GAME NIGHT 9/9: Kaiser/Moanalua

A six-game slate on Oahu is set for Friday night with the most anticipation for the second game of an ILH doubleheader at Aloha Stadium.

Moanalua (2-2, 1-2 OIA Blue) hosts Kaiser (2-3, 1-3) in a key matchup for playoffs seeding in the OIA Blue. Na Menehune’s Alakai Yuen leads the division in passing and is helped out by top receivers Brandon Bender and Ryan Ramones. Kaiser has a couple of dynamic players of its own in Andrew Kaufusi and Keoni Pangan.

HISTORY: The all-time series is a dead heat at 10-10-1 and who could forget the last meeting? Kaiser won a playoff game over Na Menehune, 54-48, in 2014. Cougars running back Jensen McDaniel rushed for 247 yards in that game while Moanalua receiver Jason Sharsh had 300 yards receiving. This game represents the return to his former home field for Kaiser coach Arnold Martinez. Martinez coached Na Menehune from 2003-2013 and went 51-51 in his time there. Current Moanalua head man Savaii Eselu played for Martinez and led the team in receiving in five of Na Menehune’s eight games in his senior year in 2007.

Live updates of the approximately 7:30 p.m. kickoff will follow below:

10:08: Game over. Moanalua 35, Kaiser 0.

10:07: A Kaufusi pass is intercepted by Lennon Sullivan of Na Menehune.

10:05: Kaiser faces fourth down from the 34 after a procedure penalty. Cougars call timeout with 1:50 to go in game.

10:01: Moanalua’s Yuen pases on fourth down from its own 30 and the ball falls incomplete. Kaiser ball at the 30.

9:57: Kaiser punts. 6:50 left in game.

9:53: A Yuen pass is intercepted by Kaiser’s Antonio Omphroy.

9:49: Third quarter ends.

9:46: Kaufusi is in at quarterback running the triple option. He gains 22 yards to the Moanalua 43.

9:39: Torres throws a pass while being chased and it is intercepted by Jeffree Gilliard. Torres is hit hard after throw by Bender, who is whistled for a 15-yard personal foul penalty. The hit was before the interception. Kaiser retains possession.

9:33: On first down from the 13, Yuen hits Ramones on a slant for a touchdown. It’s the fourth TD connection between the two in the game. Yuen kicks the extra point. Moanalua 35, Kaiser 0. 7:18 left in third quarter. Running clock.

9:32: Isaiah Jackson comes up with his second interception of the game on a ball thrown by Kaiser’s Kaufusi.

9:30: Moanalua goes nowhere on its next possession and punts. Kaiser ball at its own 7.

9:24: A penalty pushes the ball back to the 1. On first down, Kaiser’s Kaufusi is stopped in his own end zone by Moanalua’s Jeremy Rodriguez for a safety. Moanalua 28, Kaiser 0. 9:31 to go in first quarter.

9:21: Kaiser ball. On first down, Torres’ pass is intercepted by Brandon Bender of Na Menehune. He returns it 60 yards, but is stripped of the ball by Torres, the quarterback, and Keoni Pangan recovers for the Cougars at his own 3.

9:20: Second half underway. Moanalua faces fourth and two from its own 28 and hands the ball off to Louis-Merry and he is stopped for no gain.

8:58: Moanalua goes into punting formation and Yuen, instead of punting, throws a pass to Rodriques who gains 9 yards, but comes up 2 yards short of the first down. Kaiser takes over and runs one play as time runs out in the second quarter. Halftime score: Moanalua 26, Kaiser 0.

8:53: Kaiser is pinned at its own 1. A run by Kainoa Craig gives the Cougars a bit of breathing room at the 5, but Andrew Kaufusi is in to punt for Kaiser. He’s been booming them all night. This time, he punts one 35 yards from the back of his end zone. It actually went 40 and bounced back 5 yards.

8:50: For the first time, Na Menehune go three and out. 3:14 to go in the half.

8:48: Moanalua ball at its own 34.

8:47: Kaiser faces a fourth down and 13 at the 30. Punting situation.

8:44: Rodrigues intercepts a Torres pass and returns it deep into Kaiser territory, but the play is called back for a roughing the passer penalty. Kaiser has a first down at its own 33.

8:43: Cougars quarterback Torres is dropped for an 11-yard loss to the 18.

8:37: Bronson Louis-Merry picks up 19 yards on two carries. Three plays later, Yuen, with tons of time in the pocket, hits Rodrigues in stride on a post pattern for a 44-yard touchdown. Yuen adds the extra point. Moanalua 26, Kaiser 0. 8:25 left in the first half.

8:35: A screen pass from Yuen to Kealaokekai Feguis-Pang goes for 33 yards.

8:34: Kaiser winds up punting and pins Na Menehune at their own 16.

8:30: First quarter ends.

8:29: A 20-yard Kaufusi run is called back due to a block in the back penalty.

8:22: Torres is under severe pressure on a first-down play for Kaiser and he throws the ball right into the hands of Moanalua’s Isaiah Jackson, who returns the ball 56 yards for a touchdown. Yuen’s PAT attempt is blocked. Moanalua 19, Kaiser 0. 1:17 to go in the first quarter.

8:18: After a holding call on Na Menehune Yuen fades back and zips a pass down the right sideline for Ramones, who slows and steps to the middle to catch the ball on the inside shoulder and leave his defender on the outside. Ramones finishes up the catch and run 74-yard touchdown. Yuen kicks the extra point. Moanalua 13, Kaiser 0. 2:44 to go in the first quarter.

8:16: This time, Kaiser’s Tyson Creekmur, who almost had Yuen on the previous play, sacks Yuen for a 10-yard loss.

8:15: Yuen escapes a sack attempt by two Cougars before unloading a shovel pass to Ramones for a 23-yard gain. Moanalua loses 10 yards for a block in the back and are at the 46.

8:12: Kea Rodrigues goes up the middle for 13 yards and gets popped hard by Kaiser’s Noah Colton.

8:10: Andrew Kaufusi catches a 9-yard pass from Kainoa Torres, but the Cougars can’t pick up the first down and punts for the second time on two possessions.

8:08: Kaiser takes over after kickoff on its own 28.

8:05: Moanalua driving. Some Kea Rodrigues’ runs mixed with Alaka‘i Yuen passes. Ryan Ramones catches a short pass from Yuen and rambles in for a 15-yard touchdown. Na Menehune’s conversion run fails. Moanalua 6, Kaiser 0. 6:11 left in first quarter.

8:03: Kaiser goes three and out on its first possession.