Kailua QB Isaiah Keaunui-DeMello drops back to pass during the Surfriders’ 28-17 win over Moanalua in the OIA Division I semifinals. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Kailua avenges regular-season loss, upsets Moanalua in OIA Division I semifinals

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 2, 2024

PRINTABLE VERSION

SALT LAKE – Look out, Leilehua. 

The third-seeded Kailua Surfriders (6-5, 6-2 OIA Div. 1) slid by second-seeded Moanalua Na Menehune in the OIA Division I semifinals on Saturday night, 28-17, behind 14 fourth-quarter points to push the visitors in front in the final minutes and clinch a spot in next weekend’s OIA Division I championship. Kailua junior quarterback Isaiah Keaunui-DeMello helped spark the win by completing 20-of-32 pass attempts for 208 yards and three touchdowns en route to HSRN’s “Grinder of the Game” award, presented by Timmy T’s Sandwich Shop. 

Both offenses struggled out of the gate as defensive lines on both sides dominated the trenches and made the running attacks incapable of finding a rhythm. Kailua changed the scoreless tie to close out the opening quarter as Keaunui-DeMello connected with Benjamin Honebein for a 2-yard touchdown as time expired in the frame, giving the Surfriders a 7-0 lead after 12 minutes. 

Moanalua, without the services of starting quarterback Isaac Harney and lead tailback Kalino Judalena, finally found some answers offensively by the midway point of the second quarter and worked inside the Surfriders’ 10-yard line. Na Menehune tied the game up 7-7 just moments later as backup quarterback Tyler Gines-Hufana rolled out to his right and hit Jayce Bareng near the front-right pylon for a 5-yard score with 4:56 remaining in the first half. 

Kailua returned fire on the next drive to retake the lead just 19 seconds before halftime as Keaunui-DeMello found Rylan Akana for a 6-yard touchdown, pushing the Surfriders into the midway break with a 14-7 lead. 

Na Menehune inched closer with the opening drive of the third quarter, settling for a 34-yard Andy Nguyen field goal that made it a 14-10 deficit for the second seed in OIA Division I. The defense for Moanalua tightened at the seams after the halftime break, holding Kailua scoreless and helping Na Menehune take a 17-14 lead with 1:31 left in the quarter as Bareng sped past the entire Surfriders’ defense for a 75-yard touchdown. 

That advantage, the first and only one of the night for Moanalua, would last until the waning moments of the night when Keaunui-DeMello connected with Isaiah Kaiu on a 26-yard strike for the go-ahead score with 1:17 left in regulation.

Kailua’s Keoki Cypriano punched the Surfriders’ ticket to next weekend’s OIA Division I championship game, taking a juggling interception 28 yards back for Kailua’s second touchdown in 11 seconds, making it a 28-17 lead with 1:06 left on the clock. Kailua’s Honebein officially ended it with a strip sack that was recovered by the Surfriders on the next drive, capping off a furious flurry of impact plays in the game’s final 90 seconds for the third seed. 

Kailua’s Keoki Cypriano (with ball) celebrates game-sealing pick-six with under 2 minutes to play against Moanalua. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Moanalua’s Gines-Hufana completed 10 of his 17 passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns in the loss. The backup quarterback also tossed an interception and lost a fumble. 

Bareng went for three catches and 87 yards, scoring two touchdowns in the semifinal loss to the Surfriders. In two games this year against Kailua, the speedster totaled 11 catches 229 yards and five scores. 

Clayton Quidachay spearheaded the Kailua running attack, toting the rock 19 times for 56 yards in the semifinal victory. Rylan Akana led the Surfriders with six catches for 58 yards and a touchdown in the receiving game while Isaiah Kaiu added two catches for 49 yards and the go-ahead score with 1:17 left to play for Kailua. 

Top-seeded Leilehua awaits Kailua in next weekend’s OIA Division I championship game. The Surfriders handed the Mules their only loss during the regular season, squeaking out a 33-30 win at Leilehua on September 7. 

A win over Leilehua would deliver Kailua the first program’s OIA Division I championship since splitting the league title with Kahuku in 2001. The Surfriders have not won an outright OIA title in football since winning three straight titles in 1963, 1964 and 1965.