Waipahu smashes Aiea to roll to OIA Division I title

Waipahu smashes Aiea to roll to OIA Division I title

Nov 7, 2026

Waipahu smashes Aiea to roll to OIA Division I title

Waipahu HC Bryson Carvalho enjoys a Gatorade bath after leading Marauders to big win in the 2026 OIA Division I championship. | Photo Credit: CJ Caraang

PEARL CITY – For the 15th time in program history, the Waipahu Marauders stand atop the OIA football ranks.

Behind a four-touchdown showing from star sophomore quarterback Jake Garcia, the Waipahu varsity football team cruised to a dominant 42-7 victory over Aiea on Friday night at Pearl City High School to claim the 2026 OIA Division I title.

Waipahu (11-1, 9-0 league) struck first, capitalizing on a fumble at midfield by Na Ali’i quickly as Garcia dropped a 49-yard dime to wide receiver Jayse Braun to help grab an 8-0 lead for the Marauders just over three minutes into the action.

Aiea responded with a touchdown of their own at the start of the second quarter, seeing Caizel Jesus-Kapesi connect with wideout Keola Spruill on the first play of the frame for a 16-yard score, bringing Na Ali’i back within one after a slow opening quarter.

That was the closest that Aiea would get, seeing Waipahu answer back on the next drive with the help of a personal foul penalty against Na Ali’i that extended a drive into the redzone for the Marauders. After the flag on Aiea pushed the top seed into the red zone, senior Arona Liaina mashed his way into the endzone from 10 yards out to extend the Waipahu lead to 14-7 with 6:50 left in the first half.

It was the first of two touchdowns in the opening half by Liaina, who also capped off the final drive for Waipahu before halftime with three straight direct snap runs to make it a 20-7 advantage at the break for the Marauders.

Aiea got the kickoff to begin the third quarter, but Waipahu forced a turnover on downs at midfield and promptly added onto the team’s lead with the second Garcia-to-Braun scoring connection on the night as the QB-WR duo hooked up for a 56-yard score.

Lyric Anuenue snagged his only catch of the night later in the frame for a five-yard touchdown and Garcia chipped in his fourth total touchdown of the Division I championship just over a minute later to give a 42-7 lead to the Marauders, starting the mercy-rule moving clock heading into the fourth quarter.

The final frame flew by as neither team found their way to the endzone, seeing a calm finish to a dominant display by Waipahu.

Garcia wrapped up the night with over 300 yards of total offense, completing 13-of-20 pass attempts for 255 yards, three touchdown tosses and his third interception of the year. The sophomore also added 68 yards and another score with his legs as he helped deliver Waipahu’s fifth league championship under longtime head coach Bryson Carvalho.

Sophomore wide receiver Jayse Braun made the most of his four catches, racking up 160 yards receiving and a pair of touchdowns for the Marauders. Senior running back Tristan Pacheco also had a solid night, running for a game-high 75 yards across 12 carries while chipping in a catch for 11 yards as well.

Waipahu senior linebacker Christopher Togiai flew all over the field in the title matchup, racking up 12 tackles (8 solo) for a defense that allowed just a single score throughout the entire night. Arona Liaina added four tackles to go along with his 39 rushing yards and two touchdowns, doing work on both sides of the ball to help extend the win streak to 10 for the Marauders.

Aiea sophomore quarterback Caizel Jesus-Kapesi had an up-and-down evening against the top seed in the Division I tournament, completing 16-of-27 passes for 151 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions while also losing a fumble in the loss.

Senior Legend Byrd-Tauala tallied 49 yards rushing and another 29 yards receiving for the Aiea offense and also chipped in an interception and five solo tackles for Na Ali’i defensively.

Both teams will still advance to the 2026 Hawaii Army National Guard Football Division I championship tournament, which starts next weekend. Waipahu won the Division I state title in 2023, which was the last time the Marauders stood alone at the top of the OIA Division I ranks as well.

Matingou magic helps Hawai’i hold on late against Seattle

Matingou magic helps Hawai’i hold on late against Seattle

Nov 3, 2026

HONOLULU – What a way to end college basketball’s opening day. After seeing a 16-point lead evaporate and falling behind for the first time all game late, the University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team sent fans home happy on Monday night as Jaden...

