Kapolei Falls to Los Alamitos in Back-and-Forth Hawaii Battle (2025)

Kapolei – Hurricane Stadium (KHS)

Los Alamitos pulled off a thrilling road win Friday night in Hawaii, edging No. 4-ranked Kapolei 34-31 on two clutch field goals from senior kicker Lenny Ibarra in the final half-minute.

The Griffins (2-0), ranked No. 16 in California by MaxPreps, overcame a late deficit when Ibarra drilled a 26-yarder with 26 seconds left to tie the game, then connected from 20 yards out with 7.9 seconds remaining after a dramatic defensive turnover.

“I’m a rugby player. That’s how I learned to kick,” Ibarra said. The West Point commit and All-American rugby standout finished with nine points and added a rushing touchdown earlier in the game, earning offensive MVP honors.

Kapolei had taken a 31-28 lead with just 3:32 left on a Jacob Ballesteros 10-yard scoring pass to Shayden Roman. The Hurricanes looked in control after pinning Los Alamitos deep, but a short pass ruled a lateral was recovered by defensive end Jackson Renger at the 1-yard line. Renger, who also had a sack and batted pass leading to an interception, was named defensive MVP. “It was a great game. Very gritty. They were physical, man. They came to play and it was a hard-fought game,” said Renger, a Cornell commit.

The game featured wild swings of momentum. Johnny Howze got Los Alamitos on the board in the first quarter by scooping up a mishandled punt for a 46-yard touchdown return. Ibarra added a 5-yard rushing score in the second quarter, but Kapolei capitalized on Griffin mistakes to take a 17-14 halftime lead.

Quarterback Caden Creason threw for 129 yards, with Anthony Gogue hauling in four catches for 79 yards. On the ground, Kamden Tillis powered the Griffins with 66 yards and two touchdowns, giving him three rushing scores through the first two games. Los Alamitos’ offense finished with 275 total yards, compared to Kapolei’s 358, but made plays when it mattered most.

Coach Ray Fenton praised his senior-heavy roster for staying composed in the hostile environment. “We have a super mature group of kids who are united. The senior leadership we have is phenomenal, like we have a coach in every room they’re in,” Fenton said.

Kapolei’s Ballesteros had a strong night, throwing for 354 yards and three touchdowns, but turnovers and penalties proved costly. “We played with them toe-to-toe,” Hurricanes coach Darren Hernandez said. “But we made some big mistakes. I feel for our kids. They really worked hard.”

Los Alamitos will look to carry the momentum back to California when they travel to face Narbonne on Friday.