Castle WR/DB Jeremy McGoldrick caught 10 passes of 173 yards with four touchdowns on offense and also intercepted a pass on defense in Saturday's thrilling one-point win over Campbell. Johnny Wilson | Special to SL

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The Castle football team pulled off a thrilling 33-32 win over Campbell Saturday night and a major factor in the game was Jeremy McGoldrick.

McGoldrick stands 5-feet, 7-inches and weights just 140 pounds, but the Knights' junior certainly made his presence felt against the Sabers. He caught 10 passes for 173 yards with four touchdowns on offense and also intercepted a pass on defense.

"He's just dynamite in a small package for us," Castle coach Nelson Maeda said of McGoldrick. "Like some other guys on the team he barely comes off the field. He's on almost all of the special teams units, he's a playmaker who we try to get the ball to and he's a big part of our offense and defense. He did a tremendous job Saturday. He made some remarkable catches."

All of McGoldrick's touchdowns grabs were delivered by quarterback Willie Ewaliko, who threw for 268 yards on 18-of-45 passing and also ran in a score. McGoldrick, who started at quarterback on the junior varsity team last year, also serves as Ewaliko's back-up, which Maeda said has helped him acclimate with the receiver position quickly.

"I think so, because he has a very thorough understanding of coverages and I think he understands, from a quarterback perspective, the thought process so he knows what the quarterback is thinking as far as receivers trying to get open," Maeda said. "I think it helps him. He recognizes the coverage he's facing and will make adjustments off of that."

McGoldrick's first score was a 12-yard scoring strike with 2:36 left in the second quarter, which gave the Knights a 13-6 lead. With 4:21 remaining in the third quarter, he pulled down a 9-yard TD pass to cut the Sabers' lead to 20-19.

Campbell held a 26-19 lead after three quarters, but McGoldrick wasn't done. Just 12 seconds into the fourth quarter, he broke free for a 58-yard score. Ewaliko tacked on the extra point to tie it.

However, Campbell reclaimed the lead a few minutes later. The Sabers opted to go for two, but failed to get into the end zone on the rush attempt.

McGoldrick capped his night with a 17-yard TD pass with 4:31 to play. Ewaliko booted the deciding extra point through the uprights to give the Knights the lead for good.

"I think they're very close," Maeda said of McGoldrick and Ewaliko. "I think the whole team is very close. We're trying to maximize the ability of our team with only 29 players and Jeremy knew he could best help the team as a receiver. Willie is in his second season as a starter so he has a really good feel for our offensive package and he understands what we're trying to do. Of course, it helps that Jeremy is so versatile that he can play multiple positions."

Through Castle's first two games of the season, McGoldrick leads the state in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. He is averaging 19.7 yards per catch.

"We knew he was a good athlete coming up from JV," Maeda said. "He's been a pleasant surprise with his offensive production. He catches almost everything that is thrown his way, he's very gifted, he's got great hands and he's the most consistent reliable receiver we have."

Maeda expects defenses to start focusing more of their attention McGoldrick's way.

"Teams are more aware of him now, but when you look at him he's such a diminutive package so I guess defenders underestimate him, but he has deceiving speed," Maeda said. "He doesn't look that fast when he runs, but he's one of the fastest guys on the team."

McGoldrick is not only a three-sport athlete, but a true student-athlete, Maeda said.

"He not only excels on the football field, but he's an honor student," Maeda said. "Jeremy taking Advanced Placement courses so he excels academically and as a freshman he started on the varsity baseball team, as a sophomore he started on the varsity basketball team, so he's a very gifted athlete in all sports."

McGoldrick and the Knights return to the gridiron when they host eighth-ranked Waianae Friday night.

FOOTBALL
Bradlee Anae, Kahuku — Recorded a sack and forced a fumble in a win over Kapolei

Sunshine Anuenue, Nanakuli — Rushed for 117 yards on 15 carries in a win over Kalaheo

Noah Auld, Kailua — Passed for 164 yards with two touchdowns and added a rushing score in a win over Leilehua

Jhustin Balisacan, Kauai — Rushed for 128 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries in a loss to Damien

Nainoa Banks, Nanakuli — Passed for 191 yards with two touchdowns and rushed for another score in a win over Kalaheo

Tre Barnes, Leilehua — Caught four passes for 155 yards, including two touchdowns, in a loss to Kailua

Kaeo Batacan, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Rushed for two touchdowns in a win over King Kekaulike

Eamon Brady, Punahou — Caught six passes for 129 yards and a touchdown in a win over Hilo

Kamakana Ching, Konawaena — Caught two touchdown passes in a win over Saint Francis

Howard Cosare, Kealakehe — Had a sack and recovered a fumble in a loss to Iolani

Clifford Cunningham, Nanakuli — Caught a touchdown pass and scored on a 95-yard kickoff return in a win over Kalaheo

