Konawaena second-year coach Brad Uemoto instructs his team in the huddle during a timeout. CJ Caraang | SL

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It was the perfect battle between two opposing styles of play.

Top-ranked Konawaena came into Hugh Yoshida Stadium with its vaunted aerial offense while Saint Francis had a lot of big bodies in the trenches and could run the ball down your throat if it wanted to.

The Saints had more opportunities offensively than the Wildcats, but ultimately could not cash in on them as they fell, 23-22.

For Konawaena, holding off a more physical team was a big confidence booster for its squad as it had its season end last year to a similar opponent in Radford.

"We knew they were good, they're a good team," Konawaena second-year coach Brad Uemoto said on the Saints. "Saint Francis is such a physical team and they wear you down. We were able to just keep enough bodies in there and stop the bleeding and play that bend, but don't break kind of defense." 

"I feel like our defense really stepped it up tonight," added senior cornerback Jordan Kikugawa. "I feel like we grew as a family, and from now on (we're) only going to get stronger and stronger."

The Saints also showed that they could pass the ball as well, coming out in a spread formation to start the ball game. The Wildcats were torched by wideout Scott McCleod (five catches, 92 yards) in the first half, but made adjustments in the second half to keep him in check. 

"We were still trying to target him, but they were able to pressure our quarterback and flush him out of the pocket," Saint Francis second-year coach Kip Akana said on McCleod. "He's always going to be our No. 1 target, but they put enough pressure to get us out of rhythm and make it difficult to get the ball to him in the second half."

It's also worth noting that the Wildcats were without at least two starters on defense: All-Hawaii First Team defensive tackle Austin Santos-Johnson (back) and cornerback Jeriah Cacal (concussion). Making the start in their stead respectively was Jarvis Kalili and Blaine McKittrick.

"I think just not having them helped us build that depth, and its showed us who we can depend on when people go down. I think that was the most important part," said Uemoto. "A lot of kids got a great experience tonight that won't be taken away come the end of the season." 

Offensively the Wildcats had a rough game as 2015 All-Hawaii Division II First Team quarterback Austin Ewing tossed four interceptions, the most he has ever thrown in a game. Constant pressure by NT Supilani Mailei and defensive ends Taka Lautaha and Tevita Otuvaka forced Ewing to make some errant throws. It also didn't help that the Wildcats' receivers had numerous drops knowing that a big hit from safeties Pono Luis-Mateo and Wembley Mailei was coming. 

"They had a great scheme coming and a great game plan," Uemoto said on the Saints' defense. "They put pressure on us and they forced errant throws. Our receivers, we have to do a better job of catching the ball and prolonging drives, that sometimes kills our rhythm offensively. It was definitely a great job by the Saint Francis defense. I think more credit goes to them than it was that Austin did a bad job." 

But Ewing still made plays with his arm and feet to be factor in the win. In a second quarter where he tossed three picks, Ewing was able to get two Saint Francis linemen to bite on a pump fake before rolling to his right and firing a 18-yard TD pass to where 6-foot-3 Kamakana Ching could only grab it. Ewing's final stat line of the night was 30 of 54 passing for 330 yards and two touchdowns. 

"We have a saying, we just say flush it. That goes through our minds so on any bad play you just flush it down the toilet and you play for the series and the next next play and you just let it go," Ewing said on overcoming his miscues. "(The team) just tells me to be a playmaker out there and that's what I try to do for this brotherhood and all the coaches that help us out."

Kikugawa added that the slim victory will help the top-ranked Wildcats be more humble as the season goes on.

"We have to know that we have to treat every team like they're the best because I feel like we might have came into this thinking a little high or ourselves. I think it was a good awakening for us, knowing that we have to be at 110 percent all the time."