Algene Kelekolio ran for 269 yards and three touchdowns Saturday, and Konawaena surged to a big lead before having to hold off Damien 42-33 in the opening round of the HHSAA Division II championships in front of 1,124 fans in Kealakekua.
The Wildcats took a 39-12 lead to the fourth quarter, but the program’s first state D-II victory wasn’t secure until Austin Ewing kicked a 29-yard field goal with 39 seconds remaining. Ewing missed a 34-yarder but got a reprieve on a running-into-the-kicker penalty.
The junior tossed three touchdown passes for Konawaena (11-1), which will face second-seeded Radford (11-0) on Saturday at Roosevelt High on Oahu in the semifinals.