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Massive second half from Mellor delivers Kalaheo to first-ever OIA crown

Massive second half from Mellor delivers Kalaheo to first-ever OIA crown

Nov 5, 2026

Massive second half from Mellor delivers Kalaheo to first-ever OIA crown

The Kalaheo Mustangs celebrate being OIA Division II champions for the first time in program history. | Photo Credit: Riley Guillermo, HSRN

KALIHI – Leave it to the kid going into the Air Force to take a program to new heights.

Behind senior tailback Marquez Mellor’s seventh game of the season with 100 or more rushing yards, the Kalaheo varsity football team claimed the first league title in program history with a 27-13 comeback victory over Kaiser in the OIA Division II championship game at Farrington High School on Thursday night.

Mellor led the way for Kalaheo (10-0, 9-0 league) with 129 yards and two second-half touchdowns, completing the climb to the OIA mountaintop for the Mustangs and continuing the program’s first-ever unbeaten season.

“It’s nothing but a blessing, man,” the Air Force commit said after the win. “I’m so grateful that God has given this opportunity to us … This is nothing short of amazing and I’m so glad I could bring the OIA championship to Kalaheo, but we’re not done. We’re going to keep working.”

After dicing up the Kaiser defense for a career-high 302 yards when the two programs met in early September, Mellor was held in check throughout the first half on Thursday with just seven carries for 36 yards across the opening two quarters.

The Cougars took full advantage of the slow start by Mellor and the Mustangs, grabbing a 13-7 lead over the top seed in the OIA Division II bracket heading into halftime. Junior QB Koa Reis displayed his moxie for Kaiser, powering towards paydirt for the first score of the night in the first quarter before finding Tanner Pada for a 20-yard touchdown pass right before the break.

The six-point halftime deficit marked the first time all season that Kalaheo left the opening 24 minutes without a lead. The previous closest margin at the midway point for the Mustangs was a three-point lead against Castle in the D2 semifinals last weekend.

“I always expect that out of [Kaiser HC Tim Seaman’s teams]. They’re well-coached, he’s a great coach [and] he has a great staff, too,” Kalaheo head coach Jaymason Lee said of the opening half hook thrown by the Cougars. “I knew they were going to come out, they were going to play tough, disciplined football and so I told my boys to prepare for that … We just had to persevere and fight through that adversity.”

Kalaheo took its first lead of the night on the first drive of the second half, marching down the field behind a powerful rushing attack while draining more than six minutes off the third quarter clock. Mellor muscled his way into the endzone to cap off the drive, hammering in a four-yard touchdown run to put the Mustangs up, 14-13.

Kaiser and Kalaheo would trade punts and a pair of turnovers before Mellor gave some breathing room with 6:46 left in the fourth quarter, breaking off a 50-yard scoring scamper to put the top-seeded Mustangs up by eight.

Kalaheo RB Marquez Mellor rumbles down the field during the Mustangs’ 27-13 victory over Kaiser on Thursday night. | Photo Credit: Riley Guillermo, HSRN

The Cougars looked to have some solid momentum towards a potential game-tying score on the ensuing drive, marching out towards midfield before a holding penalty pushed the offense back and forced a punt with just over four minutes left to play.

Kalaheo would milk the clock on the following possession, forcing Kaiser to cook through all three timeouts before punting the ball back to the Cougars with 1:28 remaining in regulation.

Starting at their own two-yard line, Kaiser tried to fight through increased defensive pressure but instead saw Koa Reis crushed in the endzone for a strip sack that turned into a dagger defensive score for Kalaheo, extending the advantage to 27-13 for the Mustangs and all but wrap up the first OIA title in program history.

“We just had to play our football game,” Mellor said when asked about the halftime conversation for Kalaheo. “We came out and had too much of an ego, we weren’t playing our game. So, I just told the boys to stay calm and that we’ve got to play our game, our football and then it just happened. It’s what we do, that’s Kalaheo football.”

The Kalaheo defense also shut down Kaiser after halftime, not allowing a single point while forcing a pair of turnovers after the midway break. Senior linebacker Jeremiah Ojas had 10 total tackles (7 solo) while junior Caynin Makainai-Maiava had nine total tackles (6 solo) and the fumble recovery for a touchdown in the final two minutes for the Mustangs.

