The Rough Riders pose for a photo after winning the OIA Division II championship. Michael Lasquero | SL

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_23110410_FB-11.3.23-KAIMvsROOS-6593.jpg - Michael Lasquero | SL

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MILILANI — Rough start?

No problem for the Rough Riders.

Roosevelt rallied from a 14-3 deficit to turn back Kaimuki, 34-22, for the OIA Division II championship Friday night at John Kauinana Stadium.

The Rough Riders (8-3) scored 31 straight points in the comeback victory to notch their second league crown in school history and their first since 2018.

"This is everything," said sophomore quarterback Ioane Kamanao. "My brother (Kayman Lewis), he was the quarterback for the past few years. He really couldn't get the job done, but I'm glad I could step into his shoes and fulfill it for Roosevelt."

Kamanao completed 12 of 20 passes for 259 yards and three touchdowns in the win, but he was in and out of the lineup multiple times in the first half after taking two hard hits. He fell on his head as he was sacked in the first quarter and fell on his shoulder after a takedown in the second quarter.

But he was able to return to the game to make an impact down the stretch.

"He's a tough kid," Roosevelt coach Kui Kahooilihala said of Kamanao. "He doesn't want to lose, he doesn't want to get out off the field. He wants to stay on the field and we knew he was going to come back. Sure enough he's going to force himself to get back on the field."

Kamanao finished the game with negative rushing yards altogether, but he did gain 10 on a scramble with 11.7 seconds remaining in the first half to make it a 14-10 game at the break.

"It was great," Kamanao said of the score before halftime. "That momentum really kept us going throughout the game and it helped us get the job done."

Kamanao's top target of the game was Jahsiah Souza-Armstead, who finished with five receptions for 164 yards and two TDs. Souza-Armstead caught a fade pass in the end zone for a 6-yard score to give Roosevelt its first lead of the game early in the third quarter and he turned a deep pass into a 97-yard catch-and-run TD to give the Rough Riders a 20-point lead with under eight minutes to play in regulation.

"We just got that trust," Kamanao said of Souza-Armstead. "We got that connection and his fast feet got him where he needed to be."

After Souza-Armstead gave Roosevelt the lead at the 9:48 mark of the third quarter, the defense came through with a turnover when Ezekiel Soon forced a fumble that Luke Tuasivi recovered. The Rough Riders then recycled the turnover into a 30-yard TD pass to Taimane Souza-Fautanu to extend their lead.

"We really appreciated that because we got the offense back on the field and we could get the ball in the end zone," Kamanao said of the defense.

Souza-Fautanu was also a key player for Roosevelt as he stepped in at QB when Kamanao had to come out of the game. He threw for 13 yards, rushed for 36 yards, caught three passes for 48 yards and a score and also broke up two passes and made 13 tackles (10 solo) while playing on defense.

Senior running back Kaleikaumaka Akiona supplemented the passing game with a season-high 111 yards rushing to help the Rough Riders outgain the Bulldogs, 410 to 318.

Journey DePeralta converted on four PATs and kicked field goals from 22 and 33 yards out to round out the top contributors for Roosevelt.

Kaimuki QB Iosefa Letuli accounted for three total scores and ran in a two-point conversion to lead the Bulldogs (5-6) in the loss. He threw for 131 yards and two TDs while rushing for 143 yards and a score.

Both teams will represent the OIA in next week's First Hawaiian Bank state football championships. Roosevelt is seeded fourth in the six-team tourney and will host fifth seed and BIIF winner Kamehameha-Hawaii in a 7:00 p.m. first round game next Friday. The Bulldogs will play third-seeded PAC-5 in the 4:00 p.m. game that precedes it.