KAHUKU — The Kahuku Red Raiders proved they didn’t need their best playmaker to win a marquee matchup against a team that could stand in the way of another Big Red state championship.
In front of a packed house at Carleton Weimer Field, Kahuku rallied from a late deficit to beat Punahou 27-20 and preserve its undefeated record.
With time expiring, and the Buffanblu in the red zone threatening to tie it up, defensive lineman Nitus Auelua exploded past the offensive line and brought down surprised Buffanblu quarterback Ty McCutcheon for the walk-off sack.
The Red Raiders have been without diminutive but dynamic receiver/returner Kainoa Carvalho, last season’s Star-Advertiser offensive player of the year, since the first week of the season because of an ankle injury that is expected to keep him out at least another month.
Their offense looked stagnant at times on Saturday, but the Red Raiders found a way to get it done, alternating between an air and ground attack effectively when they trailed 20-13 with under six minutes to play.
A fourth-quarter 97-yard kickoff return touchdown by Manulele Ah You was key in keeping Big Red in the game.
“KaiKai is a great player,” Kahuku coach Sterling Carvalho said, referring to his nephew by his nickname. “But we’ve got other guys who can step up, and you saw that tonight. And we still have our running game. So we understand that our team is not built on just one person and we pulled together both offensively and defensively and special teams and won the game.”
Running back Vaaimalae Fonoti scored two touchdowns among his 10 carries for 82 yards, including the go-ahead score with 52 seconds left.
Kahuku (4-0) has won 14 straight going back to the start of the 2021 season, in which it ran the table and toppled nemesis Saint Louis in the championship.
This season, Punahou (3-1) is widely believed to be the team to beat in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu, and the Buffanblu backed that up with lopsided wins over Oahu Interscholastic Association teams in its first three games, including a 52-7 thumping of Waianae last week in which Punahou scored all of its points before halftime.
Punahou arrived ready to play, moving the ball up the field quickly for a Jordan Kapisi field goal.
Quarterback John-Keawe Sagapolutele tossed a pair of interceptions and was eventually pulled for backup McCutcheon, who was effective in going 18-for-24 for 191 yards and two touchdowns.
McCutcheon hit Noah Macaulay for a 7-yard score to start the fourth quarter and give Punahou a 13-6 lead.
But Kahuku struck back immediately with Ah You's TD return to tie it back up.
Punahou led for the last time on Astin Hange’s 26-yard pass from McCutcheon and Kahuku looked to be in danger of losing for the first time on its new turf field.
Kahuku marched up the field and punched in a 1-yard Clyde Taulapapa score to tie it at 20.
Punahou worked it back up the field, but coach Nate Kia elected to go for a short punt when it got stymied in Kahuku territory, resulting in a touchback.
Red Raiders quarterback had one pass knocked down, but his second deep throw connected. He found Tavian Hallums for a first down and star linebacker Liona Lefau, making his first catch of the season, to midfield.
A late Punahou out-of-bounds hit on Gemini Vendiola advanced it to the 20 and it took Fonoti two runs up the middle to get in on what would be the game-winner.
However, the Buffanblu worked the clock expertly and had a chance. McCutcheon found Hange (nine catches, 173 yards) wide open downfield, and the signal-caller followed that up with a designed keeper and first-down pickup at the Kahuku 6. An ensuing offside call even moved it up to the 3 with 11 seconds left.
But on the deciding play, McCutcheon dropped back and did not release the ball before being consumed by Auelua.
"We played a good game as a team,” McCutcheon said. “We didn’t want that outcome, but we’ll see them again and we’ll be ready next time and I think we’re going to be great this season. We have a great team."
Kahuku has another marquee matchup next week at Campbell to open OIA Open Division play. Punahou has a bye then faces Saint Louis on Sept. 17 in the first of two regular-season matchups.
Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii.