Kamehameha-Maui senior utility Ikaika Chong Kee ran in the go-ahead touchdown and assisted on the game-sealing touchdown in the Warriors' 11-7 win over Lahainaluna. Glen Pascual | Special to SL

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Ikaika Chong Kee came up clutch in what was arguably the biggest win in Kamehameha-Maui's history.

The senior utility ran in the go-ahead touchdown and assisted on the game-sealing tackle in the Warriors' 11-7 win over Lahainaluna in both team's Maui Interscholastic League regular season opener at Cooley Stadium. 

The victory snapped Lahainaluna's 17-game MIL win streak and was the Warriors' first win over the Lunas in program history. KS-Maui was 0-21 against the Lunas prior to last Saturday's win. 

"It was definitely an important win," said KS-Maui coach Cody Nakamura. "After that, it's just a small step in the right direction to where we want to go." 

Nakamura best described Chong Kee as someone that "walks the walk and talks the talk." 

"He's an extremely hard worker," said Nakamura. "It shows in the weight room and on the football field. He's our rock. He's on every special teams, in on offense and on defense. He's definitely one of the hardest worker on the team."

Against the Lunas' gritty defense, the change-of-pace running back rushed seven times for 29 yards (as reported by the Maui News), including the game-winning score from nine yards out. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound senior scored on what was an outside read-option run play. Chong Kee took the inside handoff from sophomore signal caller Kainoa Sanchez and cut it back to the left sideline after getting past the line of scrimmage and another defender.

At strongside linebacker, Chong Kee recorded about eight or nine tackles against the Lunas' modified Wing-T offense, according to his coaches. 

"He had a huge part in stopping their run and made some of the calls," Nakamura said. "He's very important because he has so much speed on the outside. He takes away the wide runs, stretches and tosses and is able to force things to the middle where the whole defense is coming."

Chong Kee was also the first on the stop on Lahainluna quarterback Etuati Storer on the Lunas' last offensive play of the contest. Kamuela Kaniaupio assisted on the tackle to help seal the game.

"They did a play-action and a rollout to the left and Ikaika is out there because he has to contain the QB on the run," said Nakamura. "I guess he thought he could make it in but Ikaika was there on the stop." 

KS-Maui will look to improve to 2-0 in league play when it hosts King Kekaulike Friday. A win against Na Alii will inch the Warriors' one win closer to locking up the MIL first round title.

"Now the most important game in school history is the next one," said Nakamura. "We just need to keep going in the right direction and continue from there."

BOWLING
Chelsi Morishige, Pearl City — Rolled a high game of 228 and three-game series of 617 in an OIA Western Division girls' match

FOOTBALL
Freedom Alualu, Farrington — Rushed for two touchdowns in a win over Iolani

Sefa Ameperosa, Kahuku — Rushed for 150 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Kaiser

Payton Awaya, Kalani — Intercepted a pass and had a sack in a win over Kalaheo

Grayson Bueno, Damien — Had three sacks in a win over Hawaii Prep

Jaykob Cabunoc, Kamehameha — Caught five passes for 100 yards and a touchdown in a win over Hilo

Kame Choy-Keb-Ah Lo, Aiea — Caught seven passes for 118 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to Moanalua

Isaac Crichton, Saint Francis — Scored on a 37-yard punt return in a win over Honokaa

Matt Dacuycuy, Saint Francis — Rushed for two touchdowns in a win over Honokaa

Blaise De Asis, Waipahu — Passed for 266 yards with three touchdowns and rushed for 75 yards with another score in a win over McKinley

Dallas Duarte, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Passed for 257 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Waiakea

Tanielu Evaimalo, Saint Louis — Scored on a 20-yard fumble return in a win over Fagaitua (American Samoa)

Challen Faamatau, Farrington — Rushed for 127 yards on 12 carries and caught five passes for 151 yards in a win over Iolani

