Brooke’s big debut helps Aiea hold off Damien in season opener, 39-31

PEARL CITY – There are first impressions, and there’s the debut for Aiea’s newest star wide receiver.

The 2026 high school football season continued an entertaining opening weekend on Saturday night as Aiea Na Ali’i (1-0) rode the right arm of sophomore quarterback Caizel Jesus-Kapesi and the playmaking chops of senior wideout Cason Brooke to a thrilling 39-31 victory over the Damien Monarchs (0-1) in a non-league battle at Pearl City High School.

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Despite the graduation of top target and 2025 OIA Division I Offensive Player of the Year Hiki Kim Choy-Keb Ah Lo, Aiea’s Jesus-Kapesi showed no signs of a sophomore slump as he flirted with a new career high to begin his second varsity campaign, dialing up the Aiea offense for 489 yards through the air – just six yards shy of his varsity-best 495 yards against Nanakuli last October.

Aiea QB Caizel Jesus-Kapesi leaps over a Damien defender in the second half. | Photo: CJ Caraang

The 6-foot-2 gunslinger racked up five touchdowns on the night, tossing three and running for two more while also getting tagged for a pair of interceptions by the Damien defense.

He quickly found a new favorite receiver in King Kekaulike transfer Cason Brooke, a 5-foot-7 wideout that tallied 11 receptions for 246 yards and a touchdown in his first game with Na Ali’I on Saturday night.

Kila Spencer added 10 catches for 114 yards for Aiea, joining his fellow senior receiver as the only pass catchers to eclipse the century mark of receiving yards for Na Ali’i.

Aiea also got a boost from the backfield as senior Legend Byrd-Tauala totaled 96 yards of offense (58 receiving, 38 rushing) and a pair of touchdowns before exiting with an injury in the second half.

Damien didn’t back down despite the potent Aiea offense, posting 457 yards of total offense themselves as sophomore QB Tonga Tuifua made his first varsity start.

The younger brother of Alani “AJ” Tuifua, a four-year starter at signal caller for the Monarchs, Tonga introduced himself with an eye-popping 371 passing yards and five touchdowns in his first action as the starter.

It was a boom-or-bust night for the sophomore, completing 15-of-34 pass attempts and throwing two interceptions while still connecting on a multitude of explosive plays deep down the field.

Senior playmaker Wyatt Ho-Williams was on the receiving end of four of those explosives, racking up 144 yards through the air and one of Tuifua’s five touchdown passes. He also was the second-leading rusher for the Monarchs despite just one carry, an 18-yard fake punt scramble on the team’s opening drive.

Fellow senior Blazyn Toafe also reached triple digits in the season opener, totaling 110 yards on six catches for Damien. Junior wide receiver Ku’ukehameke’oli Steinhoff had two catches, both for touchdowns, and 44 total yards on the night for the defending Division I ILH champions.

The Monarchs trailed from the moment the opening drive by Na Ali’i finished but remained within a score for the majority of the evening while the two offenses traded blows. Trailing by eight with under five minutes left in the fourth quarter, Damien drove the length of the field to get to the doorstep of the endzone but saw the comeback effort end on third-and-goal as Tuifua tossed his second interception of the young season.

Damien will look to flush the loss and bounce back next weekend, taking on Capistrano Valley (CA) on Friday, August 14 at Radford High School. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. HT.

A strong non-league schedule continues for Aiea next weekend as well, traveling to face BIIF powerhouse Konawaena on Friday, August 14 with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. HT.

Aiea’s Robert Guest comes away with an interception in the end zone against Damien. | Photo: CJ Caraang

Aiea defensive lineman Jeti Edrado came away with two first-half sacks for the Na Alii. | Photo: CJ Caraang

Aiea QB Caizel Jesus-Kapesi prepares to throw a ball against Damien. | Photo: CJ Caraang