KEALAKEKUA — It was business as usual for Konawaena football.
In front of 1,000-plus fans for their homecoming matchup on Friday at Julian R. Yates Field, the Wildcats maintained their Big Island Interscholastic Federation (BIIF) dominance once again — routing Waiakea for the second time this season by a score of 77-7. It was the second time in 2023 that Konawaena scored 70 or more points.
The Wildcats moved to 7-1 overall on the season (6-0 BIIF) and remained in the driver’s seat atop the BIIF Division I. The Warriors dropped to 0-6, staying in the basement of the conference.
“We came out with good energy,” Konawaena coach Brad Uemoto said postgame. “With the season coming down the stretch, we needed more reps and I’m glad with how we played in the first half.”
Wildcats quarterback Keoki Alani finished 216 passing yards and four touchdown throws — two to receiver Zedekiah Anahu-Ambrosio and one apiece to wideouts Abraham Ogata and Austin Takaki. Anahu-Ambrosio additionally displayed his dominance in other parts of the field, throwing a touchdown pass to receiver Ali‘imalu Tan and returning a punt for a score.
Konawaena also established its ground game, utilizing three different running backs to score — Keawe Navas Loa with two rushing touchdowns and Keau Higashi and Akea Cariaga with one each.
Defensively, the Wildcats forced six turnovers, led by defensive back Armenio Blanco with two interceptions and Ogata and Takaki with one apiece. Lineman Tayton Tamashiro additionally forced two fumbles.
The Warriors’ lone score was a receiving touchdown from wideout Austin Ah Sing.
To start the game, Konawaena didn’t waste any time putting itself on the board. Following a big kick return from Ogata, Navas Loa rushed the ball from 11 yards out for the Wildcats’ first score of the evening. Ikona Kainoa-Salvador punched it through the middle to convert the 2-point score.
Once Waiakea punted on the ensuing drive, Konawaena was right back where it started. Beginning the drive at midfield, the Wildcats were led by Takaki and Anahi-Ambrosio catch-and-runs to move the chains again. Alani then found Ogata in the right-hand corner of the end zone for an 10-yard touchdown.
The Warriors tried establishing their run game on the following drive, but Tamashiro stripped Waiakea and recovered the ball to put Konawaena back on the Warriors’ 30-yard line. Another Takaki reception placed the Wildcats even closer, which set up an Alani 17-yard screen-pass touchdown to Anahi-Ambrosio to go up 22.
After another Waiakea 3-and-out, Takaki caught an 11-yard score of his own to put Konawaena ahead by four touchdowns. Blanco then picked off Warriors quarterback Keali‘ipono Miller and returned it 30 yards for a pick six. Hayden Nishida converted the 2-point rushing attempt to conclude the Wildcats’ first-quarter burst.
“Our energy and execution always need to be there from the start, no matter the matchup,” Uemoto said of Konawaena’s hot opening quarter. “You can’t be good at (starting fast) if you don’t replicate it the right way each week.”
To kick things off in the second quarter, Alani connected with Anahu-Ambrosio on the run for a 28-yard score. Waiakea then punted to its own territory again, which was followed by a big Alani completion to Tan down the seam to set up another Navas Loa 16-yard rushing touchdown.
Anahu-Ambrosio then assumed quarterback duties at the midway point of the quarter, finding Tan in the middle of the defense — who then took it 50 yards for Konawaena’s ninth touchdown of the evening.
Blanco picked off Waiakea again in the next possession to put the Wildcats deep in the Warriors’ territory, setting up a short Higashi 5-yard rushing touchdown.
The Warriors finally got on the board as the clock expired to end the first half, as Ah Sing caught a touchdown pass in the corner from quarterback Dylan Nakamoto-Baltazar.
Konawaena continued to pile it on in the proceeding half, as Anahu-Ambrosio returned Waiakea’s punt all the way to the house to go up 63 points.
Ogata then caught an interception to give the Wildcats the ball back in the Warriors’ territory, which was followed by two big Cariaga runs to lead to another touchdown. Late in the fourth quarter, Takaki picked off another pass, which led Alani to re-enter the game to kneel for the offense to officially end the night.
While Konawaena won convincingly, Uemoto credited Waiakea, noting that these matchups are beneficial for each team.
“(Waiakea) is improving and starting to put things together, and I’m happy for them and their staff,” he said. “They’re doing a great job and they’re going to get better.
“We can do them a service by
playing and giving them good reps — and that’s how they’re gonna get
better and that’s how we’re gonna get better.”
Up next: Averaging nearly 55 points and allowing under 13 points a game, Konawaena will take a much-deserved week off before resuming action against Kea‘au at 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13 on the road. Waiakea will next face Kealakehe at 7 p.m. Friday at Waverider Stadium.