Noah Domogsac, Mililani — Scored on a 79-yard kickoff return in a win over McKinley

Willie Ewaliko, Castle — Passed for 268 yards with four touchdowns and rushed for another in a win over Campbell

Austin Ewing, Konawaena — Threw two touchdown passes in a win over Saint Francis

Challen Faamatau, Farrington — Caught four passes for 118 yards with two touchdowns and rushed for 95 yards and another score in a win over Waipahu

Marcus Faufata-Pedrina, Damien — Rushed for 106 yards with three touchdowns and threw for 153 yards with another score in a win over Kauai

Michael Feliciano, Moanalua — Rushed for 128 yards with two touchdowns and scored on an 80-yard kickoff return in a loss to Waianae

Isaiah Freeney, Waianae — Caught six passes for 143 yards and a touchdown in a win over Moanalua

Austin Fuga, Campbell — Scored on a 48-yard interception return in a win over Castle

Emmett Garcia, Kaiser — Scored on a 20-yard interception return in a loss to Aiea

Devin Griffiths, Leilehua — Recorded a game-high 13 tackles and a sack in a win over Kailua

Conor Hannum, Iolani — Caught six passes for 77 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Kealakehe

Kobe Kato, Aiea — Passed for 253 yards and five touchdowns in a win over Kaiser

Pohaku Kealoha-Cambe, Aiea — Caught six passes for 148 yards and four touchdowns in a win over Kaiser

Lancen Kuni, Waialua — Scored on a 30-yard interception return in a win over Kalani

Mark Lehrner, Kalaheo — Passed for 255 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to Nanakuli

Joe Maneafaiga, Pearl City — Rushed for 204 yards on 22 carries in a win over Roosevelt

Kainalu Martin, Kamehameha — Intercepted two passes in a win over Baldwin

Jensen McDaniel, Kaiser — Rushed for 246 yards and three touchdowns in a loss to Aiea

Jeremy McGoldrick, Castle — Caught 10 receptions for 173 yards and four touchdowns in a win over Campbell

McKenzie Milton, Mililani — Passed for 137 yards with three touchdowns and rushed for another score in a win over McKinley

Kingston Moses-Sanchez, Farrington — Caught five passes for 88 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Waipahu

Kumoku Noa, Kamehameha — Caught eight passes for 197 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Baldwin

Gehrig Octavio, Waiakea — Threw a touchdown pass and rushed for another in a loss to Waimea

Brian Pascua, Iolani — Rushed for two touchdowns in a win over Kealakehe

Jared Puu-Robinson, Punahou — Forced and recovered a fumble in a win over Hilo

Bishop Rapoza, Farrington — Passed for 105 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Waipahu

Kai Reed, Kalani — Caught four passes for 111 yards and a touchdown in a loss to Waialua

Isaiah Ripley, Aiea — Rushed for 128 yards and a touchdown in a win over Kaiser

Kekoa Sasaoka, Kahuku — Kicked three field goals and added two PATs in a win over Kapolei

Radon Sinenci, Lahainaluna — Scored on an 85-yard kickoff return in a loss to Kapaa

Siaosi Soto, Campbell — Passed for 138 yards with a touchdown and rushed for two other scores in a loss to Castle

Brian Taamalemalo-Nasau, Aiea — Scored on a 46-yard fumble return in a win over Kaiser

Ethan Takeyama, Punahou — Caught five passes for 93 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Hilo

Cody Taniguchi, Waimea — Rushed for 119 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Waiakea

Makana Tauai, Mililani — Caught a touchdown pass and scored on a 42-yard punt return in a win over McKinley

Wayne Taulapapa, Punahou — Rushed for 98 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries in a win over Hilo

Kapena Texeira, Kapaa — Had two sacks and ran for the game-winning touchdown in a win over Lahainaluna

Nic Tom, Kaiser — Passed for 116 yards with a touchdown and rushed for 127 yards and another score in a loss to Aiea

Javen Towne, Waianae — Rushed for three touchdowns, including the game-winner in overtime, in a win over Moanalua

Ephraim Tuliloa, Punahou — Completed 15 of 20 pass attempts for 245 yards with four touchdowns and rushed for another score in a win over Hilo

Justin Uahinui, Farrington — Passed for 119 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Waipahu

Jaren Ulu, Waianae — Passed for 212 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Moanalua

Desmond Unutoa, Kamehameha — Scored on a 35-yard interception return in a win over Baldwin

Ty-Noah Williams, Kapolei — Caught eight passes for 133 yards in a loss to Kahuku

Thomas Yam, Kamehameha — Completed 21 of 30 pass attempts for 323 yards and four touchdowns in a win over Baldwin