Crespi Beats Kahuku on 4th-Quarter Strike, 21-14

Crisp Crespi High carved up a more physical Kahuku team when it counted, defeating the Oahu public school champion, 21-14, Thursday night before 7,500 at Aloha Stadium in the third game of four in the Shawn Akina Memorial Classic.

Crespi quarterback Cody Smith, a junior beginning his first full season as starter, completed 14 of 25 passes for 195 yards, including a game-winning 45-yard strike to sophomore running back Torie Lee with 7:23 to play.

Smith also hit wide receiver Ryan Kieling on identical 19-yard fade patterns for scores in the second and third quarters.

Kieling made eight catches for 104 yards. Lee rushed for 89 yards in 20 carries and made two catches for 55 yards.

Kieling’s second score came with five minutes to play in the third quarter and followed a series of grind-it-out Kahuku drives that ended only because of the Red Raiders’ knack of hurting themselves with penalties.

Kahuku finally got cute with four minutes to play in the third quarter on a pitch pass to Zeff Ahquin that went for 75 yards. Lance Thomas tripped Ahquin at the two-yard line, however, and two plays later Crespi’s Mike Peters recovered an errant pitch to end the threat.

Crespi drove inside the Kahuku 40-yard line as the first half ended. Previously, Tiloi Maiava of the Red Raiders had scored on a 21-yard run up the middle to give Kahuku a seven-point advantage.

The touchdown came on Maiava’s first carry after he replaced starting fullback Simeon Vierra.

Vierra had carried over center on the previous three plays, gaining 46 yards, and he returned to score a two-point conversion. Kahuku led, 14-7.

Kieling had given Crespi a 7-6 lead with an over-the-shoulder catch on a fadeaway pattern that resulted in a 19-yard touchdown.

The rangy Celt receiver also made the other big play on the 77-yard drive, catching a Smith pass in the left flat, ducking a defender and weaving inside for a 35-yard gain.

Kahuku tailback Mark Atuaia broke a scoreless tie when he bulled in from two yards with 11 minutes to play in the half.