By MATT GERHART
By MATT GERHART
Tribune-Herald sports writer
HONOKAA — It’s hard to describe Shaun Kagawa’s football future as anything but bright. But the Kamehameha senior is destined to play defense at the next level, so he knows his career on offense is in all likelihood coming to a close.
What a better way to go out then by making a big impact?
Tasked with the burden of filling in as the Warriors’ workhorse, Kagawa also added a key explosive element Saturday in a 19-15 victory at Honokaa to change the tide in a game that had quickly turned into a defensive struggle.
Kagawa, who finished with 128 yards and two touchdowns, certainly cherishes his time on offense. Even more, the running back/linebacker appreciates and men up front for helping Kamehameha (2-0 Big Island Interscholastic Federation, 5-0 overall) remain unbeaten.
“It was definitely a battle of the trenches,” Kagawa said. “Whoever had the strongest line in this game was going to win. All the credit goes to both the offensive and defensive lines. They did it all. They made the game.”
Kagawa was the game-changer, however, finding an opening on the right then outrunning the Dragons’ defense down the sideline early in the third quarter for a 58-yard touchdown run that turned out to be the only score of a second half that featured as many turnovers (three) as pass completions.
Leading rusher Ina Teofilo was watching from the sidelines in street clothes with an injury for Kamehameha, so in stepped Kagawa. The offense bogged down a bit when Kagawa missed a few series in the second half with cramps, but he wasn’t about to complain about a workload that included 17 carries and two receptions for 27 yards. Kagawa wasn’t as big a part of the Warriors’ spread attack last season as he would have liked, and next year he’ll watch his team’s offense from the sidelines. He’s got scholarship offers from Hawaii and Army, but both are recruiting him at defensive back.
“I definitely want to play some offense before I go to college,” said Kagawa, who also scored on a 10-yard run late in the first half. “Just being a part of this offense is great. I’m definitely savoring offense.”
In a game between two teams that wanted to feature their power running games, Kagawa and Honokaa junior quarterback Makana Ebanez kept defenses honest by using their speed and getting to the edge.
Ebanez was the Dragons’ most effective runner, picking up 100 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. He showed off his legs with a 33-yard scamper that set Honokaa up at the Kamehameha 30 with just over two minutes left in the game. On the next play he was flushed from the pocket and picked off by junior cornerback Phil Aganus, illustrating the offense still has some work to do.
The Dragons (0-2, 1-3) won the rushing battle 209-151, but their passing game was nearly nonexistent. Ebanez connected on 2 of 5 throws.
With losses to Konawaena and Kamehameha behind them and with Ka’u and Kohala ahead on the schedule, coach Bobby Embernate said it’s as good a time as any for Honokaa to try and find some balance.
“We can practice more on the pass now and get some young guys some work,” he said.
Kamehameha quarterback Micah Kanehailua got into a rhythm at times and finished 9 of 15 for 87 yards, and the Warriors know they’ll need the sophomore to continue to improve and the offense to be at full strength to keep up with what looks to be a juggernaut at Konawaena.
“Sometimes you have to win ugly,” Kamehameha coach Dan Lyons said of a penalty-filled game. “I don’t think this was our best game, but Honokaa probably had a whole lot to do with that.
“We can play better, and we’re going to get better.”
The Wildcat’s record-setting performance Friday was just one of the big storylines during Week 2 of the BIIF season.
A look at the other headlines:
Wong can’t quite
right Waiakea
Waiakea quarterback Kean Wong continuously performed magician acts Saturday, escaping what appeared to be sure sacks and making plays that got his Warriors on the brink of an improbable come-from-behind victory.
But quarterback Jordan Cristobal, slotback Lennox Jones and a Kealakehe team that got out of the gate quickly proved too much for the Waiakea’s multitalented athlete in a 49-28 victory at Waverider Stadium.
The Warriors (1-1 BIIF Division I, 2-3) rallied behind Wong, who completed 10 of 17 passes for 162 yards and two TDs.
