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WAIPAHU - Behind a four-touchdown effort by star running back Chester Sua, the Kaimuki Bulldogs rallied to a 27-21 win over Waipahu in an O'ahu Interscholastic Association White Conference game Friday night.

In a contest worthy of a title game before about 1,000 spectators at the Masa Yonamine Athletic Complex, Sua shouldered the load for the visiting Bulldogs, returning the opening kickoff for an 86-yard score while adding three rushing touchdowns, including the game-winning score on an 11-yard run with 41 seconds left.

"Chester is an amazing player. He has a lot of heart and a lot of drive and he doesn't ever want to come out of the game," Kaimuki coach Clint Onigama said. "Chester's play along with the rest of our kids is starting to get elevated and hopefully we can ride that to somewhere maybe this team hasn't been before."

With three minutes and four seconds left in the game, the Bulldogs began their final drive at their own 40-yard line after a 32-yard punt return from Cory Martin. On the drive, Kaimuki converted a key third down on a 16-yard scramble by quarterback Nahoa Spencer to move the ball to the Waipahu 32. Two plays later, Spencer found Mason Kualii-Moe for a 16-yard pass and a first down at the Marauders' 11-yard line. On the very next play, Sua rumbled into the end zone as he fought off several defenders on the way.

"(During the final drive), our team wasn't nervous at all because we all knew that (these kinds of situations) are the best part about football," said Sua, a 6-foot-2, 210-pound senior. "It feels good (to get this win), but we have to keep working hard and finish the season."

Waipahu coach Sean Saturnio said Sua, who has given a verbal commitment to Washington State, lived up to his billing as one of the state's top backs.

"Sua is always a great runner and you knew he was going to get the ball in the end, we hoped that we could make some stops, but unfortunately we didn't do that and we didn't put up some points when we needed to," said Saturnio.

Sua received the opening kickoff at the Kaimuki 14-yard line and started up the right sideline before cutting back to the left and outrunning the Waipahu defenders en route to his first score, just 20 seconds into the game. Keoki Kaiahua tacked on the extra point to give the visitors a quick 7-0 lead.

Kaiahua's attempt at a 23-yard field goal late in the first quarter was wide right and Waipahu took over at its own 20. The Marauders drove 80 yards on 16 plays, punctuated by Victor Moananu's 4-yard touchdown run to get on the board with 9:20 until the half. On the first play of the second quarter - a fourth-and-14 - the Bulldogs were flagged for defensive pass interference, which extended the Waipahu drive. Four plays later, the home team converted another pivotal fourth down on a Moananu three-yard pick to make it first-and-goal from the 4. Moananu punched in the score two plays later and Brysen Kaseli added the PAT to tie it at 7.

Waipahu added a score before the half on a 1-yard quarterback keeper by Mark Bumanglag minutes later. Kaseli attempted a 23-yard field goal in the final seconds, but it was no good and the Marauders held a 14-7 lead at the intermission.

"One thing about our team is they are totally driven," Onigama said. "These kids do a good job of staying calm and having faith when things aren't going well. I know that in those kinds of situations it can be easy to panic and lose focus, but these kids remain on task, bite down and focus on what is at hand."

Kaimuki tied it at 14 on its first second-half drive. Sua's fourth carry of the drive resulted in a 2-yard TD run midway through the third quarter. The scoring play capped a nine-play, 70-yard drive.

Waipahu reclaimed the lead on its ensuing possession as Bumanglag scored on another 1-yard keeper around right end. The Marauders' drove 85 yards on 10 plays to take a 21-14 lead with seconds remaining in the third quarter.

However, the Bulldogs again evened the score after Sua's third score of the game. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Spencer threw a 30-yard completion to Sua to move it to the Waipahu 28. He then picked up 22 yards on a fourth-and-five scramble to give his team fourth-and-1. After he was held out of the end zone on three consecutive attempts, Sua finally broke through for the tying score on fourth down run. Linemen Solo Fifita (5-foot-7, 240 pounds) and Siosiua Uhatafe (6-2, 210) led the way for Sua on the play as the blocking backs out of the power I formation. Kaiahua's extra point was good and with 7:28 left, the score was tied at 21 apiece.

Waipahu got as far as the Kaimuki 41 in the closing minutes, but its penultimate drive ended after fourth-down punt. Less than three minutes later, Kaimuki took the lead for good on Sua's fourth touchdown of the game.

Sua finished with 87 yards on 21 rushes. Moananu led all players with 26 carries for 138 yards.

"This was a big win for us. We tried to tell the kids to take it like any other game, but I think they knew that this game took a little more meaning, knowing what a tough Waipahu team we were up against and especially coming to their house and coming away with a win," Onigama said.