HONOLULU — Kahuku avenged a loss in the Oahu Interscholastic Association title game and came back to defeat Mililani, 21-19, for a third straight First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Open Division championship at the Clarence T.C. Ching Complex on Friday night.
It was the Red Raiders' record 11th state title spanning Division I and Open. A crowd of 7,322 attended the first all-OIA state final and first game played at UH's 15,000-seat on-campus venue.
Here is a photo gallery from the game:
Kahuku receiver Diezel Kamoku ran back the game-winning 86-yard punt return in the game's final minutes. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)
Kahuku coach Sterling Carvalho, right, laughed next to Mililani receiver Davyn Joseph. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)
Kahuku defensive back Kingsley Ah You intercepted a ball thrown by Kini McMillan intended for Kanoa Ferriera in the second half. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)
Kahuku utility star Kaimana Carvalho smiled after the game. He was knocked out of the game in the first half on a helmet-to-helmet hit. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)
Kahuku's Diezel Kamoku, who had the go-ahead punt return touchdown, held the HHSAA trophy aloft to the Red Sea of Kahuku fans. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)
Kahuku running back Vaaimalae Fonoti leapt over Mililani's Keahi Reyes-Hackney. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)
Kaimana Carvalho hugged teammate Diezel Kamoku, right, after the dramatic victory. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)
Diezel Kamoku ran along the right sideline on a catch. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)
The Kahuku crowd reacted to the team's heroics late in the game. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)
Kahuku quarterback Tuli Tagovailoa-Amosa scrambled for yardage. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)
The Mililani band and cheer squad fired up their fans. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)
Mililani slotback Lehiwa Kahana-Travis could not haul in this pass late in the game. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)
Mililani receiver Davyn Joseph put his team up with an 89-yard catch-and-run touchdown in the fourth quarter. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)
Mililani coach Rod York hugged his Kahuku counterpart Sterling Carvalho in the teams' handshake line. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)
Brian McInnis covers the state's sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.