Kahuku and Waianae enter the weekend undefeated in the OIA Red while every other team has at least two losses with three weeks to go.
However, the Red Raiders and Seariders haven’t both locked up the first-round bye in the OIA playoffs just yet. After starting 0-3, Kaiser nearly controls its own destiny. The Cougars could sneak into one of the top two spots if they win out and Waianae loses to Kahuku.
Up first is a Castle team that can move the ball in the air, something Kaiser has struggled with this season. On the flip side, the Knights have struggled to stop the run. Does this mean big things for Castle WR Jeremy McGoldrick and Kaiser RB Jensen McDaniel tonight? We’ll find out. Kickoff will be around 8 p.m.
Interesting note: Castle and Kaiser are an even 11-11 against each other in the Prep Bowl/state championship era (since 1973).
Castle has 24 players suited up for this game it looks like. Kaiser looks to have 32 in uniform.
Cougars will receive.
Kaiser goes three-and-out as McDaniel is stopped twice for no yards by Isley Butch-Matu’u. Royce Simeona-Townsend then blitzes in on third down and sacks Tom.
Nic Tom unloads an 83-yard punt that is downed on the 10 but the referee’s rule Castle hit the ball when it first hit the ground. Kaiser is awarded the ball on the Castle 10. Timeout on the field as Castle coach Nelson Maeda is not happy with the call and has a long meeting with the head referee.
First snap and McDaniel takes the hand off and goes right behind big, bad Michael Eletise for the 10-yard TD run. 7-0, 9:16, Q1.
Knights start off with a 5-yard run by Blayzen Napoleon but Parker Higgins comes in and gets a huge sack on second down for Kaiser. Incomplete and the Knights punt.
A big 19-yard yard pass play as Tom completes his first throw of the game to Higgins. Third-and-2 and Tom ducks under the arms of an oncoming blitzed and scrambles for 9 yards and a first down at the Castle 10. Timeout Knights. After an incomplete pass, McDaniel goes 8 yards to the 2 and then scores on a 2-yard TD run. 14-0, 5:47, Q1.
Castle going backward again. Blaze Arista with a tackle for loss on first down for Kaiser. A hold moves them back and then McGoldrick drops a pass on third down. The Knights try to fake punt on fourht-and-24 from their own 6 and are stopped after a 2-yard gain as Andrew Choi makes the tackle.
Tom 8-yard TD pass to Jalen Pinks, 21-0, 4:09, Q1.
Castle gets its first first down as Makana Smith has a 11-yard reception from Ewaliko. Tipped pass is picked off by Noah Cambra. Kaiser ball on the Castle 48.
McDaniel rips off a 33-yard run to the 15. Timeout Castle. Tom to Jonny Hanawahine 7-yard TD pass. 28-0, 2:34, Q1.
Another three-and-out for Castle which can’t get anything going through the air. A draw to Napoleoon is sniffed out by Higgins on third down.
Kaiser with a three-and-out as it had to pass after a first-down sack by Rylan Tangonan.
McGoldrick gets Castle going finally with a tremendous diving catch at the Kaiser 46 for a 35-yard gain. Great catch. Kainalu Moya with the screen pass and he takes it down to the 20 as the quarter ends. Napoleon takes a pass for 9 yards and Ewaliko eventually scores on a 2-yard TD run to get Castle on the board. 28-6, 10:38, Q2.
Tom, the quarterback, returns the kick and there he goes as Kaiser opens a huge hole. He cuts back and breaks the one tackle he needed and he’s gone. 85-yard kickoff return for a TD. 34-6, 10:21, Q2.
Castle gets the ball at the 40 and marches on Kaiser. Moya 15-yard catch; McGoldrick 14-yard catch; Napoleon 2 runs for 16 and then Ewaliko hits Smith for a 15-yard TD. 34-12, 8:32, Q2.
Kaiser with a huge loss as Tom eludes about five sacks on one play but has to run backward and then a hold is called. Second-and-44 from the Kaiser 11. Cougars will punt from their 20 into the wind. Bad snap and Tom does a heckuva job just to get it off but it only goes for 6 yards. Castle takes the ball at the 26.
After an incomplete pass, Castle tries to handoff to Smith who then goes deep to Moya but Kaiser had it well defended. Cougars call timeout at third-and-10. Ewaliko scrambles for 13 and a first down. Chance Kalaugher with a huge sack on third down and Castle turns it over on downs.
Kaiser stalls out as Castle’s run defense stiffens up against McDaniel and we go to the break.
HALFTIME BOX
at Kaiser Stadium
Castle (2-4, 2-3) 0 12
Kaiser (2-3, 2-2) 28 6
Kais—Jensen McDaniel 10 run (Makana Srivongsana kick)
Kais—McDaniel 2 run (Srivongsana kick)
Kais—Jalen Pinks 8 pass from Nic Tom (Srivongsana kick)
Kais—Jonny Hanawahine 7 pass from Tom (Srivongsana kick)
Cast—Willie Ewaliko 2 run (kick failed)
Kais—Tom 85 kickoff return (kick failed)
Cast—Makana Smith 15 pass from Ewaliko (McGoldrick pass from Ewaliko)
RUSHING—Castle: Blayzen Napoleon 6-28, Ewaliko 6-7, Alakai Ebright-Pitt 1-2, Smith 1-(minus 3). Kaiser: McDaniel 18-90, Parker Higgins 1-8, Tom 4-(minus 9).
PASSING—Castle: Ewaliko 10-20-1-132, Smith 0-1-0-0. Kaiser: Tom 6-9-0-35.