The junior, who will attend the University of Hawaii on a baseball scholarship, first hooked up with Dayton Kiko on a 49-yard strike that set up a David Preston 3-yard touchdown run.
Then Wong dodged two sure tackles behind the line of scrimmage on the Warriors’ next drive before hitting a streaking Kiko with a perfect pass near the Kealakehe 39. The Waiakea senior wideout, who finished with four receptions for 117 yards, then sprinted to the end zone. Wong hooked up with Richard Kuntemeyer on the ensuing two-point conversion pass, brining Waiakea within 36-28.
But Kealakahe always had the answer. Cristobal threw for 162 yards and three touchdowns, and ran for 101 yards and a score, while Jones had 130 rushing yards and 101 receiving yards for the Waveriders (1-0, Division I, 3-1).
— Joe Ferraro, Stephens Media
HPA on track
to start year
With a slew of new starters this season, Hawaii Prep coach Jordan Hayslip has simple goals.
Mission accomplished Saturday in a 52-6 victory against Kohala in Waimea.
Junior running back Bobby Lum ran for 138 yards and two touchdowns — while playing only part of the first half — and the Ka Makani (2-0 BIIF Division II, 2-2 overall) scored the first 43 points before coasting to victory.
Lum gained his yards on 11 carries, and he scored on touchdown runs of 4 and 40 yards.
In all, Hawaii Prep managed 316 yards on the ground, led by Lum and Kellen Gillins’ 94 yards. Gillins gained his yards in only two carries, the final one a 35-yard touchdown.
As dominant as the HPA ground game was, the defense was equally as strong. HPA limited the short-handed Cowboys (0-2, 0-2), who had to forfeit their opener, to 10 yards on 24 carries.
— Micah Lewter, Stephens Media
Wildcats suffer
loss in big win
Konawaena tied a BIIF record for most points scored in a game in an 86-0 victory against Ka’u, but the mood was somewhat somber Friday night in Kealakekua.
Many Konawaena players had their minds on senior defensive back Austin Denis, who broke his left leg while chasing down a muffed punt in the first quarter.
“It was real hard (to play after the injury),’’ Wildcats senior linebacker Mikey Rabara said. “I could see how emotional the team was.
“(We will win) a state championship for Austin.”
No problems on the field. Junior quarterback Lii Karratti threw four touchdown passes for the third time this season, and the Wildcats’ defense scored three defensive touchdowns. Konawaena (2-0 BIIF Division II, 4-1) tied the single-game scoring record originally set by the Wildcats in 1984 against Pahoa. In the process, Konawaena, which led 73-0 at halftime, also forced seven turnovers, returned a punt for a touchdown and ran back a kickoff for another score.
— Joe Ferraro, Stephens Media
Rebirth continues
for Hilo High
After finishing 0-8 last year in the BIIF, Hilo stamped its new season with an exciting 28-25 win over the Cougars on Friday night at Wong Stadium.
Senior defensive lineman Chance Agpoon, who’s been on the team four years and never saw a winning season (the school’s last was 2004), crashed through Keaau’s offensive line and sacked quarterback Keha Wong for a 16-yard loss to help snuff out a Cougars’ drive in the waning moments.
“It’s a huge first step. It was a team effort,” he said. “That last play I gave 110 percent. I think it was heart that did it for us. We pulled it out together.”
The second quarter turned into a dazzling display of fireworks, featuring five touchdowns, including one by Keaau’s Raskassa Johnson on a 70-yard kickoff return. The Vikings and Cougars also threw fans an appetizer with other long kickoff returns; 43 yards by Keaau’s Talon Ota (which was followed one play later by Johnny Vance’s 52-yard touchdown run) and 50 yards by Hilo’s Kamu Patnaude.
Hilo quarterback Drew Kell completed 8 of 15 passes for 113 yards and three touchdowns, while Vance finished with 93 yards on eight carries for Keaau (0-2, 0-4).
— Kevin Jakahi, Hawaii Tribune-Herald