Kaiser junior quarterback Koa Reis wrapped up the night completing 20-of-35 passes for 211 yards through the air to go with 42 yards rushing in the loss. Reis accounted for both touchdowns for the Cougars, fighting into the endzone for the first score before dropping a dime to Tanner Pada to end the first half.

He also was charged with both turnovers by the Kaiser offense, tossing his fifth interception of the year while getting stripped in the endzone on the second-to-last offensive drive for the Cougars.

Both teams had already clinched spots in the 2026 Hawaii Army National Guard Football Division II championship tournament that starts next weekend. It’ll be Kalaheo’s first state tournament appearance since 2010 while Kaiser returns after a one-year absence.

Matingou magic helps Hawai’i hold on late against Seattle

Matingou magic helps Hawai’i hold on late against Seattle

Nov 3, 2026

HONOLULU – What a way to end college basketball’s opening day. After seeing a 16-point lead evaporate and falling behind for the first time all game late, the University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team sent fans home happy on Monday night as Jaden...

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Matingou magic helps Hawai’i hold on late against Seattle

Matingou magic helps Hawai’i hold on late against Seattle

Nov 3, 2026

Matingou magic helps Hawai’i hold on late against Seattle

Jaden Matingou surveys the defense during an opening night victory over Seattle University. | Photo Credit: Riley Guillermo

HONOLULU – What a way to end college basketball’s opening day.

After seeing a 16-point lead evaporate and falling behind for the first time all game late, the University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team sent fans home happy on Monday night as Jaden Matingou sank a game-winning fallaway jumper with 1.2 seconds left to help the Rainbow Warriors squeak out a 74-73 victory over Seattle University.

 Matingou, a transfer from D-II powerhouse Point Loma, paced UH in his first official Division I contest with a game-high 20 points on 5-of-6 shooting and a 9-of-12 performance from the free throw line. The 6-foot-3 senior guard was limited to 23 minutes due to foul woes in his Rainbow Warrior debut, but navigated the game’s biggest moments like a pro to help lift Hawai’i to a season-opening win.

“Being around Jaden, watching him from afar and then being able to coach him … He is a big-shot taker, a big-shot maker and he’ll live with whatever,” head coach Eran Ganot said about Matingou. “It’s been fun to watch him grow because he’s got a lot ahead of him. I said after the game he’s amongst the quickest players that have ever worn the [Hawai’i] uniform.”

Hawai’i (1-0) didn’t look as though they would need any late game heroics with their play throughout the first half, taking an eight-point lead into the locker room after shooting nearly 60% from the field and forcing Seattle into 10 turnovers across the opening 20 minutes.

Matingou and forward Zack Davidson combined for the first 10 points for the Rainbow Warriors to get the hosts off to a hot start. The defense followed suit, helping push the lead out to as many as 16 as junior guard Chance Trujillo caught fire from long range.

Mason Williams kept Seattle attached with 13 of his 15 first-half points coming over the final seven minutes to spark an otherwise lifeless Redhawks offense and help bring the visitors back within single digits by the break, 47-39.

Hawai’i’s offense slowed down a bit in the second half as Matingou bounced between the court and bench with foul trouble and Seattle upped the defensive physicality to limit touches for Trujillo. The Redhawks also limited the Rainbow Warriors from running out for easy baskets following halftime, allowing UH to score just a single point off 10 turnovers forced in the second stanza.

Seattle used their own defense to rally back, limiting the Rainbow Warriors to 2-of-11 shooting from long range after halftime while forcing seven turnovers to help deliver their first lead of the night with 3:30 left in regulation.

Free throws from Trujillo and Matingou helped Hawai’i remain within a possession despite the UH offense making just two field goals in the final nine minutes of play.

After Trujillo split a pair of foul shots that brought the Rainbow Warriors within one with 39 seconds remaining, Seattle forward Will Heimbrodt drew a foul with 13 seconds left that gave the Redhawks a chance to make it a three-point game.

