Kahuku quarterback Kesi Ah Hoy rushed for 142 yards on 40 carries in a win over Waianae. Greg Yamamoto | SL

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Fri, Nov 13, 2015 @ Aloha Stadium [ 4:30 pm ]

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Waianae

0

Kahuku

13

Final	1	2	3	4	T
Waianae (9-4-0)	0	0	0	0	0
Kahuku (13-0-0)	0	3	7	3	13

• Pass
• Rush
• Rec

Cameron Renaud 49 yd

Jaren Ulu 21 yd

Kesi Ah-Hoy 142 yd

Jurick Valdez 32 yd

Kekaula Kaniho 34 yd

Isaiah Freeney 21 yd

Call'em a running team, but when the chips were down, the Kahuku Red Raiders found success through the air, albeit for one series.

Jumped-started by its true quarterback, No. 2 Kahuku downed No. 6 Waianae, 13-0, Friday night to advance to the First Hawaiian Bank Division I state football championship for the first time since 2012 and will be the first appearance for rookie coach Vavae Tata, a member of three Saint Louis Prep Bowl championship teams.

"Exciting," Kahuku wildcat Kesi Ah-Hoy said of reaching the title game. "We'll put this game behind us and look forward to the next week."

The Red Raiders (12-0) will play No. 1 Saint Louis in next Friday's championship, seeking their first crown since 2012 and record eighth overall in the 13^th annual tournament. It will be the sixth meeting in tournament history between the two; Kahuku leads the series, 4-1.

The Seariders (9-4) end their season having not scored on the Red Raiders in two games this season. They also lost, 30-0, during a regular-season game.

"I'm proud of our kids," Waianae coach Walter Young said. "They played hard…We just couldn't get put it away. We'll work on that the offseason and come back and get ready to roll."

In a first half that saw the Oahu Interscholastic Association powers locked out of each other's red zones until the closing minute, Kahuku scrapped its wildcat formation for true QB Cameron Renaud go break the scoreless deadlock and set up Kekoa Sasaoka's 22-yard field goal with five seconds left to give the Red Raiders a 3-0 lead at the half and momentum for the second.

"We you get a chance, you just have to step up," Renaud said. "You just gotta be prepared.'

Ah-Hoy was impressed with Renaud's performance.

"Big time," Ah-Hoy said of Renaud. "Big time. I like the way he stepped in. Coach always says, ‘Next man up.'"

After Waianae punted for the sixth consecutive time in the game, Kahuku took over at its 46 – the best starting field position and deepest penetration against the Seariders. The Red Raiders summoned the seldom-used Renaud, who completed only 2 of 6 passes for 49 yards, but it was enough to get Kahuku in field-goal range for Sasaoka.

"Cameron coming off the bench, clutch guy," Tata said. "I feel real good about him.

The lead before the half was crucial for Kahuku, which could then revert to its time-consuming wildcat in the second half, so long it could hold to the lead.

"Huge, huge," Tata said. "We've never been in that situation before."

Before the field goal, it was a grind for both teams. Kahuku's seven possessions, with an average starting field position at its 25, resulted in five consecutive punts after an interception by Mosiah Brame stopped the Red Raiders' first series after taking the opening kickoff.

Meanwhile, all of Waianae's first six possessions resulted in punts, despite an average starting field position of the Seariders' 39. The Seariders' last possession, after the Kahuku field goal, ended the half with a QB kneel down.

Both teams managed only four first downs apiece. Ironcially, of Kahuku's four first down, three were by passing, two in the scoring drive. The other first down was by penalty.

Waianae also had three of its four first down through the air with one by penalty.

The second-half opened with Kahuku's defense taking over. Waianae received the second-half kickoff, but on the second play from scrimmage, the ubiquitous Keala Santiago returned a Jaren Ulu interception 32 yards for the only TD of the game. Sasaoka's PAT made it 10-0 just 49 seconds into the half.

Kahuku's defense continued to dominate the line of scrimmage and Kahuku's offense went back into wildcat mode the rest of the game. The Red Raiders added to their lead with 4:17 in the fourth on Sasaoka's 21-yard field goal.

Tata said he needed to review video of the game before determining why the Red Raiders' offense had trouble in the first half. But credit should also go to the Seariders, who made some adjustments on defense since its 30-0 loss during the regular season.

"We had a better game plan for them," Young said. "We came out in a different defense and we were successful. We were successful the whole game, defensively. We just gave up points on offense."

The Waianae defense contained Kahuku's offense for a modest 224 yards.

Kahuku's defense was its usual self. Waianae never got deep than Kahuku's 43, which was the Seariders' first drive of the game. Waianae never crossed midfield in the second half. Waianae was held to 76 yards of offense.

"Hats off to them," Young said of the Red Raiders. "They're a great team, well coached. I'm proud of our kids, something we can build on."