By Wes Nakama

KANE’OHE — In a back-and-forth game that went down to the thrilling final play Friday night, visiting Roosevelt held off Castle, 27-20, to move into a tie for first place in OIA Division II.

A vocal crowd of about 1,000 watched Rough Riders linebacker Izaiah Nakamura tackle Knights quarterback Nai Kalauoka’aea at the 4 yard line as time expired, helping Roosevelt improve to 5-2 overall and 4-1 in league play. Castle fell to 5-3, 4-1.

The Rough Riders had taken the lead at 24-20 after a 58-yard touchdown pass play from Ioane Kamana’o to Wiliama Aarona with 6:48 remaining in the fourth quarter, and extended it to 27-20 on Journey DePeralta’s 24-yard field goal with 4:41 left.

Following Castle’s three-and-out after the ensuing kickoff, Roosevelt took back possession with three minutes remaining and seemed ready to run out the clock after gaining first down at midfield with just over a minute to go. But that’s when the ball came loose on a short running play and the fumble was recovered by Knights linebacker Tyson Kamali’i at the Rough Riders’ 42.

After fullback Kauanahe Kalahiki-Gohier rambled 23 yards to the Roosevelt 26 on fourth-and-1, Kalauoka’aea scrambled 10 yards on a keeper to the 16. A pass interference penalty moved the ball to the 8 and stopped the clock at four ticks left, and the Knights lined up for their receivers to run slant-type routes.

“We were looking to throw, but Nai saw an opening and ran,” Castle coach Junior Pale said. “Give credit to (Nakamura), it was one-on-one, and it came down to who was going to make the play.”

Nakamura credited his defensive front for pressuring Kalauoka’aea out of the pocket, and it was his responsibility as middle inside linebacker to protect the end zone on a scramble to the left.

“We were expecting that deep (pass), our DB’s put in all that work in practice, but when I saw him come out (in the flat) I had to adjust and make a play,” said Nakamura, a 6-foot, 195-pound junior. “Our linebacker crew, we have that chemistry, so I had my boys on the inside (to help). I just had to trust my instinct and make a play.”

It was the final big play in a game that featured many of them.

After the teams traded first-quarter field goals, Castle took a 6-3 lead on Aztin Pitt’s 39-yard 3-pointer two minutes into the second quarter and then extended it to 13-3 at the period’s halfway mark after Saumahe Haney-Tongotea blocked a field goal attempt and JHeart Sisra ran it back 99 yards for a touchdown.

The Rough Riders immediately responded with Dayten Tilton’s 35-yard kickoff return to set up an eight-play, 61-yard scoring drive capped by Shaeden Sexton’s four-yard run to cut it to 13-10, and then took the lead back at 17-13 on the next possession when Bobby Sousa returned a fumble 43 yards to paydirt with 1:19 before halftime.

The Knights went back in front on the first play of the fourth quarter, when Kalauoka’aea connected with Noa Sebay on a 21-yard TD pass, and Pitt’s extra point made it 20-17. But four minutes later, Roosevelt struck back with the Kamana’o-to-Aarona touchdown, and then pushed the lead to 27-20 on DePeralta’s field goal at the 4:41 mark.

Rough Riders coach Kui Kaho’oilihala said he knew Castle was not done yet, but he trusted his defense to stand the test.

“The kids had a great week of practice … so it just comes down to execution,” Kaho’oilihala said. “The confidence for us was there from the beginning, and the defense, man, they came through.”

For his part, Pale said he does not look at this loss as a bad one.

“I looked in our boys’ eyes, and they didn’t want to quit, so they gave us a chance,” Pale said of the late deficit. “I told them afterward, ‘If you look at the scoreboard, it’s a 3-point loss. But I’m proud of you guys because whatever we asked you to do, you did. You never quit, you never said die. We just fell four yards short.’ “

With two weeks remaining in the regular season, both teams know there still is much work to be done especially with Waialua and Kaiser (both 3-1) just a half-game behind first place.

“This was a big win here, but we still have to play Kalani (1-3) and Waialua,” Kaho’oilihala said. “Our kids are still going to come out and do what we do, every day.”

Photos: Lori McKeown

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