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The ordeal is over.

Kahuku succeeded in all phases to knock off Punahou, 30-24, Friday night to capture the First Hawaiian Bank Division I state football crown, finally bringing closure to adversity of a year ago,.

An Aloha Stadium crowd of 20,058 - a sea of Kahuku red and amber waves of Punahou - watched the Red Raiders win their first ttile since 2006. But of their unprecedented six crowns, none might have been as sweet.

"This is amazing," Kahuku senior defensive back Bronson Beatty said. "Everything we've been through, from last year being disqualified, our coach getting suspended. This just feels right. It's like the cherry on the sundae."

Kahuku suffered the worst turnaround last year when it had to forfeit games, including the Oahu Interscholastic Association Red championship, for using an ineligible player. Then its coach, Reggie Torres, was suspended the first three games of this season for an administrative issue.

"I'm so happy for these kids," Torres said. "They worked so hard, they've been through so much. To finish this way is just exciting for them."

Kahuku, ranked first in the ScoringLive/OC 16 Power Rankings, ends its season at 12-1, while No. 3 Punahou finished at 11-3).

"Kahuku just played a great game," said Punahou senior defensive end Luke Kaumatule, whose outing ended about five minutes into the game when he felt a twinge in his knee that he injured in preseason that caused him to miss all of the regular season.

"I'm not disappointed at all," Kaumatule added about the injury. "God had a plan for me; I guess I just wasn't meant to play in this game. But I'll be playing in the future."

The Red Raiders found success on offense (303 yards), defense (three interceptions, two fumble recoveries) and special teams (a 38-yard field goal, a 48-yard kickoff return and recovery of a muffed punt).

Kahuku was able to control the ball with its vaunted ground attack, despite Punahou breaking away from its usual three-man front to five down linemen. Running back Aofaga Wily carried the load with 27 rushes for 180 yards and one touchdown. But Mahoniliai Fakatou's 30-yard burst on third-and-1 midway in the fourth quarter made faded Punahou's hope of a rally.

The defense gave up two fourth-quarter touchdowns, but for the most part was able to contain Punahou's offense. Its secondary was extraordinary, limiting the yards-after-catch by receivers with its superb closing speed. Beatty, Evan Ramirez and Mason Kualii-Moe each had interceptions. Beatty's set up Kahuku's third TD of the first half.

"(Our coaches) said to break on the ball hard," Kahuku safety Kawehena Johnson said.

But special teams - a ghost of old Prep Bowls past when Kahuku was notorious for its lack of kicking game - delivered the initial blow to get Kahuku rolling.

Kahuku took the opening kickoff, but eventually had to punt. But Dylan Combs muffed the punt and Jayven Mohetau recovered the ball at the Punahou 38. Punahou's defense stiffened and Kahuku settled for a 38-yard field goal by Kekahu Aluli to make it 3-0 with 6:00 left in the first quarter.

Then there was the ubiquitous Johnson, safety, quarterback, receiver, kick returner.

All he did was play defense with his usual gusto, return a kickoff 48 yards and fill in at quarterback on occasion just to give Punahou something to think about.

"He's an athlete," Torres said. "All summer long he worked both sides (of the ball). He's just an exciting player."

Johnson, a third-year starter and still a junior, down played his effort.

"There's 11 guys on the field," Johnson said. "Everybody just does their job and I do mine."

Following the field goal, the Red Raiders scored on their next possession - a three-play drive, all on runs by Wily, including a 45-yard jaunt - on a five-yard smash up the middle to make it 10-0 with 3:26 left in the first quarter.

On its ensuing series, Punahou lost the ball on downs at Kahuku's 35. The Red Raiders rolled downfield on Wily's back again, but scored on a play-action, 23-yard TD pass from Lasi Livai to a wide open Fakatau on a post to make it 17-0 with 9:55 in the second quarter. It was Kahuku's answer to Punahou's five-man front.

"We expected a five-man front," Torres said. "But it opened up the middle. You saw that play-action pass to our running back right up the middle."

It was the first time Punahou showed the five-man front.

"They took advantage of some things to matchup situations," Punahou coach Kale Ane said. "But they made great plays. Kudos to them."

Beatty's pick of Tui Tuileta was returned six yards to the Punahou 44. That led to wide receiver Mikeli Fiso's diving catch of a 16-yard TD pass from Livai that made it 24-0 with 5:52 left in the half.

Punahou finally caught a break when a Kaimi Fairbairn punt pinned Kahuku at its 2. On second down from the 3, Fakatou fumbled and Logan Hanohano picked up the ball and ran a yard for the score with 1:17 left in the half to pull Punahou to 24-7.

The Buffanblu had another shot just before the half, but Ramirez intercepted Tuileta's pass to preserve Kahuku's 24-7 lead at the half.

Punahou started the second half with its fourth turnover of the game when Kualii-Moe intercepted a pass to give his team the ball at its 22. But Fakatou fumbled and Tim Kamana recovered at the Kahuku 24, setting up a 25-yard field goal by Fairbairn to make it 24-10 with 3:55 left in the third quarter.

Kahuku threatened to score early in the fourth quarter, but Livai's fade pass to Johnson was deflected by Quincy Marting and intercepted by Zach Hernandez for a touchback. It was Kahuku's third turnover of the game.

Nothing materialized for Punahou after the turnover, but it did scored on its next series when Tuileta hit Steven Lakalaka on a 24-yard TD pass with 6:57 left in the game to make it 24-17.

But Kahuku responded with an 11-play, 80-yard drive that ended with Fakatou's 30-yard TD run. It came on third-and-1 when Kahuku was just looking to convert a first down. But the score with 1:43 left in the game pretty much sealed it for Kahuku, which took a 30-17 lead.

Punahou scored again with 24 seconds left on six-yard TD pass from Tuileta to Lakalaka.

Lakalaka ended with 64 yards rushing, 49 yards receiving and 29 yards on returns for 142 all-purpose yards.

Despite the loss of Kaumatule, who had two tackles in his short stint, Ane instead credited Kahuku.

"He's such a great player," Ane said. "But there's no excuses. They deserved to win. They didn't make as many mistakes. They made the big plays when they had to."

> Kawe keyed Kahuku attack in all phases