OIA Football
Bulldogs bulldoze Cougars to reach title game


Stacy Kaneshiro | ScoringLive
October 20, 2018, 8:53pm

  


Sat, Oct 20, 2018 @ Mililani [ 4:30 pm ]

Kaiser

14

Kaimuki

30

Final 1 2 3 4 T
Kaiser (4-4-1) 7 7 0 014
Kaimuki (10-3-0) 6 8 8 830
Jonah Faasoa 111 yd 1 TD
Koa Tom 179 yd 2 TD
Koby Moananu 37 yd
Jesse Stroede 54 yd 1 TD

MILILANI — It seems these Bulldogs are really wildcats.

Running primarily out of the wildcat formation, Naomas Asuega-Fualaau rushed for 220 yards, two touchdowns and two 2-point conversions to help Kaimuki plow Kaiser, 30-14, Saturday night in the semifinals of the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division II tournament at John Kauinana Stadium.

The Bulldogs (8-2) will face Roosevelt (9-2) for the OIA D2 championship, 4:30 p.m. Friday at Aloha Stadium. Kaimuki is seeking its first D2 title since 2010 and is 2-2 in title games. Roosevelt is looking for its first OIA title and first league championship since 1957, when it won its third consecutive Interscholastic League of Honolulu crown under Ticky Vasconcellos, the namesake of the school's stadium.

This game was a far cry for both teams. In their regular-season meeting, the Bulldogs romped the Cougars, 46-21. Quarterback Jonah Faasoa passed for 435 yards and three TDs. This time, the Cougars, who only a year ago finished 0-7 with six forfeits, put up a fight. It was 14-14 at the half before the Bulldogs were able to wear down the Cougars with brute strength.

"We knew they were going to come with some fire and passion in their play," Kaimuki coach David Tautofi said of the Cougars. "Just took us a little time to warm up and figure out what we were going to do."

Considering where the Cougars were a year ago, it was a highly successful season for them.

"I think we did a little bit better job of lining up," Cougars coach Tim Seaman said of the difference from the teams' previous meeting. "But you have to give Kaimuki credit. It's tough to stop everything. You try to put extra guys in the box and they're efficient at moving the ball with their single-back stuff. We tried to load up and the kids did the best they can, fought hard and we're proud of the effort they put forth, but you have to give Kaimuki a lot of credit."

This time, the Bulldogs stayed grounded, rushing the ball 43 times for 289 yards with Asuega-Fualaau packing the ball 28 times for 220 yards. Jonah Stephens, also playing wildcat, added 60 yards on 11 carries, including a booming 37-yard TD run. Faasoa passed the ball only 13 times but completed 11 for 111 yards, including a 16-yard TD pass to Kaulana Kaluna Jr.

"Those boys are special," Tautofi said of Asuega-Fualaau and Stephens. "To have two running backs like that is special."

For Asuega-Fualaau, his success was obvious.

"Just to follow my blocks all the way through," he said. "That was the most key thing."

The Bulldogs got off to an inauspicious start. On Asuega-Fualaau's third carry, he bolted for 30 yards, only to fumble the ball to the Cougars. Six plays later, Kaiser struck the first blow on Koa Tom's 17-yard TD pass to Mason Yoshino on a cross over the middle. Kyler Halvorsen's PAT gave Kaiser a 7-0 lead with 7:10 in the first period.

Later in the period, Stephens returned a punt 62 yards for an apparent TD, only to have it nullified by a penalty, one of 10 by the Bulldogs. But Kaimuki still took over from Kaiser's 46 and three plays later, Asuefa-Fualaau scored on a 40-yard run. Stephens was stopped on a run for the 2-point conversion, so Kaiser still led, 7-6, with 1:47 left in the first.

Kaimuki gained the lead in the second period on Faasoa's TD pass to Kaluna Jr. Faasoa then hit Koby Moananu on a 2-point conversion pass to give the Bulldogs a 14-7 lead with 8:58 in the half.

Kaiser, though, tied the game at 14 on Tom's sideline pass to Jesse Stroede, who raced most of the 41 yards down the left side to the end zone with 1:33 left in the half.

Kaimuki had one more chance to score but ran out of time after a 10-yard pass from Faasoa to Moananu to the Kaiser 7.

Kaimuki broke the deadlock in the third with an 80-yard drive that saw an Asuega-Fualaau 13-yard TD run nullified by a holding penalty but ended with eventually scoring on an 8-yard run. For good measure, he ran in the 2-point conversion to make it 22-14. Keeping the drive alive were four encroachment penalties against Kaiser. The Cougars had 10 penalties for 79 yards, eight for encroachment.

"Our inexperience showed in that kind of thing," Seaman said of the encroachment calls. "Those kind of mistakes are things you cannot do in a championship-setting game. You can't make those kind of mistakes and that's what our team needs to learn."

The Bulldogs capped their scoring early in the fourth when Stephens broke loose for his 37-yard TD run. Asuega-Fualaau did the honors again by running in the 2-point conversion that made it 30-16.

Kaiser battled to the end; its last play of the game started with second-and-goal at the Kaimuki 2. But the game ended with a fumble for lost yardage as time ran out.

"I'm feeling good, especially for my team," Asuega-Fualaau said. "All the hard work we put in, even in the offseason."


Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at [email protected].




Show your support

Every contribution, no matter the size, will help ScoringLive continue its mission to provide the best and most comprehensive coverage of high school sports in the state of Hawaii and beyond.

Please consider making a contribution today.

ADVERTISEMENT


IMAGE GALLERY


MORE STORIES

Kohala's Kauka repeats as All-Hawaii Division II POY

Sophomore Layden Kauka led the Cowboys to a second straight state title, averaging 15.7 ppg in league...

Sepulona tops All-Hawaii Division I picks for second straight season

Junior forward Pupu Sepulona lead the Crusaders to second straight state crown; Saint Louis coach Dan...

Hawaii Prep's Samura leads All-Hawaii Division II selections

Brooke Samura averaged 34.6 points per game in her seniorr campaign, including seven games scoring over...

Lahainaluna's Donez earns All-Hawaii Division I POY honors

Senior guard Lola Donez averaged 26.9 points per game in MIL play and led Lunas to semifinal finish at...

Hirayama delivered in much-needed win for Trojans; Ho powering Buffanblu with prolific junior season

The Mililani junior LHP struck out 10 batters in six innings against Aiea Saturday, while the Punahou...

No. 4 Moanalua sweeps Roosevelt to cap undefeated OIA East season

Na Menehune were too much for the Rough Riders on senior night to finish the OIA East season unbeaten...