Shaken by a raucous crowd of 2,778 fans on hand inside Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center, the 6-foot-7 senior forward bricked both free throws and left the margin at one. Hawai’i grabbed the second miss and pushed into the frontcourt, quickly calling timeout to set up a chance for some late heroics.

“We’re not [in position to win in regulation] if they don’t miss two free throws. This place was absolutely rocking when [Heimbrodt] was shooting those free throws,” said Matingou of the impact the Monday night crowd had down the stretch.

Down one with 10 seconds to work with after the timeout, Matingou took the inbound and used a screen from Bol Dengdit at the top of the key. Heimbrodt, the reigning WCC Defensive Player of the Year, switched onto the UH senior guard and cut off his drive into the paint before Matingou spun, elevated and cashed in a go-ahead fadeaway jumper with 1.2 seconds to play.

“I knew it was going in,” Trujillo said of Matingou’s shot. “In the timeout, I knew he was going to hit a game-winner. Our coach came into the timeout and was like we are a clutch team and [Matingou] just looked over at me fired up … I knew we were going to win the game.”

Trujillo followed right behind Matingou in the scoring column for Hawai’i, chipping in 19 points while knocking down 4-of-7 attempts from long range. The Utah Tech transfer played a game-high 38 minutes for the Rainbow Warriors, trudging along through physical defense to play the role of scorer and decoy down the stretch.

“I have so much respect for him,” Eran Ganot said after the game about Trujillo. “Gutsy performance … Playing [38 minutes] while he’s guarding elite guard play, while they’re defending him really well through actions and then we used him as a decoy to set a screen for a couple layups.”

UH also got solid contributions from the frontcourt, seeing Zack Davidson tally 11 points and three rebounds while finishing as a team-best +9 in his 29 minutes of work while Marcus Adams Jr. added 12 points and seven boards off the bench, drilling a couple of key threes in his Rainbow Warrior debut.

Hawai’i will return to action on Friday, November 6 to tip off the 60th annual OUTRIGGER Rainbow Classic, taking on Bethesda at 7:00 p.m. HT inside Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. UT-Arlington and Portland make up the rest of the Rainbow Classic field and will face off with UH on Sunday, November 8 and Monday, November 9, respectively.

Matingou magic helps Hawai’i hold on late against Seattle

Matingou magic helps Hawai’i hold on late against Seattle

Nov 3, 2026

HONOLULU – What a way to end college basketball’s opening day. After seeing a 16-point lead evaporate and falling behind for the first time all game late, the University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team sent fans home happy on Monday night as Jaden...

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Flavell, Tamilo shine for Hawai’i despite season-opening loss at Oregon

Flavell, Tamilo shine for Hawai’i despite season-opening loss at Oregon

Nov 2, 2026

Flavell, Tamilo shine for Hawai’i despite season-opening loss at Oregon

Hawaii Rainbow Wahine basketball first-year head coach Khalilah Mitchell addresses the team during a timeout. | Photo: Riley Guillermo

 

The schedule was supposed to be challenging.

It’s absolutely living up to that billing at first glance.

The University of Hawai’i women’s basketball team opened the 2026-27 regular season on Monday, falling 87-54 in Eugene against Oregon despite career-best performances from sophomore guard Bailey Flavell and junior center Ritorya Tamilo.

Flavell turned in a college-best 24 points on 7-of-11 shooting while knocking down 9-of-12 free throw attempts in the loss by the Rainbow Wahine while Tamilo towered above the Ducks with 14 points and a career-best 12 rebounds and seven blocked shots.

Hawai’i scored six of the game’s opening eight points, but Oregon quickly caught fire from beyond the arc to spark a 22-2 run and open up a 28-10 lead by the end of the opening quarter. Turnovers torpedoed the Rainbow Wahine after the strong opening, giving the ball away eight times while only making two of their final nine shots from the floor in the frame.

The second quarter saw more success for the visiting Rainbow Wahine as Tamilo and Flavell found their groove on the way to the lone 10-minute stretch won by Hawai’i. The group outscored Oregon, 23-19, in the second frame as Tamilo scored 10 of her 14 points while grabbing four rebounds and blocking three more shots. Flavell kept cooking offensively as well, chipping in eight points in the stanza.

