrapped it up with Ewing’s first passing score of the night — 8 yards to Austin Aukai.
The Warriors would not go away. Like connected with Manoa for their second score of the night, this time from 4 yards out to wrap up a 10-play, 75-yard drive. The kick was blocked, and with time ticking away, Kamehameha held a 23-20 lead.
Konawaena’s biggest play of the night came on the following drive when Ching hauled in the 50 yard bomb on third down. Just one play later, Ewing went to Ching again, who toe-tapped in the end zone to give the Wildcats a 27-23 lead.
A lot happened in the final few minutes. Konawaena looked to wrap up the game on a 4th and 1 with a QB sneak, but the ball popped out and the Warriors took over around midfield. A few short completions and a long bomb from Like to Bowden put Kamehameha at the 1-yard line with 10 seconds left and no timeouts. But in a seemingly broken play, Konawaena came away with the interception to seal the victory.
Scoring plays
First quarter
KAM — Kaimi Like 16-yard pass to Makana Manoa (kick good) 5:48
KONA — Jordan Kikugawa 14-yard interception return (kick good) 1:04
Second quarter
None
Third quarter
KAM — Justin Kenoi 18-yard FG 10:26
KONA — Austin Ewing 9-yard run (kick blocked) 7:10
KAM — Like 13-yard pass to Israel Bowden
KONA — Ewing 8-yard pass to Austin Aukai (kick good) :30
Fourth quarter
KAM — Like 4-yard pass to Manoa (kick blocked)
KONA — Ewing 5-yard pass to Kamakana Ching (kick good)
Kamehameha 7 0 10 6 — 23
Konawaena 7 0 13 7 — 27
