Akana, special teams spark Rough Riders in season finale

Roosevelt senior Kaeo Akana gives chase to Waipahu receiver Joseph McKenzie in an OIA Division I contest at Masa Yonamine Athletic Complex Saturday night. Leighland Tagawa | SL

Senior edge rusher Kaeo Akana had five sacks with three additional tackles for loss and a blocked field goal led to the go-ahead score as Roosevelt outlasted Waipahu, 17-16, at Masa Yonamine Athletic Complex Saturday night in both teams' final game of the season.

Dean Mizutami was responsible for the heads-up play that gave the Rough Riders the game-winning score in the final minute of the third quarter. A 30-yard field goal attempt by the Marauders' Connor Wittig had a low trajectory that bounced off the scrum near the line of scrimmage. Mizutami scooped up the loose ball near the right sideline and returned it 88 yards for the touchdown.

Porter Ellis, who kicked a 27-yard field goal to give Roosevelt a 10-0 lead in the first quarter, booted the PAT after Mizukami's return to make the score 17-16 in favor of the Rough Riders.

Roosevelt's special teams unit also set the stage for the game's opening score.

Sophomore Landen Kalani received the first half kickoff and nearly scored before losing his footing at the Waipahu 42-yard line for a 56-yard return. After a defensive pass interference penalty against Waipahu on the next play, Kayman Lewis threw a 27-yard scoring strike to George Matsunaga for an early TD. Ellis' PAT made it a 7-0 game 20 seconds into the contest.

While special teams lived up to its namesake, Akana was simply special.

The Boise State-commit consistently lived in the Marauders' backfield and led the team with 13 total tackles with three quarterback hurries. Akana, who stands at 6-foot-3 and weighs 215 pounds, also came up big in crunch time to derail Waipahu's comeback attempt.

On the Marauders' first drive that started in the fourth quarter, Akana had a 10-yard sack on third-and-4 to force a Waipahu punt.

When Waipahu reached Roosevelt territory on its penultimate drive, Akana had two quarterback hurries in three plays before registering his fifth sack of the game on fourth-and-10.

Akana may have even finished with even more gaudy stats if it weren't for the escapability of Waipahu's Liatama Uiliata behind center.

Uiliata, who normally plays cornerback, got the start at quarterback and nearly willed his team for the victory. He led the team in rushing with 112 yards and threw for 167 yards and two TDs. Uiliata also completed his first seven passes and recorded an interception on defense that led to the score that gave Waipahu a 16-10 halftime lead.

Both teams were already mathematically eliminated from playoff contention heading into the matchup. Roosevelt improved to 2-4 overall and 2-3 in Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I play while the Marauders suffered their third straight loss and finished with a 2-3 record.