Oregon turned up the heat again in the third, outscoring Hawai’i by 14 points as the Ducks converted at a 53% clip from the field out of the break. The Rainbow Wahine committed five more turnovers and made four total shots in the frame, allowing the deficit to double from 14 to 28 by the start of the fourth.

The scoring slump continued through the final 10 minutes for Hawai’i, who shot 24% from the floor after halftime as the team continued to adjust to a new read-and-react system against a strong Ducks squad. The Rainbow Wahine defense clicked back into gear for the fourth frame, holding Oregon to 5-of-20 shooting in the last quarter.

Oregon saw four players finish in double figures, led by Mallory Heyer’s 16 points and seven rebounds while Ehis Etute turned in a 15-point, 14-rebound double-double in the victory. Ducks guard Katie Fiso, who was named to the 2026-27 preseason watch list for the Nancy Lieberman Award (best point guard in the country), diced up the Rainbow Wahine in her team-high 30 minutes of work as she scored 14 points, dished out nine assists and grabbed four rebounds for the hosts.

Despite a lopsided final score, Hawai’i showed plenty of positive flashes to start the season on the road against an NCAA Tournament team from last year.

Tamilo looked like a player primed to take a step into full two-way stardom under first-year head coach Khalilah Mitchell, setting career highs in rebounds and blocked shots while making a Power 4 program become hesitant to attack the rim with her patrolling the paint. The 6-foot-5 junior center also drilled her seventh career 3-pointer and looked stronger making moves around the rim as she finished two points shy of her college highwater mark.

Flavell, the reigning Big West Freshman of the Year, picked up where she left off with a new career high in points and got to the free throw line more than she did in any single game during her first collegiate campaign as she went to the charity stripe 12 times. She also scored at an efficient rate against the multiple Oregon defenders sent her way, connecting on 7-of-11 tries from the floor.

Liz Udeze, who played at Mt. San Antonio College last season, had seven points and three rebounds off the bench in her Rainbow Wahine debut. The 5-foot-6 guard showed off an impressive handle of the basketball and looked like a true playmaking guard with quality court vision and a creative layup package.

Hawai’i returns to action on Thursday, wrapping up a season-opening two-game road trip with a matchup against San Francisco. It’ll be the season-opener for the Dons, who are coming off a 19-win season and a WNIT appearance. USF had two players selected to the all-West Coast Conference preseason team heading into the 2026-27 campaign and were picked to finish fifth in the preseason poll.

Waipahu smashes Aiea to roll to OIA Division I title

Waipahu smashes Aiea to roll to OIA Division I title

Nov 7, 2026

PEARL CITY – For the 15th time in program history, the Waipahu Marauders stand atop the OIA football ranks. Behind a four-touchdown showing from star sophomore quarterback Jake Garcia, the Waipahu varsity football team cruised to a dominant 42-7...

Hawai‘i Looks to Build Momentum Against UTEP Following Bye Week

Hawai‘i Looks to Build Momentum Against UTEP Following Bye Week

Nov 4, 2026

Rainbow Warriors seek consecutive wins for the first time this season as former WAC rivals meet for the first time in 22 yearsComing off its most complete performance of the season and a much-needed bye week, Hawai‘i returns to action Saturday...

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Lake Erie (OH) holds off Hawaii Pacific to take third in Hoops in Hawaii Tip-Off Classic

Lake Erie (OH) holds off Hawaii Pacific to take third in Hoops in Hawaii Tip-Off Classic

Nov 2, 2026

Lake Erie (OH) holds off Hawaii Pacific to take third in Hoops in Hawaii Tip-Off Classic

Hawaii Pacific guard Keonjay Carter fires a shot from distance during the Hoops in Hawaii Tip-Off Classic. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

HONOLULU – Close but no cigar.

For the second consecutive night, the Hawaii Pacific University men’s basketball team took a tough opponent down to the wire before falling short in regulation as Lake Erie (OH) used a high-pressure defense and clutch shooting to snag a 90-84 win over the Sharks on Sunday and claim third place in the Hoops in Hawaii Tip-Off Classic.

Four players finished in double figures for the Storm, seeing redshirt senior forward Gio Moore lead the way with 15 points and seven rebounds in 27 minutes of work. Junior guard Griffin Turay had 13 points  on 5-of-7 shooting while Jamyier Patton and Aidan Filippini each chipped in 12 points in the win.

