The Konawaena High School Wildcats brought home the school’s first Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division I football title with a 38-28 win Saturday night over Waipahu High School.
Quarterback Keoki Alani posted his 50th touchdown pass of the season, and defensive end Chray Flannery scored a touchdown on a blocked field goal attempt in the dramatic win over the Marauders at Mililani High School on Oahu. The win came despite star sophomore wide receiver Zedekiah Anahu-Ambrosio being disqualified from the match after a second flag for unsportsmanlike conduct after catching Alani’s 50th touchdown pass.
“It means a lot. We just made history. And when we get back home, it’s going to be a parade and party,” Alani told Spectrum OC16 in the moments after the team’s win. “All of the community of Kona town is going to come out.”
Konawaena High School Coach Brad Uemoto said he was proud to lead the team to the first title in the school’s 101-year history.
“This is my eighth season of coaching. BIIF titles are one thing, but to bring this school a state championship — I got to try to catch up to girls basketball,” he said, referring to the six titles brought home by the girls squad led by Bobby Awa.
The No. 2-seeded Wildcats were undefeated in Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division I play this year, claiming their second straight BIIF title. The Wildcats lost in the semifinals in 2021.
The 2022 team earned its spot in Saturday’s title game by defeating 27-24 the Aiea Na Alii in the HHSAA Division I Football Semifinal held Nov. 19 in Kealakekua.
Waipahu scored on its first possession of the state championship game Saturday, with running back Anieli Teleaai scoring a touchdown with 8:23 left in the first quarter.
Konawaena also scored on its first possession when Anahu-Ambrosio ran the ball in from the 1-yard line with 4 minutes remaining. Kicker Nakoa Ige added the extra point to tie the game at 7-7.
On Konawaena’s next possession, quarterback Alani threw a 21-yard touchdown to Anahu-Ambrosio with 16 seconds remaining in the quarter. Anahu-Ambrosio was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after the play. Ige’s extra point gave the Wildcats a 14-7 lead heading into the second quarter.
Konawaena’s next score came 3 minutes into the second quarter when Chray Flannery blocked a field goal attempt by Waipahu and ran the ball back 81 yards to add six points for the Wildcats. Ige’s extra point was good, giving Konawaena a 21-7 lead.
With just under 4 minutes remaining in the first half, Roo Satta-Ellis intercepted the ball at the 49-yard line. About 30 seconds later, Alani connected with Anahu-Ambrosio from the 23-yard line for the quarterback’s 50th touchdown pass of the 2022 season.
After the touchdown, Anahu-Ambrosio was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for appearing to offer the ball to the Waipahu defender. The second violation disqualified Anahu-Ambrosio from the remainder of the match. Ige again tacked on the extra point, giving Konawaena a 28-7 lead over the Marauders.
Waipahu didn’t take long to shave the Wildcats’ lead to 14 with about 90 seconds left in the half when quarterback Liatama Uiliata ran the ball in from the 11-yard line. Less than a minute later, Waipahu had the ball back and scored again on a 28-yard pass from Uiliata to Saige Marienthal to bring the score to 28-21 heading into the half.
In the third quarter, neither team posted a point until just under 5 minutes were left when running back Kawelu Kaiawe rushed the ball in from the 1-yard line. Ige kicked the extra to point to give Konawaena a 35-21 lead.
Waipahu was able to tack on a touchdown before the end of the third quarter to narrow Konawaena’s lead to 35-28.
In the fourth, Konawaena’s Ige was the lone player to score, adding three points with a field goal from the 30-yard line with 1:52 remaining to bring the score to 38-28.
Waipahu put up no points in the final quarter of the state championship game.
In the Division II title game, Kauai’s Waimea High School defeated Maui’s King Kekaulike 45-6 to win its first-ever state championship.
