Waianae running back Javen Towne rushed for 58 yards and 3 touchdowns against Moanalua., including the game-winning score in overtime. Jim Lebeau | Special to SL

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Fri, Aug 14, 2015 @ Moanalua [ 7:30 pm ]

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Waianae

43

Moanalua

37

Final/OT	1	2	3	4	OT	T
Waianae (9-4-0)	10	7	13	7	0	43
Moanalua (4-6-0)	13	0	14	10	0	37

• Pass
• Rush
• Rec

Alakai Yuen 187 yd 2 TD

Jaren Ulu 212 yd 2 TD

Michael Feliciano 128 yd 2 TD

Javen Towne 58 yd 3 TD

Kaimi Kini 67 yd 1 TD

Isaiah Freeney 143 yd 1 TD

SALT LAKE—Javen Towne's 3-yard touchdown in overtime lifted No. 10 Waianae (1-1 overall, 1-0 league) past No. 8 Moanalua (1-1 overall, 0-1 league), 43-37 in a Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I opener for both teams on Friday night at Moanalua High School.  The Seariders play in the Red Division while the Na Menehune play in the Blue Division.

"They stuck together and played hard all the way to the end, that's all you can ask for. I'm proud of them, but we have to go back to the drawing board to get better. We are one step closer to where we want to be," said Waianae first-year coach Walter Young.

Towne rushed for three touchdowns, 58 yards on 16 carries for the game. Jaren Ulu went 11 of 22 for 212 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Isaiah Freeney led all receivers with six receptions for 143 yards and a touchdown, his longest catch was 72 yards.

"Javen is a special kid. He's smaller in stature but he likes to run between the tackles and outside. He ran between the tackles and came clutch for us," said Young on Towne.

The game was tied at 37 and Moanalua had the ball first to start the overtime. Michael Feliciano got about a 13-yard gain, but the Seariders forced the turnover and Justin Kikila came away with the ball on the 2-yard line.

"Their offense is very good and well-coached and have a good system. Our defense came up clutch and when we needed them we got that fumble and turnover near the end," said Young.

The Na Menehune defense stuffed Waianae on the first two plays, but Jorell Borge-Pontes rushed all the way to the Moanalua 2-yard line. It took Towne three tries to get into the end zone and the third time was the charm as the Seariders celebrated the victory.

"Our linemen pushed forward and I found the open gap and hit it as hard as I could. It was a close game and we had to fight physically and mentally," said Towne. "This momentum will carry into the season and everybody's morale is up and we want to keep the ball rolling."

Waianae led 37-27 after Towne scored a 3-yard touchdown with 4:59 remaining in the fourth quarter. However 31 seconds later, Moanalua answered as Alakai Yuen connected with Kaimi Kinni for a 38-yard touchdown and Blake Tom made the PAT as the Na Menehune trailed, 37-34.

The Seariders started at the Moanalua 20-yard line after a decent return and a Na Menehune penalty, Waianae got all the way down to the Moanalua 5-yard line, but turned it over on downs with 2:24 left.

Starting at their own 6-yard line, Yuen guided the Na Menehune into Waianae territory. He was called for intentional grounding to make it 4th-and-10, but made up for it as he completed a pass to Kinni to the Waianae 25-yard line with over a second remaining. Tom came in to kick a 41-yard field goal with no time remaining to send the game into overtime.

Moanalua committed 13 penalties while Waianae committed 11 for the game.

Feliciano led the way for the Na Menehune with 128 rushing yards and two touchdowns and four catches for 55 yards. His longest run was 60 yards for a touchdown and he also had a 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown with 22 seconds left in the third quarter.

Yuen went 9 of 16 for 187 yards and two touchdowns. Isaiah Jackson caught a 42-yard touchdown and Kaimi Kinni had two catches for 67 yards and a touchdown.

Both teams will start division play as Waianae will travel to the Windward side to play Castle (0-1 overall) on Aug. 21 while Moanalua will travel to Blue Division opponent Aiea (1-1 overall, 1-0 league) on the same night.