The Sharks struggled with turnovers for the second time in three games to start the season, committing 24 giveaways against Lake Erie on Sunday night that led directly to 26 points for the Storm.

Lake Erie’s full-court pressure played a big role in a slow start for HPU, forcing seven turnovers in the first four minutes of action and 16 across the opening half. The Sharks steadied themselves over the final nine minutes of action, committing just two turnovers during the stretch to help erase a 16-point deficit and enter the break tied at 40 with the Storm.

“It’s one of those games you wish you had a week [to prepare for], but no excuses,” fourth-year head coach Jesse Nakanishi said about the turnovers forced by the Lake Erie pressure. “No excuses though, we’ve got to be ready for quick turnarounds and I thought our guys did a pretty good job once they got a taste of it … Still not quite good enough executing and a lot of learning in this game.”

The Storm built the lead back up to 12 after the initial seven minutes of second half action out of the locker room, using a trio of three pointers and a few trips to the free throw line to grab some breathing room against the Sharks.

Hawaii Pacific responded again though as Evan Kilminster and Marino Dubravcic started to heat up, scoring 11 of the team’s next 14 points to make it a 66-62 game with 9 minutes left to play.

The Sharks took their first lead of the night with just under five minutes remaining in regulation, seeing guard Keonjay Carter connect on one of his two threes of the night to push the PacWest squad ahead momentarily, 77-75.

Lake Erie knotted the game at 77 with a layup from Caelum Ethridge on the very next possession and the Storm snatched the lead back with 3:23 left after Kilminster missed the front end of a 1-and-1 opportunity and Jamyier Patton drained a shot-clock beating triple from five feet behind the arc.

Hawaii Pacific would not lead again, connecting on one of the team’s next seven shots as Lake Erie built up a nine-point lead while draining all six free throw attempts in the final minutes. Evan Kilminster cashed in a buzzer-beating three for the Sharks, but the connection came too little, too late as the Storm snatched a 90-84 victory in the tournament’s third-place battle.

Kilminster led the Sharks in scoring for the second straight night, pouring in 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting while also dishing out seven assists, grabbing four rebounds and committing six turnovers across a team-high 34 minutes in the loss.

The senior guard was the lone Hawaii Pacific player to be named to the All-Tournament team after averaging 16.3 points, 5.7 assists and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 45.5% from 3-point range across the three-game stretch.

Keonjay Carter added a season-high 16 points off the bench for Nakanishi’s Sharks, going 6-for-6 at the charity stripe while only committing one turnover in 27 minutes of work. Fifth-year big man Will Woodward chipped in 13 points and tied for the team-lead in rebounds with seven boards in 23 minutes, finishing as the third and final player in double figures for HPU.

Despite leaving the weekend with a 1-2 record, Nakanishi took away plenty of positives about what his team could be able to do as the regular season rolls along.

“We’ve got the pieces,” the fourth-year head coach stated. “We’re still a new team that’s learning each other and [this tournament] was kind of the barometer of where we’re at right now so I did learn a lot for where we’re at … Roles are still going to evolve but got a good feel for our team going against three really good opponents.”

The regular season rolls on for Hawaii Pacific next Monday, November 9 as they host Northwest Indian College at the Shark Tank in the team’s home opener at 6:30 p.m. HT.

Waipahu smashes Aiea to roll to OIA Division I title

Waipahu smashes Aiea to roll to OIA Division I title

Nov 7, 2026

PEARL CITY – For the 15th time in program history, the Waipahu Marauders stand atop the OIA football ranks. Behind a four-touchdown showing from star sophomore quarterback Jake Garcia, the Waipahu varsity football team cruised to a dominant 42-7...

Hawai‘i Looks to Build Momentum Against UTEP Following Bye Week

Hawai‘i Looks to Build Momentum Against UTEP Following Bye Week

Nov 4, 2026

Rainbow Warriors seek consecutive wins for the first time this season as former WAC rivals meet for the first time in 22 yearsComing off its most complete performance of the season and a much-needed bye week, Hawai‘i returns to action Saturday...

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