No. 5 Kapolei upends No. 6 Waianae, 27-15


Kapolei QB Taulia Tagovailoa swings it out for SB Jaymin Sarono against the Waianae defense. John Lujan | SL

MILILANI — Wyatt Perez and Jaymin Sarono each had over 100 receiving yards to help lead No. 5 Kapolei over No. 6 Waianae, 27-15 Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I third place game at Mililani's John Kauinana Stadium.

Waianae won earlier, 35-14 on Aug. 13, but on Saturday night, the Hurricanes got the revenge.

Kapolei clinches third place and will take on Interscholastic League of Honolulu runner-up Punahou in the opening round of the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Open Division Football Championships. Winner of this game meets top-seeded Kahuku in the semifinals.

The Seariders claim the league's fourth place and will take on No. 4 Farrington. The winner of this game will take on ILH champion and second-seeded Saint Louis.

Tagovailoa was 15 of 29 for 120 yards and two TDs in the first half and finished with 254 yards on 27-of-49 passing, three touchdowns and an interception.

Perez caught 11 passes for 107 yards and two scores and Sarono Sarono came back from his one-game suspension to add 109 receiving yards and a TD.

Leonard Lee intercepted Jorell Pontes-Borje's and took it back 36 yards for six to put the Hurricanes up first. He also had a fumble recovery. Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa had two tackle-for-losses and a pass breakup.

Kapolei capitalized on a short field after a blocked punt by Bam Amina. Tagovailoa threw a 16-yard touchdown to Jaymin Sarono on a 4th-and-12, but the pass failed to make it, 13-0.

Waianae answered three plays later as Rico Rosario rushed for a 46-yard touchdown. Rosario rushed for 132 yards for the game.

Tagovailoa threw a 28-yard score to Perez on a 4th-and-7 with 23.8 seconds left as Kapolei led, 20-7 at halftime.

Pontes-Borje's first completion of the game to Isaiah Freeney converted a 4th-and-3 and three plays later, Rosario added his second rushing TD and Kade Ambrocio floated a pass to Kanai Mauga as the Seariders trailed, 20-15.

Tagovailoa threw his third touchdown to Perez early in the fourth quarter that covered a 82 yard 12 play scoring drive to give the Hurricanes a two-score cushion.

Dalton Rajkowski intercepted Tagovailoa with 5:26 left near the 1. Waianae ran 17 plays and made a last ditch effort to mount a comeback, but turned it over on downs with 1:20 left.



Reach Brandon Ching at [email protected].