KEALAKEKUA – The typically pass-happy Wildcats of Konawaena turned to the ground game to steamroll the visiting Keaau Cougars in Friday night’s BIIF semifinal. Konawaena runningback Kawelu Kaiawe accounted for three of the Wildcats four rushing touchdowns on the night in a rematch of a Week 2 contest. Konawaena’s lead back was quick to spread the credit, recognizing his offensive linemen for creating space.
“It’s not a one-man sport; we all need each other,” said Kaiawe. “If we’ve got good linemen, we can run the ball. It’s a team sport.”
“I wanted to mix it up a little bit,” said Konawaena head coach Brad Uemoto. “We got going early with the run… The run was there all night.”
Keaau opened the game with plenty of energy, sticking around for much of the first quarter against the top-seeded Wildcats. The Cougars tied the game at 7 with an 82-yard strike from Kaohu Kaluna to Rockie Abadilla, and followed it up defensively with an interception by Sean Randall.
“They kind of surprised us,” Kaiawe said of Keaau’s start. “They’ve got to lose.”
The Wildcats ultimately displayed why they had earned the top seed in the D-I playoffs. After Kaiawe’s second rushing touchdown of the night, Konawaena’s Akoni Binney took a punt return to the house to put the Wildcats up 21-7.
“The main thing early: everybody picked each other up,” said the Wildcats’ Kamaehu Makanui. “Nobody was discouraged. That’s probably the game-changer.”
Konawaena’s passing game picked up in the second quarter; the Wildcats threw for three scores in the period, but only two were thrown by QB Keoki Alani. After a turnover gave the Wildcats the ball on Keaau’s one-yard line, Alani motioned to the left, allowing for a direct snap to RB Maui Ellis-Noa. Ellis-Noa faked a run to the right, then turned his eyes to Makanui in the back of the end zone.
“We had that in 2017 and ran it with two seniors,” Uemoto said of the ‘senior special’ play. “We pulled it back out of the playbook. We had an opportunity, got the ball deep, and did it to perfection.”
Up 41-13 at the half, the outcome was in little doubt as the second half kicked off. A Makanui interception in the red-zone led to a 99-yard drive – punctuated by Kaiawe’s third rushing touchdown of the night – to induce a running clock.
Keawe Navas Loa put the final points on the board in the fourth for the Wildcats, punching the ball in on the ground from 13 yards out, while Keaau’s Kaluna found Josiah Hoohuli for a 19-yard touchdown pass with 2:11 left to play.
With Hilo’s 47-0 victory over Kealakehe Friday night, the rematch is set between Konawaena (5-0) and Hilo (4-1) with the BIIF D-I Championship on the line. The Wildcats – who defeated the Vikings 24-21 in overtime on Oct. 22 – will host Hilo on Friday night.
“Very excited,” said Makanui. “We’re all excited for that game.”
Konawaena 21 20 7 7 – 55
Keaau 7 6 0 6 – 19
First quarter
Konawaena – Kaiawe 1-yard run (Satta-Ellis kick)
Keaau – Kaluna 82-yard pass to Abadilla (Silva kick)
Konawaena – Kaiawe 5-yard run (Satta-Ellis kick)
Konawaena – Binney punt return (Ige kick)
Second quarter
Konawaena – Alani 3-yard pass to Clement (Ige kick)
Konawaena – Ellis-Noa 1-yard pass to Makanui (kick blocked)
Keaau – Kaluna 17-yard pass to Bannister (2-point failed)
Konawaena – Alani 18-yard pass to Makanui (Ige kick)
Third quarter
Konawaena – Kaiawe 35-yard run (Ige kick)
Fourth quarter
Konawaena – Navas Loa 13-yard run (Ige kick)
Keaau – Kaluna 19-yard pass to Hoohuli (2-point failed)
