KAHUKU RED RAIDERS REIGN SUPREME IN THE OIA OPEN DIVISION

The title returns to the North Shore.

No. 3 Kahuku got contributions from all three phases of the game to surge ahead of previously unbeaten No. 1 Campbell, 33-15, to win the OIA Open Division championship Friday night at Skippa Diaz Stadium.

It was the Red Raiders’ league-leading 30th league crown in program history.

“I’m just grateful that our players and our coaches are just dedicated all year long and to win an OIA championship just shows that they have the reward for their hard work all offseason. I’m very proud of them and proud of my coaches and players,” Kahuku coach Sterling Carvalho said.

Junior quarterback Matai Fuiava, a midseason transfer from St. John Bosco, threw for a modest 162 yards, but delivered when it mattered most with three touchdown passes to three different receivers. All of his scoring throws came on third down as Fuiava took home HSRN’s “Grinder of the Game” award, presented by Timmy T’s Sandwich Shop.

Fuiava joined the team in mid-October and played his first game of the year with Kahuku on Oct. 19 in a 21-13 loss to the Sabers. He said was a lot more comfortable the second time around.

“Oh man, a lot more prepared (this time). The first time we played them, I think I only ran about five plays and then the break, or the bye week and the Mililani game I was able to get into the playbook and open up the playbook a lot more,” said Fuiava.

The Kahuku defense also did its thing by holding the Sabers to a season-low 15 points. Four different players recorded sacks for the Red Raiders with Malaki Soliai-Tui leading the way with 10 total tackles.

“I gotta give this whole game to the defense. They held the best team to 15 points and man, they kept getting us (on offense) back on the field even though we weren’t doing as good as we should have, but I give it to the defense,” Fuiava said.

Kahuku’s defense also forced the Campbell offense and the state’s all-time leading passer in Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele to take three field goals in the red zone.

“If we force them into field goals, our defense is doing their job. You know, you cannot stop (Sagapolutele), you just can kind of contain him at times and that’s what our defense did. They made big plays, (Campbell) was able to move the ball, but our defense at the end of the night, they stood tough, they stood tall,” Carvalho said.

Jadyn Parker’s 36-yard field goal with 3:47 to go in the third quarter, his third of the game, extended Campbell’s halftime lead to 15-11.

But it was all Kahuku the rest of the way.

The Red Raiders’ took their first lead of the game with 12 seconds left in the period on Fuiava’s 65-yard TD pass to Aiden Manutai, which jumpstarted 22 unanswered points to end the contest.

Malosi Fiatoa scored on an 18-yard run early in the fourth quarter before Fuiava
tossed an 8-yard TD pass to Mana Carvalho and a bad snap out of the back of the end zone resulted in a safety.

Both teams have already locked up a spot in next week’s state tournament.

“It was a great feeling to be able to beat them and get our revenge, but hey, it’s not over. We’re gonna see them in states again — we all know that — so we can’t be satisfied with this little OIA championship, we gotta get states,” Fuiava said.