Roosevelt Rolls to Third Straight OIA D2 Championship

The Roosevelt Rough Riders continued their Division II dominance, defeating the Pearl City Chargers 31–14 on Thursday night to capture their third consecutive OIA Division II championship.

Behind a fast start, standout performances from Ioane Kamanao and Kaeo Bush, and a defense that swarmed all night, Roosevelt solidified its place as the class of the division once again.

First-Quarter Firepower

Roosevelt wasted no time jumping ahead. Quarterback Kaeo Bush found Ioane Kamanao for a 23-yard touchdown to open the scoring. Moments later, special-teams momentum swung the game further when Kona Siamani recovered a blocked punt and dashed into the end zone for a 14–0 lead.

Kamanao later added an 18-yard field goal to make it 17–0 before halftime — a start built on the Rough Riders’ trademark discipline.

“We put a lot of time into special teams at practice,” Kamanao said. “Our expectation is to dominate on that side of the field.”

Kamanao Leads the Way

The senior do-it-all playmaker once again proved invaluable.

In addition to his early touchdown and field goal, Kamanao ran for a 13-yard touchdown in the third quarter, finishing with 91 receiving yards, 13 rushing yards, and 10 points.

Bush was sharp under center, completing 15 of 25 passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns, including an 18-yard strike to Kobayashi in the fourth that sealed the championship.

For Kamanao, who has transitioned from quarterback to multipurpose weapon, the night carried special meaning.

“Like you said, it’s a team game,” he reflected. “It doesn’t matter if I’m wide receiver or quarterback — I’ll play for my boys, and my boys will play for me.”

Chargers Fight Back Late

Pearl City showed heart in the second half.

Aidan Minami punched in a one-yard rushing score in the third quarter and quarterback Brydan Gaorian later connected with Bronson Abendanio for a 31-yard touchdown with just over a minute remaining.

Still, Roosevelt’s defense never relented, limiting Pearl City to three net rushing yards and forcing three interceptions.

Kamanao, who now contributes on both sides of the ball, said embracing versatility has been key.

“I love the game — I just wanted to run around at quarterback, but I couldn’t,” he said with a grin. “Coach let me move, trusted me, and I trust him and everyone on the field. We just came out and executed.”

Defensive and Special Teams Domination

The Rough Riders’ defense and special teams dictated the tempo from start to finish — blocking a punt for a touchdown, totaling 151 punt-return yards, and capitalizing on short fields to build an insurmountable lead. The unit also converted 10 points off turnovers while holding Pearl City to 2-of-16 on third downs.

Brotherhood and Bond

For Kamanao and the senior class, this three-peat was about more than trophies.

“Spending every day with my brothers is phenomenal,” he said. “Some teams spread apart after the season, but we like to keep our bond as close as possible. We’ve got this thing called spaghetti night before every game — it’s our way to stay connected.”

What’s Next

Both Roosevelt and Pearl City advance to the 2025 First Hawaiian Bank Football Championships presented by the Hawai‘i Army National Guard, which kick off November 14–15.

The Division II semifinals follow on November 21–22, with the championship game set for November 28 at Mililani High School.

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL LASQUERO