Waianae QB Kekoa Kaluhiokalani passed for 209 yards and 3 touchdowns against Aiea. Scott Nishi | SL

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Waianae's Po'okela Noa-Nakamoto looks for yards after the catch following a pass reception against Aiea. Scott Nishi | SL

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Waianae's Chade Wong battles Aiea's Shaenan Hernandez-Fonoti for the football on a pass attempt. Scott Nishi | SL

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Aiea's Shane Jennings tries to break free from a Waianae defender. Scott Nishi | SL

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Waianae's Iokepa Ili makes a pass reception against Aiea. Scott Nishi | SL

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Sat, Aug 24, 2013 @ Aiea [ 6:30 pm ]

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Waianae

29

Aiea

13

Final	1	2	3	4	T
Waianae (6-3-0)	3	20	0	6	29
Aiea (2-6-0)	7	6	0	0	13

• Pass
• Rush
• Rec

Mana Kaahanui 191 yd 1 TD

Kekoa Kaluhiokalani Jr. 209 yd 3 TD

Elijah Tausaga 10 yd

Jemery Willes 60 yd

Shaenan Hernandez-Fonoti 102 yd 1 TD

Pookela Noa-Nakamoto 77 yd 1 TD

'AIEA - After watching his third pass of the game intercepted and returned 52 yards for a touchdown, Kekoa Kaluhiokalani tossed three TD passes to rally Wai'anae past 'Aiea, 29-13, Saturday night at 'Aiea stadium.

It was the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red West season opener for both teams.

The Seariders (3-0 overall, 1-0 Red West) trailed 13-9 midway through the second quarter before Kaluhiokalani threw TD passes of 26 yards to Iokepa Ili and 28 yards to Pookela Noa-Nakamoto in the closing one minutes, 36 seconds of the second half and fired another for 35 yards to Johnothan Napierala-Rose in the fourth quarter.

Na Ali'i (2-1, 0-1) continued to hampered by injuries. They started the game without QB Jordan Li'ili'i , who broke his right foot against Pac-Five last weekend; he was using crutches, but at times didn't use them. He added he would be out six weeks.

But 'Aiea suffered another blow when receiver Shaenan Hernandez-Fonoti sustained an apparent neck injury after making a 26-yard, leaping reception to Wai'anae's 3. 'Aiea coach Wendell Say said Hernandez-Fonoti complained of pain in his neck when he tried to get up. As a precaution, the player was told to lie on the ground until an ambulance arrived, Say said. The game was delayed about 35 minutes. Hernandez-Fonoti gave the thumbs-up while on the gurney before being loaded into the ambulance.

"I think he'll be OK," Say said. "He had head movement, just a lot of numbness. He couldn't get up without pain so we just wanted to (keep him down) as a precaution."

The injuries are piling are taking a toll. Hernandez-Fonoti and Mana Kaahanui shared QB duties last season. Kaahanui started last night. Hernandez-Fonoti is one of the backup QBs.

"It's tough," Say said of the injuries. "Next person has to step it up. Been like this every week. It's a matter of resiliency. The kids have to believe in each other and come together. That's how it's going to work."

"We were kind of worried because he's our No. 1 wide receiver," Kaahanui said. "We kind of needed him. I hope he gets healed, come back and (get) ready to fight again."

Wai'anae had just widened its lead to 29-13 with 10:13 left in the game when 'Aiea took the ensuing kickoff and drove inside Wai'anae's red zone. On second-and-10 at the Wai'anae 29, Kaahanui threw high pass so only the 6-foot-2 Hernandez-Fonoti could get it. He made leaping catch against a Wai'anae defender, but landed hard on the ground, his back first with his head next.

Although Na Ali'i had first-and-goal at the 3, it failed to score.

The game started off well for Na Ali'i when Francisco Jajo returned an interception off Kaluhiokalani 52 yards for a score with 9:16 in the first quarter. Jae Won Huh's PAT gave 'Aiea a 7-0 lead.

But Trensten Spragling returned the ensuing kickoff 56 yards and a personal foul on 'Aiea put the ball at Na Ali'i's 28. The Seariders didn't take complete advantage and settled for a 28-yard field gaol by Stanton Spencer to make it 7-3 with 7:05 in the first quarter.

'Aiea was hanging with Wai'anae until the second quarter when Na Ali'i fumbled lost a fumble on a punt return at 'Aiea's 35. Three plays later, Wai'anae scored on fullback Mahwan Tau's 13-yard run. Spencer missed the PAT, but Wai'anae took a 9-7 lead with 6:26 left in the half.

'Aiea's response was a 59-yard TD pass from Kaahanui to Hernandez-Fonoti put Na Ali'i up, 13-9, with 5:40 in the half after the missed PAT.

Although a touchback followed, Wai'anae drove from its 20 and scored on Kaluhiokalani's 26-yard TD pass to Ili with 1:36 in the half. Spencer's PAT put Wai'anae ahead, 16-13.

'Aiea took the kickoff with 1:36 left, but could only milk 59 seconds before punting the ball to Wai'anae, which moved 56 yards on four plays that ended with Kaluhiokalani's 28-yard TD pass to Noa-Nakamoto with six seconds left in the half, increasing the Seariders' lead to 23-13.

Na Ali'i could not sustain any second-half drives; the closest they got to scoring was on Hernandez-Fonoti's catch that got him injured.

Meanwhile, Wai'anae added another score early in the fourth quarter on Kaluhiokalani's 35-yard TD pass to Napierala-Rose.

The Seariders managed to earn 20 first downs to keep the ball away from 'Aiea. But they were hampered by 12 penalties for 138 yards.

"We still look like we're in preseason," Wai'anae coach Dan Matsumoto said. "I still feel we need to do a better job of executing."

It doesn't get easier for 'Aiea, which hosts Campbell Friday. The Sabers lost to Leilehua, 28-21, Friday.

Meanwhile, the Seariders will host Mililani. The Trojans dominated Kapolei, 35-0, Friday.