RECEIVING—Castle: Jeremy McGoldrick 2-49, Kainalu Moya 2-41, Smith 2-26, Napoleon 2-10, Royce Simeona-Townsend 1-6, Paul Tyquiengco 1-0. Kaiser: Higgins 2-21, Pinks 2-5, Hanawahine 1-7, McDaniel 1-2.
Junior varsity — Castle 21, Kaiser 6
Castle gets the ball first. Knights mix a couple of short runs by Napoleon with an 11-yard pass to Moya. McGoldrick has his third catch for 11 to the 19. 60 yards now for McGoldrick. Jump ball in the end zone and McGoldrick has it for a 19-yard TD. 34-18, 9:33, Q3.
Tom with a 24-yard return to midfield even as they try to kick it away from him. Cougars take over at the 50. McDaniel with two runs for 5 yards and Higgins rumbles for 9 on third down to get the first. Castle sells out on McDaniel on first down and Tom keeps it. Nobody is there and he’s off to the races. 36-yard TD run. 41-18, 7:42, Q3.
Castle gets one first down but on second-and-3 decides to throw twice, including one deep. Two incomplete passes and they will punt.
Tom with a short 3-yard return on the punt and has to be helped off. Maybe a cramp? Kaiser takes over on its 18 and Kainalu Simeona in. McDaniel with runs of 5 and 3 to get over 100 for the game. 10th 100-yard performance in 14 games for McDaniel. Higgins breaks a tackle on third-and-2 but goes sideways instead of up the field and only gets 1. Kaiser punts.
Castle has a fourth-and-1 after Higgins drills Ewaliko on a QB draw on third-and-short to keep him from getting the first down. Knights go for it and the handoff is to Napoleon who rips off an 18-yard gainer to the 18. Quick pass out to McGoldrick and he takes up the middle and in for a 16-yard TD reception. Second TD of the game for McGoldrick. 41-24, 1:45, Q3.
Simeona still in at QB for Kaiser. Holding call wipes out an 8-yard copletion to Pinks for a first down. Instead it’s second-and-13. Third-and-13 and Higgins rips off a 12-yard run. Kaiser goes quick and Higgins goes for 6 and a first down as the quarter ends.
Kaiser has to punt as Simeona loses the ball twice but picks it up for lost yardage. Kaufusi in to punt for Tom and he can’t handle the snap. Castle recovers on the Kaiser 15. We have a ballgame.
Ewaliko to McGoldrick on the screen for 8 and then in the back corner to McGoldrick for a 7-yard TD reception. Third hookup between the two. Castle fails twice to get the 2-pointer but Kaiser whistled for two penalties and Napoleon runs in the 2 that counts. 41-32, 9:49, Q4.
Castle hits the kickoff right at a Kaiser player but Makani Kaneaiakala recovers for Kaiser at its 46.
Tom back in at QB and gets nothing on his first carry. Castle’s DL is handling Kaiser’s OL at this point. Rylan Tangonan leading the charge up front for the Knights. Kaiser has to call a TO facing third-and-12. Tom runs for 10 but is tripped by Simeona-Townsend to keep from getting the first down. Kaiser goes for it and runs option but Simeona-Townsend with the stop again and it’s Castle ball on its 49.
Knights whistled for a hold and then Eletise, in on defense, chases down Ewaliko in the backfield and makes a huge sack. Ewaliko loses 10. Castle tries the inside screen to Napoleon on third-and-long and Eletise makes the tackle again. Castle punts with 5:30 remaining.
McDaniel finally gets loose for 16 as Kaiser tries to put this one away by running clock. Higgins puts this game away with a 31-yard TD run on third down. 48-32, 3:27, Q4.
Eletise with his second sack on fourth down and Kaiser takes over with 1:25 remaining.
Higgins adds a 65-yard run and is caught from behind on the 5.
Kaiser 48, Castle 32
at Kaiser Stadium
Castle (2-5, 2-4) 0 12 12 8 — 32
Kaiser (3-3, 3-2) 28 6 7 7 — 48
Kais—Jensen McDaniel 10 run (Makana Srivongsana kick)
Kais—McDaniel 2 run (Srivongsana kick)
Kais—Jalen Pinks 8 pass from Nic Tom (Srivongsana kick)
Kais—Jonny Hanawahine 7 pass from Tom (Srivongsana kick)
Cast—Willie Ewaliko 2 run (kick failed)
Kais—Tom 85 kickoff return (kick failed)
Cast—Makana Smith 15 pass from Ewaliko (McGoldrick pass from Ewaliko)
Cast—Jeremy McGoldrick 19 pass from Ewaliko (pass failed)
Kais—Tom 36 run (Srivongsana kick)
Cast—McGoldrick 16 pass from Ewaliko (pass failed)
Cast—McGoldrick 7 pass from Ewaliko (Blayzen Napoleon run)
Kais—Parker Higgins 31 run (Srivongsana kick)
RUSHING—Castle: Napoleon 11-62, Alakai Ebright-Pitt 1-2, Smith 1-(minus 3), Ewaliko 11-(minus 10),. Kaiser: Higgins 8-140, McDaniel 27-124, Tom 8-34, team 2-(minus 4), Kamalu Simeona 2-(minus 14), Andrew Kaufusi 1-(minus 20).
PASSING—Castle: Ewaliko 23-40-1-244, Smith 0-1-0-0. Kaiser: Tom 6-9-0-35, Simeona 1-1-0-(minus 1).
RECEIVING—Castle: McGoldrick 9-117, Kainalu Moya 4-60, Napoleon 4-21, Smith 3-35, Royce Simeona-Townsend 1-6, Taylor Bee 1-5, Paul Tyquiengco 1-0. Kaiser: Pinks 3-4, Higgins 2-21, Hanawahine 1-7, McDaniel 1-2.
Junior varsity — Castle 21, Kaiser 6
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