VIDEO: Kahuku wins OIA Red

Punga Vea's 44-yard touchdown run on an end reverse with five minutes, six seconds left in the game was the second of two fourth-quarter TDs to help the Red Raiders come back from a 20-10 deficit after three quarters.

Kahuku (11-0) draws a first-round state Division I tournament bye and plays in one semifinal Nov. 27 at Aloha Stadium.

Leilehua (8-3) will play Maui Interscholastic League champion Baldwin, at 6 p.m. Nov. 20 at War Memorial Stadium in Wailuku. The game will be aired live by OC 16.

Last night's game was delayed about 15 minutes with 7:35 left in the game when Leilehua's leading receiver, Kamana Akagi, was taken to the hospital by ambulance after a collision with a Kahuku player on an incomplete pass. Akagi raised his right arm as he was being lifted into the ambulance, apparently trying to show everyone he was OK. Leilehua athletic director Jimmy Toyota said Akagi was unconscious for a while, but was optimistic the injury wasn't too serious.

"It was hard because Mana's one of our main receivers and we just love'em as a brother," Leilehua senior QB Andrew Manley said. "So seeing him leave like that just hurt all of us. We knew we had to pick it up. We wanted to try to play for him, but the ball happened to go their way and they came out with a win. They're a great team."

Kahuku's Jamora, who switches from 52 to jersey No. 97 when he plays offense, landed on the loose ball after Johnny Tupuola blocked Fred Patrones' punt in the end zone that pulled Kahuku to 20-17 with 8:30 left in the game.

But it was his relentless pass rushing that had Manley under pressure most of the time.

"I think the sacks (were more satisfying) because the touchdown was kind of given," Jamora said. "The ball was just there."

The Mules trailed 10-0 after the first quarter before Manley's two second-quarter TD passes put them ahead, 13-10 at the half.

Kahuku scored on its first series after Leilehua only managed a 16-yard punt to the Mules' 34. But Leilehua's defense stiffened enough to allow Kahuku to settle on a 42-yard field goal by Cameron Mercado with 7:05 left in the first quarter.

A sack by Jamora on Manley forced a fumble that Kona Schwenke recovered at the Mules' 44. Tailback Viliami Pasi scored from 5 yards out with no time left on the clock to end the first quarter. Mercado's PAT made it 10-0.

The Mules finally got on the board in the second quarter. Manley dropped a rainbow pass to Darrien Shealy for a 31-yard TD, but Timothy Momiyama missed his PAT to keep it 10-6 with 4:58 left in the half.

The Mules later scored on Manley's 10-yard fade pass to Akagi. Momiyama's PAT made it 13-10 at the half.

The Mules increased their lead in the third quarter when a low snap from center in punt formation delayed the punter enough to have his punt blocked and downed at the Kahuku 28. Four plays later, Manley hit Shealy on a 17-yard TD pass to make it 20-10.

Kahuku pulled to 20-17 with 8:30 left in the fourth quarter when Tupuola blocked a punt that was recovered by Jamora in the end zone.

Kahuku took the lead after punter Fred Padrones came up two yards shy on a fake punt, giving the Red Raiders the ball at the Mules' 48. Vea scored on an end reverse on a 44-yard run to give Kahuku a 24-20 lead with 5:06 left.

KAHUKU (11-0) 10 0 0 14 — 24

LEILEHUA (8-3) 0 13 7 0 — 20

Kah—FG Cameron Mercado 42

Kah—Viliami Pasi 5 run (Mercado kick)

Lei—Darrien Shealy 31 pass from Andrew Manley (kick failed)

Lei—Kamana Akagi 10 pass from Manley (Timothy Momiyama kick)

Lei—Shealy 17 pass from Manley (Momiyama kick)

Kah—Hauoli Jamora blocked punt recovery in end zone (Mercado kick)

Kah—Punga Vea 44 run (Mercado kick)

RUSHING—Kahuku: Evan Moe 8-48, Pasi 19-73, Tyrone Brown 8-10, Team 1-(minus 2), Fonoivasa Mata'afa 6-6. Leilehua: Manley 13-(minus 36), Carlos Marshall 7-10, Austin Schmidt 1-8, CJ Bailey 2-3, Fred Padrones 1-2.

PASSING—Kahuku: Moe 5-9-1—46. Leilehua: Manley 24-37-2—280.

RECEIVING—Kahuku: Punga Vea 1-19, Kaipo Pearl 1-8, Mata'afa 1-1, Sage Kaka 1-13, Blaze Kubota 1-5. Leilehua: Blaine Furtado 1-(minus1), Keanu Sapla 4-46, Marshall 8-91, Shealy 5-83, C.J. Bailey 2-9, Akagi 3-18, Kyle Cruse Gombio 1-34.