Kaiser blasts Nanakuli on Homecoming Night, 70-20

Fitou Fisiiahi runs over Nanakuli defenders. Keita Funakawa | Special to SL

Pay back never tasted so sweet.

Kaiser wiped out Nanakuli, 70-20 on homecoming night at Kaiser Stadium. Since their opening loss to Campbell, the Cougars have outscored their OIA White opponents 166-27 heading into this game. Kaiser, No. 2 in the ScoringLive/OC16 Division II Power Rankings remains undefeated in the OIA White at 4-0 (4-1 overall), while Nanakuli drops to 2-2 in the White, (2-3 overall).

Last year, Nanakuli upset Kaiser on the same field, 28-21 in the OIA White playoffs.

"It was redemption and there was unfinished business," said Kaiser's Fitou Fisiiahi, who was on last year's squad.

The electrifying Thomas Leong scored Kaiser's first touchdown on a 87-yard return 12 seconds into the game. Thomas finished the game with 150 all-purpose yards and scored 4 touchdowns (2 rushing, 1 kick return and 1 receiving).

"On the first kick off I returned it and our o-line was blocking, I think everything just worked out. We came in really fired up and ready," said Leong.

Kaiser's Jeshua Bitanga muffed the punt and Nanakuli's Gilbert Saloman recovered it for the Golden Hawks. Eric Au Hoon-Kaawa then scored on a 2-yard run, but the kick was no good.

"In the beginning we came out hard, but we started to loosen up when they scored on us. I think we forgot a little bit about our assignments. I told the boys, "Remember what happened last year" and we all pulled together for the victory," said Fisiiahi.

On the ensuing kickoff, Nanakuli's Elias Susa-Velasco recovered the ball that bounced off a Kaiser player. Chazz Troutman had a 49-yard run to take down to the Kaiser 1 yard line. He finished the drive with a 1-yard touchdown and his pass to Marcus Fo'i was good to put Nanakuli up 14-7 with 6:08 in the quarter.

"I think we were making minor mistakes. After that we cut out the mistakes, we started playing ball," said Leong.

Kaiser answered with their ground game and Leong scored on a 6-yard run, but the kick failed and the Cougars trailed 14-13.

Fitou Fisiiahi scored on an 9 and 50-yard run to give Kaiser a 27-14 lead. Kaiser defensive back Makaio Hopeau-Lampitoc intercepted Troutman for a 10-yard touchdown to push the lead to 20 points.

Leong scored on a 3 yard run and then he hauled in a 29 yard touchdown pass from Kahoali'i Karratti to put the Cougars up big 48-14 going into halftime.

After the half, Kaiser scored on a safety after the Nanakuli snap sailed out of the end zone which initiated running clock. Karratti hit Parker Higgins for a 5 yard touchdown. Backup quarterback Kahi Neves threw a 52 yard touchdown to Curt Clivio and Neves ran it in for a 4-yard score.

"It was about assignment football. I think this game was about assignments and whoever executed those assignments would win the game," said Fisiiahi.

Reach Brandon Ching at [email protected].