LIVE BLOG: Kaiser 59, Konawaena 6, Final

The OIA champs and BIIF champs in Division II meet up in the final state football game of the weekend. The 10-1 Kaiser Cougars host the 10-2 Konawaena Wildcats in their first-ever state tournament game. Konawaena trying for its first win after getting eliminated in the first round the last two years. Kaiser QB Kahoalii Karratti is going up against the team he played for last season.

7:02 p.m.: We’re just about ready to kickoff here at Kaiser Stadium. Kaiser senior DL Mikey Sua is on crutches and out for the game. LB Tommy Fisher is also not in pads.

7:08 p.m.: Kaiser receives the opening kickoff but goes three-and-out as Konawaena does a great job pressuring Karratti on two drop backs.

7:12 p.m.: Konawaena gets the ball but is three-and-out as Howes is incomplete on both of his pass attempts. Zeno Choi with a tackle for loss on Kona RB Bubba Noa-Ellis.

7:13 p.m.: Bad punt gives Kaiser the ball on the Konawaena 39 but Karratti is intercepted by Jordan Miyahira-Young.

7:16 p.m.: Howes completes his first pass after four incompletions but Noa-Ellis only gets 2 yards as Canaan Saole makes a great play, otherwise he might still be running.

7:19 p.m.: And just like that, Thomas Buntenbah-Leong goes way out left and outruns the Konawaena defense for a 55-yard touchdown run to put the Cougars ahead 7-0.

7:22 p.m.: Konawaena gets the ball on its 35 after a kick out of bounds and is at the 50 after a roughing the passer penalty. Howes tries a run but is stopped for a loss by Fitou Fisiiahi and Vili Fisiiahi. After a timeout, Howes throws a bad ball and Melvin Kahunanui returns an interception 60 yards for a touchdown.

7:31 p.m.: Kona has run 12 plays for negative-12 yards as the Wildcats fumble a punt snap. Kaiser in control again.

7:34 p.m.: Kona drops a potential pick-six and Kaiser scores five plays later after three Fitou Fisiiahi runs. Fisiiahi with a 3-yard TD run and Kaiser leads 21-0 with 4:21 left in the first quarter.

7:40 p.m.: Howes completes his first three passes on Kona’s next drive as the Wildcats pick up their first couple of first downs in the game. Howes makes a great 14-yard pass on third down to get it to the Kaiser 25 but then throws a terrible interception on what looked like a QB draw call. Jeshua Bitanga gets the pick.

7:44 p.m.: Bitanga with a 32-yard run and Brandon Awa makes a touchdown-saving tackle. Karratti with an 18-yard run a 16-yard pass to Parker Higgins. First quarter ends with Kaiser third-and-goal on the Kona 5. Karratti to Fisiiahi for a 5-yard TD pass and it’s 28-0.

7:53 p.m.: Kahunanui with his second pick but Kaiser is called for roughing the passer. Saole looks like he forces a fumble by Howes on the next play but they call it an incomplete pass. Chase Takaki drops a big pass but Dishon Cho comes up with a big 15-yard reception on third down. Kaiser senior DL Christian Sele is injured on a play after diving to make an interception on a tipped pass. Ambulance is on the field.

8:13 p.m.: Sele has his face-mask screwed off. Not sure the injury. Hope for the best. Teams now warming up. Delay is 19 minutes. Kona back out on the field with a second-and-10 at midfield. Howes with an incomplete pass and then is intercepted by Parker Higgins, who returns it 42 yards to the Kona 17.

8:18 p.m.: Karratti overthrows Iakona Makaneole in the end zone for what would have been a touchdown. Matt Sai kicks a 37-yard field goal to make it 31-0 with 9:38 left in the second quarter.

8:26 p.m.: Kona goes 65 yards in eight plays as Howes hits two big throws to Takaki before Cho’s 7-yard TD run makes it 31-6 with 7:35 remaining in the first half.

8:34 p.m.: Kevin Medeiros forces an intentional grounding call on Karratti to get a sack and Kona forces a three-and-out. Wildcats can get back in the game with a score here. Takaki has a tipped ball by Bitanga fall off his fingertips or that could have been six. Saole forces a bad throw on third down by Howes and Kaiser nearly picks it. Cho hurt on the play for Konawaena.

8:38 p.m.: Cho is carried off by a teammate and a coach. Kona punts and Kaiser has a first-and-10 on its own 30 with 4:41 left in the second quarter.

8:41 p.m.: Karratti to Higgins for 28 yards but Wildcats doing a good job keeping Kaiser’s running game bottled up. Kaiser calls timeout with 1:51 left facing a fourth-and-1 at the Kona 31. Fisiiahi goes off the right side for 18 yards and a first down. Biggest Kaiser running play in a while. Karratti to Higgins for a 13-yard TD pass play and it’s now 38-6 with :32 seconds remaining.

