When 5-foot-11, 310-pound defensive lineman Jeremiah Matagi returned an interception 71 yards for the first score of the game, it pretty much set the tone and Kaimuki rolled over McKinley, 36-0, last night in an O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red East game at Roosevelt's Ticky Vasconcellos Stadium.

The Bulldogs (4-3 overall, 3-2 East) had clinched a playoff berth before last night. The fifth and final East berth will be determined when the Tigers (1-6, 1-4) play Roosevelt (1-6, 0-5) Friday. A Tigers win will pull them even with Kailua (2-4). But McKinley beat Kailua and head-to-head is the tie-breaker.

Matagi's interception was one of six turnovers by the Tigers.

"I dedicate that to my grandma," said Matagi, who intercepted Theodore Spensor's middle screen pass and shed one tackler along the way to the end zone. "She passed away. It's just what she did to me. She showed me how to run. It's all because of her."

The killer was that the Tigers had just taken possession at Kaimuki's 14 after a shanked 4-yard punt. Matagi's TD came at 3:01 in the first quarter.

Kaimuki's next TD was set up after a McKinley fumble. Nainoa Hiapo threw the first of his two TD passes to Chris Fiamate for 10 yards to make it 13-0 with 6:52 left in the half. He then hit Trendt Marsom on a 15-yard TD pass to make it 19-0 at the half.

"Our defense has been playing good all year," Kaimuki coach Darren Johnson said. "We finished 48 (minutes tonight). We haven't played a complete game. When we got on top, we continued to play."

Running back Justin Paderes, who scored in the third quarter on a 1-yard run to make it 26-0, paced the Bulldogs with 157 yards on 22 carries.

The Bulldogs then added two safeties — the first on a snap from punt formation that bounced out of the end zone and the second on an intentional grounding penalty in the end zone — to make it 30-0.

A fourth-quarter, 19-yard TD run by running back Nicholas Lino made it 36-0.

The Bulldogs have been spoilers this season. All of their league wins were at their opponent's homecoming game.

"Everybody's playing us for their homecoming game," Johnson said. "It's a little incentive for our kids."

As for the Tigers, who suited about 25 players and disciplined some starters by sitting them out the first quarter, the turnovers didn't help their attrition issues. After the first safety, which came after three consecutive high snaps from center while in the shotgun formation, McKinley coach Bobby Grey called a timeout.

"We had a meltdown," Grey said. "Our center got hurt — he didn't tell anybody — three straight snaps over the head. We had that meltdown, so I called that timeout, gathered them up and told them, 'You guys have to stay positive and keep going.' The kids played their (butts) off, but sometimes, the ball doesn't bounce their way. But give credit to Kaimuki. They played tough. When you turn over the ball, it's hard to win ball games."

KAIMUKI (4-3, 3-2) 7 12 9 8—36

MCKINLEY(1-6, 1-4) 0 0 0 0— 0

Kaim — Jeremiah Matagi 71 interception return (Nicholas Lino kick).

Kaim — Chris Fiamate 10 pass from Nainoa Hiapo (kick failed).

Kaim — Trendt Marsom 15 pass from Hiapo (pass failed).

Kaim — Justin Paderes 1 run (Lino kick).

Kaim — Safety, ball snapped out of end zone.

Kaim — Safety, intentional grounding in end zone.

Kaim — Lino 19 run (kick failed).

RUSHING — Kaimuki: Hiapo 2-(minus 1), Eddie Char 4-19, Paderes 22-157, Team 1-(minus 33), Tevita Aholelei 2-6, Andrew Save 2-34, Lino 6-60, Casey Saint-O'Brien 1-10. McKinley: Theodore Spensor 8-39, Alvin Ponce 4-22, Kainoa Kahalewai 8-29, Michael Terry 1-0, Ionatana Woodward 1-0, Roy Aliksa 5-18, Team 3-(minus 37), Sio Fiso 9-21, Solomon Dixon 1-(minus 1).

PASSING — Kaimuki: Hiapo 5-11-0—67. McKinley: Spensor 2-10-2—6, Fiso 1-6-1—30.

