Redemption

Grinders and the sledgehammer were all the tools the Hawaii football team needed in a 45-34 victory over New Mexico State on Saturday night.

A homecoming crowd of 30,568 saw three Warriors grind out 227 rushing yards and four touchdowns. What’s more, the much-maligned special teams parlayed a blocked punt into a touchdown.

"That was a hammer play," linebacker T.J. Taimatuia said of a sequence that began with John Hardy-Tuliau’s block and concluded with Kamalani Alo’s 13-yard return for a score.

Each week, the top UH specialist is awarded a sledgehammer.

With UH leading 7-0, punter Jake Capraro took the long snap on a fourth and 9 from the NMSU 27.

"T.J. opened it up for me," said Hardy-Tuliau, who raced in from the left of Capraro.

"I wasn’t even supposed to open it up for him," Taimatuia said, smiling. "I thought I had (the block). He’s like a little kid sneaking in and taking my block. I’m like, ‘If you’re going to block it, I’ll try to get the ball.’ Then I saw Kama get the ball and score."

Alo scooped up the football at the 13, then began his sprint.

"I was thinking, ‘Score,’" Alo said. "My eyes got big. That was probably the fastest I’ve run this season."

In the celebration of the UH locker room, Taimatuia acknowledged: "Kama gets the hammer. He’s the man of the hour."

While that play was not the most significant in the 60 minutes, it was symbolic of a Warriors team that conquered recent history and the Aggies’ multiple attacks.

"A lot of our guys were playing hurt, but they were sucking it up for the team," UH head coach Greg McMackin said. "I really appreciate it. We have tough guys who find ways to get the job done. We have to play better than we did tonight, and we will, but this was a good effort by tough guys."

Indeed, the Aggies mixed and matched their defense, then stormed with at least seven attackers.

"I thought we protected well," UH line coach Gordy Shaw said. "They had seven guys up there every play. We tried to find the right five to block."

Joey Iosefa, a second-year freshman, bulled his way for 90 yards and two touchdowns. On one, with safety Donyae Coleman at the 5 awaiting a collision, Iosefa instead did a juke move to complete the 18-yard score.

Backup running back Sterling Jackson, who has been hindered by subluxations in both shoulders, gained 75 yards.

And quarterback Bryant Moniz, seemingly on the move all night, scrambled for 62 yards and two touchdowns, and completed 24 of 39 passes for 264 yards and a pair of scores.

On his first scoring pass, he found slotback Justin Clapp in the right corner of the end zone, behind two defenders.

"I thought it would be a jump ball," Moniz said.

Instead, it vaulted the Warriors into a 7-0 lead it would not relinquish.

"It was a great throw," Clapp said. "The throw was exactly what I needed. … I was preoccupied with several things at the moment. That’s probably why I fell. I was thinking way too hard."

Later Moniz and left wideout Allen Sampson collaborated on a 25-yard scoring pass. Moniz’s pass was underthrown and then deflected by Coleman toward the end zone. Sampson managed to bat the pass upward, then dived to make the catch.

"It was the wrong route," Sampson said. "I was supposed to go flatter to make it an easy throw for Mo. I didn’t. I made it hard. It was almost an interception. But I was in good position because God put me in good position. Other than that, it was a terrible play."

The Warriors needed such plays to offset the gritty Aggies. NMSU’s top quarterback, Leilehua High graduate Andrew Manley, was lost for the season because of a knee injury.

His replacement, Matt Christian, underwent surgery on his left shoulder last year. He aggravated the injury three weeks ago, and then again last week.

Christian played the entire first half, then rested for two series in the second half, during which he was on the sideline with his left arm in a sling. But he returned to lead three second-half scoring drives.

Christian finished 18-for-34 for 224 yards, with both touchdown passes going to speedy Taveon Rogers. This season, 22 of Rogers’ 25 receptions resulted in first downs.

The Aggies also received a boost from running back Kenny Turner, a one-time UH recruit. The Warriors declined to offer him a scholarship in January 2010, after which Turner signed with the Aggies. In his first trip to the islands since that visit, Turner raced for 119 yards, including a 46-yard scoring run.

The Aggies cobbled together drives even though their tackles were apparently tipping off pass plays.

Still, the Warriors were able to make key defensive stands. The Aggies punted eight times.

"They’re very tough," UH defensive tackle Kaniela Tuipulotu said. "They kept us on our heels. We were able to make enough stops to get the ‘W.’ But that’s not how we want to win games. We’re happy to win, but we want to win a certain way."