Kaiser quarterback Lii Karratti lets a pass fly against Kauai. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Kaiser's Melvin Kahunanui intercepts a Kauai pass late to help seal the deal for the Cougars. Greg Yamamoto | SL

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Kauai's Kainoa Iwasaki sneaks into the endzone for a first half score against Kaiser. Sylvia Lee | SL

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Kaiser's Canaan Saole elevates to block a Kauai punt attempt. Jim LeBeau | Special to SL

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Kaiser's Thomas Buntenbah-Leong attempts to evade Kauai defenders on a running play. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Kaiser's Manase Palu celebrates after a sack recorded against Kauai. Celine Troung | Special to SL

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Kaiser players gave each Kauai player a flower lei at the conclusion of the Division II title game. Celine Troung | Special to SL

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Kaiser players raise the trophy after winning the HHSAA Division II championhship game over Kauai. Evan Asato | SL

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Scott Nishi | SL

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Sat, Nov 23, 2013 @ Aloha Stadium [ 4:00 pm ]

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Kauai

7

Kaiser

17

Final	1	2	3	4	T
Kauai (10-1-0)	0	7	0	0	7
Kaiser (13-1-0)	0	0	7	10	17

• Pass
• Rush
• Rec

Kahoalii Karratti 91 yd 1 TD

Kelson Andrade 67 yd

Thomas Buntenbah-Leong 16 yd

Kyron Rapacon 26 yd

Thomas Buntenbah-Leong 46 yd

Tristan Bukoski 31 yd

For the second week in a row, Kaiser rallied from a halftime deficit from a Neighbor Island opponent, this time turning back Kaua'i, 17-7, Saturday night to win its first First Hawaiian Bank Division II state football championship at Hawaiian Airlines Field at Aloha Stadium.

It was Kaiser's first major title since winning the 1979 O'ahu Prep Bowl when its coach, Rich Miano, was an all-state defensive back for the Cougars.

"From where we started and from where we've come, it's been a meteoric rise," Miano said. "As a coach, you're responsible for 60, 90 people we travel with to Maui as an organization. To me this is much bigger. As a player, it's an individual thing. Winning as a coach, all the things you have to (deal with), these guys are young and they make mistakes. You just hope you teach them right lessons, so as a coach you have much more responsibility and much more satisfaction."

The Cougars (13-1), the winningest Kaiser team surpassing the '79 squad that went 11-2, won their 13th consecutive game, which included two forfeits, after losing a non-league game to O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red third-place Campbell, 21-7. It is the longest active winning streak. Kaiser is the first OIA team to win the D2 state crown since Campbell in 2004.

The Red Raiders (10-1), who beat six-time defending D2 state champion 'Iolani in last week's semifinals, fell short of trying to be the first Neighbor Island team to finish unbeaten since Baldwin went 9-0 in 1974. The last Kaua'i team to finish unbeaten was Waimea (8-0) in 1983. Kaua'i was seeking to be the first Neighbor Island champ since Maui's King Kekaulike in 2006.

Kaua'i managed only five yards in the second half.

"We put one good drive together, but they shut us down in the second half with their big boys up the middle," Kaua'i coach Tommy John Cox said. "We couldn't get out of the hole, second half. They did an excellent job of pinning us."

Melvin Kahunanui's 1-yard return of Canaan Saole's block of Kalawaia Judd's punt snapped a 7-all game on the first play of the fourth quarter. Kaiser had just tied the game 7 with 2:07 left in the third on Kahoali'i Karratti's 9-yard TD pass on a slant over the middle to Elima Haole.

"Canaan's block came when he decided to do that himself," Miano. "He asked me about it in the huddle. I told him, 'If you think you can get it, get it.' It was the biggest play that we had."

Saole sped through unscathed from the left side and went past the blocking back to block Judd's punt.

"We work on technique," said Saole, who also led the team with nine tackles, including a sack. "(The blocker) came down on me, so I swimmed (a rush technique) over him and came in."

The block resembled a volleyball block, as the ball sailed high and took a high hop off the ground and Kahunaui caught the ball at the 1 for the easy score.

"It looked like a volleyball block," said Kahunaui, who also had an interception along with four tackles. "I was tripping (out). I knew it was a punt block and I just had to find the ball and take it in."

Just as the second half was all Kaiser, the first belonged to Kaua'i.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Red Raiders started from their 17 at the 11-minute mark. Kaua'i put together the drive of the game, using 18 plays - converting three third downs (one by an encroachment against Kaiser) and two fourth downs - in 9:54 with Kanoa Iwasaki scoring on a 3-yard run off a counter. Pono Bukoski's PAT gave Kaua'i a 7-0 lead with 1:05 left in the half. The Red Raiders preserved that lead on James Bukoski's interception off Kahoali'i Karratti with 14 seconds left.

"I give them the credit," Miano said of the drive. "They were just more hungry. They played with emotion. They played with passion. They played with fortitude. We had to adjust to that in the second half."

Kaiser's defense keyed the start of the second half, pinning Kaua'i deep in its territory the first two series. Kaiser's second offensive series started from its own 49. Ten plays later, Karratti hit Elima Haole on a slant over the middle in the end zone for a 9-yard TD. Matt Sai's PAT tied the game at 7 with 2:07 left in the third quarter.

Once again, Kauai's found itself deep in its own territory when it was forced to punt from its 21. Kaua'i ran the clock out to end the third quarter. But on the first play of the fourth, Kahunanui scored off Saole's blocked punt to give Kaiser a 14-7 lead with 11:50 left in the game.

"We had a missed assignment and they got in there," Cox said.

Kaua'i could not muster any offense the rest of the way and Kaiser added a Matt Sai 30-yard field go to make it 17-7 with 1:55 left in the game.

It was the second week in a row the Cougars trailed at the half. They were down 9-7 to Lahainaluna before winning 20-9 in last week's semifinal on Maui.

"We worked too long and too hard to get this win," Kahunanui said. "Kaua'i came out banging. They had us beat in the first half, but we came out and finished hard and strong. That's how Kaiser plays."