61st Hula Bowl Treats Fans to Wild Finish

In a game where timing can be everything, the 2007 Hula Bowl proved no different. With less than a week as teammates, and only 3 days of practice, the game came down to the final 44 seconds. In those last 44 ticks of the clock, the Aina (East) scored 15 points and took down the Kai (West), who had held the lead the entire game.

The Kai took a 10-3 lead into the locker rooms, boosted by a 16 yard touchdown catch in the first quarter by Nate Ilaoa of the University of Hawai’i. The Kai added three more points in the second quarter on a 23 yard field goal by Greg Johnson of Texas. The Aina was able to put points on the board just before the break with a 24 yard field goal by John Vaughn of Auburn, coming with 14 seconds left in the half.

The second half was a defensive struggle, with Chad Nkang, MVP of the Kai team, leading the way with nine tackles and one pass deflection. The Aina was able to sustain a late drive engineered by Clemson teammates Will Proctor, QB, and Reggie Merriweather, RB. Merriweather scored on a 1 yard run, making the score 10-9. The Aina then attempted a two-point conversion and Proctor, MVP of the Aina team, found Tennessee receiver Bret Smith in the corner of the endzone, giving the Aina their first lead of the game.

With Boise State QB Jared Zabransky at the helm, the Kai had another chance to win the game. However, the Fiesta Bowl MVP threw an interception to cornerback Ramzee Robinson of Alabama. Robinson scampered the 44 yards to the endzone to ice the game. This time, the Aina team kicked the extra point, and took the lead 18-10. The Kai began a drive with only 10 seconds left, and Zabransky’s last gasp deep pass was knocked away by Sergio Gilliam of Clemson.
source: http://www.huliq.com