Michael Feliciano, Moanalua — Rushed for 100 yards and four touchdowns on 26 carries in a win over Aiea

Savion Fonoti, Mililani — Had three tackles, including two sacks, in a win over Campbell

Austin Hoe, Maui — Rushed for two touched in a win over King Kekaulike

Ezra Inayoshi-Dudoit, Saint Francis — Intercepted two passes, including a 56-yard pick-6, in a win over Honokaa

Akili Gray, Kamehameha — Scored on a 20-yard interception return in a win over Hilo

Kupono Kane, Konawaena — Intercepted two passes, including a 97-yard pick-6, and caught a touchdown pass in a win over Kauai

Kobe Kato, Aiea — Threw for 156 yards and three touchdowns in a loss to Moanalua

Kepono Kawaakoa, Damien — Rushed for 151 yards and a touchdown in a win over Hawaii Prep

Ryota Kony, Farrington — Intercepted two passes in a win over Iolani

Micah Laban, Konawaena — Rushed for two touchdowns in a win over Kauai

Kealii Lopes, Kalani — Had two sacks in a win over Kalaheo

Supilani Mailei, Saint Francis — Made seven tackles, including three sacks, in a win over Honokaa

Wembley Mailei, Saint Francis — Scored on a 15-yard interception return in a win over Honokaa

Alani Malafu, Maui — Scored on a 100-yard interception return in a win over King Kekaulike

Vavae Malepeai, Mililani — Rushed for 158 yards with four touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass in a win over Campbell

Makana Manoa, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Caught two touchdown passes in a win over Waiakea

Scott McLeod, Saint Francis — Rushed for two touchdowns in a win over Honokaa

McKenzie Milton, Mililani — Passed for 209 yards with three touchdowns and rushed for 125 yards in a win over Campbell

Ezkiah Moniz-Hopeau, Waianae — Rushed for 132 yards and caught a touchdown pass in a win over Castle

Kumoku Noa, Kamehameha — Caught three touchdown passes in a win over Hilo

Leelan Oasay, Saint Louis — Caught two touchdown passes in a win over Fagaitua

Gehrig Octavio, Waiakea — Threw a touchdown pass and rushed for another score in a loss to Kamehameha-Hawaii

Courtney Paaga, Damien — Had a touchdown run, a sack and recovered a fumble in a win over Hawaii Prep

William Prescott, Farrington — Scored on a 59-yard interception return in a win over Iolani

Bishop Rapoza, Farrington — Threw two touchdown passes in a win over Iolani

Kea Rodrigues, Moanalua — Had two sacks in a win over Aiea

Jalen Saole, Saint Louis — Intercepted two passes and recovered a fumble in a win over Fagaitua

Sean Silas, Kalani — Rushed for three touchdowns in a win over Kalaheo

Andrew Simanu, Waipahu — Caught five passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns in a win over McKinley

Micah Taberna, King Kekaulike — Caught a touchdown pass and rushed for another score in a loss to Maui

Tua Tagovailoa, Saint Louis — Threw four touchdown passes in a win over Fagaitua

Isaiah Taumua, Farrington — Scored on a 34-yard interception return in a win over Iolani

LeRod Tongi, Kahuku — Rushed for a touchdown and had two sacks in a win over Kaiser

Javen Towne, Waianae — Rushed for 102 yards and four touchdowns in a win over Castle

Torin Tuppein, Konawaena — Made six tackles, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble in a win over Kauai

Kawika Ulufale, Campbell — Threw two touchdown passes and ran in another score in a loss to Mililani

Soane Vaohea, Maui — Rushed for 271 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries in a win over King Kekaulike

Sione Vea, Kalani — Had three sacks in a win over Kalaheo

Elijah Villanueva, Castle — Scored on a 26-yard blocked punt return in a loss to Waianae

Thomas Yam, Kamehameha — Threw three touchdown passes and rushed for another score in a win over Hilo