8:50 p.m.: Cho back in the game for Kona and returns the kickoff 19 yards. Nice to see him back. It’s halftime.

Halftime box score

Kaiser 38, Konawaena 6
At Kaiser Stadium
Konawaena (10-2) 0 6
Kaiser (10-1) 21 17
Kais—Thomas Buntenbah-Leong 55 run (Matt Sai kick)
Kais—Melvin Kahunanui 60 interception return (Sai kick)
Kais—Fitou Fisiiahi 3 run (Sai kick)
Kais—Fisiiahi 5 pass from Kahoalii Karratti (Sai kick)
Kais—FG Sai 37
Kona—Dishon Cho 7 run (kick failed)
Kais—Parker Higgins 13 pass from Karratti (Sai kick)

RUSHING—Konawaena: Cho 1-7, Bubba Noa-Ellis 3-1, Brandon Howes 3-(minus 2), Kevin Medeiros 1-(minus 8). Kaiser: Buntenbah-Leong 7-65, Jeshua Bitanga 3-41, Fisiiahi 8-38, Karratti 4-6.
PASSING—Konawaena: B. Howes 11-31-3-119, Noa-Ellis 1-1-0-(minus 3). Kaiser: Karratti 7-11-1-81.
RECEIVING—Konawaena: Cho 4-38, Chase Takaki 3-58, Cameron Howes 3-20, Noa-Ellis 2-0. Kaiser: Higgins 3-58, Fisiiahi 2-16, Curt Clivio 1-4, Buntenbah-Leong 1-3.

9:03 p.m.: Got a report in the press box that Sele was indeed taken to a hospital but only as a precaution for a concussion.

9:11 p.m.: Second half underway. Kona gets the balls first and tries to go deep, drawing a pass interference flag on the Cougars. Manase Palu with a sack to help force a Kona punt.

9:21 p.m.: Kaiser methodically goes down the field then calls a reverse pass from Justin Ikei to Matt Haili for a 7-yard touchdown. Kaiser leads 45-6 and we got running clock with 8:08 left.

9:28 p.m.: Bitanga’s interception is the fourth thrown by Howes and Canaan Saole goes 26 yards for a touchdown on the next play. 52-6, 4:02, Q3.

9:32 p.m.: Derek Costa forces a fumble and Keenan Arroyo recovers it for Kaiser. Sixth turnover for Konawaena.

9:37 p.m.: Backup quarterback Kahi Neves with a 20-yard TD pass to Iakona Makaneole. 59-6.

Kaiser punting with 4:41 left. Heading down to the field. Will update with final stats ASAP. Kaiser will win its seventh game of the season by at least 40 points. Konawaena is now 0-5 all-time in the state tournament.

Box score

Kaiser 59, Konawaena 6
At Kaiser Stadium
Konawaena (10-3) 0 6 0 0 — 6
Kaiser (11-1) 21 17 14 7 — 59
Kais—Thomas Buntenbah-Leong 55 run (Matt Sai kick)
Kais—Melvin Kahunanui 60 interception return (Sai kick)
Kais—Fitou Fisiiahi 3 run (Sai kick)
Kais—Fisiiahi 5 pass from Kahoalii Karratti (Sai kick)
Kais—FG Sai 37
Kona—Dishon Cho 7 run (kick failed)
Kais—Parker Higgins 13 pass from Karratti (Sai kick)
Kais—Matt Haili 7 pass from Justin Ikei (Sai kick)
Kais—Canaan Saole 26 run (Sai kick)
Kais—Iakona Makaneole 20 pass from Kahi Neves (Sai kick)

RUSHING—Konawaena: Brandon Howes 7-8, Cho 1-7, Algene Kelekolio 2-2, Bubba Noa-Ellis 3-1, Kevin Medeiros 1-(minus 8), Cameron Howes 1-(minus 10). Kaiser: Buntenbah-Leong 7-65, Jeshua Bitanga 4-48, Fisiiahi 10-42, Saole 3-29, Karratti 5-13, Neves 1-1, team 1-(minus 2).
PASSING—Konawaena: B. Howes 11-39-4-119, Shelton Grace 0-2-0-0, Noa-Ellis 1-1-0-(minus 3). Kaiser: Karratti 10-15-1-108, Neves 2-5-0-32, Ikei 1-1-0-7.
RECEIVING—Konawaena: Cho 4-38, Chase Takaki 3-58, C. Howes 3-20, Noa-Ellis 2-0. Kaiser: Higgins 5-77, Fisiiahi 3-24, Makaneole 1-20, Ikei 1-12, Haili 1-7, Curt Clivio 1-4, Buntenbah-Leong 1-3.