WAILUKU, Maui — King Kekaulike won on a dramatic Hail Mary pass on the last play of the game to become the first Maui football team to advance to the championship game.

After a double handoff, Kyle Duarte tossed the ball back to quarterback Shelton Bangasan, but it sailed over his head. Bangasan chased it, bobbled it, gained possession, turned, and threw from the 40-yard line into the end zone for Randen Abafo, who was wide open.

King Kekaulike defeated 'Iolani, 38-37, in the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Division II State Football semifinals at War Memorial Stadium last night in front of approximately 1,500 fans.

Na Ali'i (7-3-1) advance to play Kaua'i for the Division II title Friday at 5 p.m at the Aloha Stadium. 'Iolani, the defending state champion, dropped to 6-6-1.

"I can't even believe it," Bangasan said. "I just chucked it up there."

The ball was originally intended to go to Abafo, until the play broke up.

"I saw it not working, and I thought it was over," Abafo said. "Then I saw him pick it up. Then I started waving my hands. That's why I have these white gloves."

It was the final play of a high-scoring game, with the teams trading touchdowns.

'Iolani scored 10 points off turnovers in the first half.

"It was the three weeks we were off," King Kekaulike coach J.W. Kenton said. "We were not crisp. We made turnovers, and they didn't, and I thought that was key to the game."

A 25-yard field goal by Kody Adams and Ryan Dung's two scoring passes — a 23-yarder to Reid Furukawa and 10-yarder to Aaron Fong, with 13.4 seconds before intermission — helped the Raiders to a 17-12 halftime lead.

Na Ali'i score on a 19-yard run by Michael Douglas, and an 8-yard run by Javan Fulton. King Kekaulike tried to run for the extra points and failed both times.

King Kekaulike scored three touchdowns to go ahead, 32-31, in the third. Duarte scored in a 14-yard run, Bangasan on a 1-yard run, and Douglas on a 41-yarder.

"I fumbled earlier, and I picked it up harder," said Douglas, who finished with 27 carries and 193 yards.

The Raiders scored on two passes by Dung, the first a 23-yarder to Ronnie Hirokawa and the second a 50-yarder to Furukawa.

'Iolani recovered a King Kekaulike fumble and took a 37-32 lead when Dung hit Justin Yamamoto on a 9-yard strike with 5:06 to go, after Na Ali'i appeared to hold the Raiders to a field goal but was called for roughing the kicker, handing 'Iolani a new set of downs.

"I knew it was going to be a shootout," Kenton said. " 'Iolani is the defending state champs, and they don't fall easily."

'IOLANI (6-6-1) 3 14 14 6—37

KING KEKAULIKE (7-3-1) 6 6 20 6—38

Iol — FG Kody Adams 25.

KK — Michael Douglas 19 run (run failed).

Iol — Reid Furukawa 23 pass from Ryan Dung (Adams kick).

KK — Javan Fulton 8 run (run failed).

Iol — Aaron Fong 10 pass from Dung (Adams kick).

KK — Kyle Duarte 14 run (pass failed).

Iol — Ronnie Hirokawa 23 pass from Dung (run failed).

KK — Shelton Bangasan 1 run (Shannon Kamakaokalani kick).

Iol — Furukawa 50 pass from Dung (Fong pass from Dung).

KK — Douglas 41 run (Kamakaokalani kick).

Iol — Justin Yamamoto 9 pass from Ryan Dung (pass failed).

KK — Randen Abafo 21 pass from Shelton Bangasan (PAT not attempted).

RUSHING—Iolani: Justin Yamamoto 8-22, Ryan Dung 3-(minus 6), Reid Furukawa 1-6, Ronnie Hirokawa 1-(minus 10). King Kekaulike: Michael Douglas 27-193, Shannon Kamakaokalani 19-145, Javan Fulton 6-43, Shelton Bangasan 5-24, Kyle Duarte 5-16, Edrian Dela Cruz 1-4.

PASSING—Iolani: Ryan Dung 26-45-0—369, Lionel Fujioka 0-1-0—0. King Kekaulike: Bangasan 5-8-1—85.

RECEIVING—Iolani: Jordan Nakamura 1-11, Furukawa 6-96, Fong 9-127, Fujioka 6-76, Hirokawa 2-37, Yamamoto 2-22. King Kekaulike: Randen Abafo 2-31, Fulton 1-26, Duarte 2-28.

Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com.