OIA RED EAST FOOTBALL: Castle clinches final playoff berth

Photo by Andrew Lee (http://www.twitter.com/AndrewLeeHI)

HHSAA

Stephen Lee completed 19 of 34 passes for 322 yards and one touchdown and ran for 57 yards and two more scores at Kaiser Stadium Friday night to help Castle fight past Kaimuki, 28-13.

The Knights improved to 3-5 overall and 2-4 in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association's Red Conference Eastern Division. They needed the victory to clinch the Red East's sixth and final playoff berth; Castle will most likely play at West No. 3 Wai'anae (6-2, 4-2).

Randon Tuitama rushed for 203 yards and two TDs to lead Kaimuki, whose season ends at 1-7, 0-6.

The Knights took the opening kickoff and drove 87 yards to the 4-yard line before losing the ball on downs. Following a false start, Tuitama broke loose for an 83-yard run, and then scored on a 15-yard dash one play later. Dathan Lloyd's extra point made it 7-0.

Castle tied it at 7-7 with 2:47 remaining in the second quarter after Lee's 1-yard sneak, but the Bulldogs took the lead again by opening the second half with a 10-play, 76-yard drive capped by Tuitama's 4-yard run.

The Knights took the lead for good after Ryan Mohika's 2-yard touchdown run and Ikaika Urasaki's PAT with 3:04 left in the third quarter, then got a break when Joseph Lilio recovered a fumble at the Kaimuki 30 on the ensuing kickoff. Castle cashed in three plays later on Lee's 4-yard scoring pass to Isaac Pakele, and Urasaki's extra point made it 21-13.

Lee later sealed the victory with a 66-yard TD run with 1:10 remaining.


CASTLE (3-5, 2-4)  0 7 14 7 -- 28
KAIMUKI (1-7, 0-6) 7 0  6  0 -- 13

Kai -- Randon Tuitama 15 run (Dathan Lloyd kick)
Cas -- Stephen Lee 1 run (Ikaika Urasaki kick)
Kai -- Tuitama 4 run (kick failed)
Cas -- Ryan Mohika 2 run (Urasaki kick)
Cas -- Isaac Pakele 4 pass from Lee (Urasaki kick)
Cas -- Lee 66 run (Laura Tyler kick)

RUSHING -- Castle: Makanaola Kalahiki-Rombawa 5-5, Sonny Oana 4-25, Lee 5-57, Pakele 3-6, Mohika 4-15, Chad Figueroa 1-0. Kai: Tuitama 24-203, Jorge Rios 5-21, Tevita Lino 8-(minus-32).

PASSING -- Castle: Lee 19-34-0--322. Kaimuki: Lino 10-19-0--91.

RECEIVING -- Castle: Oana 3-71, Urasaki 3-80, Joseph Lilio 2-44, Kalahiki-Rombawa 1-11, Bryson Aiwohi 2-33, Figueroa 3-40, Pakele 5-43. Kaimuki: Rios 1-18, Jonah Lapitan 1-4, Fano Tuisila 5-57, Sean Noda 2-1, Tuitala 1-11.