RECEIVING — Kaimuki: Fiamate 2-36, Save 1-13, Marsom 1-15, Paderes 1-3. McKinley: Ponce 1-9, I. Woodward 2-27.

JV score — Kaimuki 34, McKinley 12.

KALAHEO 48, ANUENUE 0

The Mustangs ran for seven touchdowns, including three by Phil Tauai (36, 17, 1 yards), in beating Na Koa in an OIA White game at Kaiser.

Kaipo Cullen had a game-high 72 yards on nine carries for Anuenue.

KALAHEO (7-1, 6-1) 15 13 14 6—48

ANUENUE (0-8, 0-7) 0 0 0 0— 0

Kala — Shane Stevens 39 run (Dong Woo Kim kick).

Kala — Kim 43 run (Victor DeMarco 2 run).

Kala — Dwayne Mitchell 23 run (kick failed).

Kala — Phil Tauai 36 run (Kim kick).

Kala — Tauai 17 run (Kim kick).

Kala — Tauai 1 run (Kim kick).

Kala — Torin Kringel 57 run (kick failed).

RUSHING — Kalaheo: Kringel 2-57, Levi Jackola 1-29, Kim 1-43, Eddie Tauai 1-8, Mitchell 4-40, P. Tauai 3-54, Shane Mason Hugentugler 2-30, Stevens 2-58, Vincent Santiago 2-36. Anuenue: Kaipo Cullen 9-72, Kamea Kahiapo 1-(minus 3), Kanani Armitage 6-27, Ka'imipono Kamauoha 1-1, Kainoa Keana'aina 5-30, Chase Keli'ikoa Aki 11-14, Mahuka Cullen 2-4, #25 4-6, Keoni Britt-Garrett 1-5, Aina Keli'I-Supnet 5-18.

PASSING — Kalaheo: P. Tauai 1-6-0-12. Anuenue: K. Cullen 1-4-0-12, Kahiapo 1-5-0-15.

RECEIVING — Kalaheo: Edward Atanoa 1-12. Anuenue: Aki 1-12, M. Cullen 1-15.

Reported by Kaonohi Borden

MOANALUA 31, WAIALUA 0

Michael Egami went 12-of-20 passing for 219 yards with a 60-yard touchdown to Tahje Canyon, and the quarterback also ran for a 5-yard score to lead Na Menehune over the visiting Bulldogs in an OIA White game.

Canyon also scored on a 2-yard run, and Justin Watanabe kicked three field goals (33, 29, 26 yards).

WAIALUA (2-5, 2-4) 0 0 0 0— 0

MOANALUA (5-2, 4-2) 8 10 10 3—31

Moan — Tahje Canyon 60 pass from Michael Egami (Elijah Cruz pass from Egami).

Moan — Egami 5 run (Justin Watanabe kick).

Moan — FG Watanabe 33.

Moan — FG Watanabe 29.

Moan — Canyon 2 run (Watanabe kick).

Moan — FG Watanabe 26.

RUSHING — Waialua: Kaleo Lopez 1-(minus 7), William Sacapulo-Uepa 6-(minus 30), Kainoa Rosa 9-21, A.J. Hernandez 4-2. Moanalua: Joshua Perdo 2-31, Egami 19-85, Canyon 9-57, Cruz 1-(minus 13), Taylor Tanaka 1-13, Anthony Garingan 3-20, Keenan Ragergola 1-2, Francisco 2-9.

PASSING — Waialua: Sacapulo-Uepa 9-23-1—48. Moanalua: Egami 12-20-0—219, Adam Francisco 1-2-0—8.

RECEIVING — Waialua: Lopez 3-20, Rosa 2-0, Hernandez 4-28. Moanalua: Garingan 2-23, Xavier Peterson 1-3, Cruz 1-9, Canyon 5-116, Tyler Pinkney 3-68, Jonathan Cadiz 1-8.

JV score — Moanalua 41, Waialua 8.

Reported by Ted Mura

OTHER SCORES

Hawai'i Prep 12, Kona 0.

Kealakehe 28, Kea'au 13.