Kailua holds off Leilehua, 33-30, to notch first win of the year

BY HSRN STAFF | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 10, 2024

WAHIAWA — With the game starting to count towards league play, the Kailua football team came up big to get its first win of the year.

The Surfriders led by as many as three scores at various stages in the third quarter before holding off a furious comeback by the Mules for a 33-30 win to start the OIA Division I regular season at Hugh Yoshida Field at Saturday night.

Quarterbacks Isaiah Keaunui-Demello and Romeo Ortiz each threw a touchdown pass and combined for 265 yards of passing. Ortiz also led the team in rushing with 89 yards and a 29-yard TD run on 17 carries.

Leilehua signal caller Bennett Strobel threw four TDs in the win, but did have a costly pick-6 that was returned 35 yards by Kailua defensive end Benjamin Honebein early in the third quarter.