Ikaika Woolsey helped script a stirring opening sequence for the Hawaii offense Saturday afternoon.
The conclusion to the evening, however, was a bit too familiar for the Rainbow Warriors quarterback.
"Finish" was the Warriors’ offseason mantra after falling short by a touchdown or less in five games last year. That theme again permeated Woolsey’s thoughts in the moments following Hawaii’s 17-16 loss to Washington at Aloha Stadium.
In his second career start, Woolsey guided the Rainbow Warriors to scores on their first two possessions as Hawaii took a 10-0 lead in its season opener against the 25th-ranked Huskies.
Maintaining that momentum proved more elusive in the second half and the Warriors were left to ponder the what-ifs after coming tantalizingly close to a season-opening upset.
"The boys came out hot. I wasn’t surprised about it — we had a good tempo, we just came out firing and we sustained that (first) drive," Woolsey said. "But like (coach Norm Chow) has been preaching all year we have to finish and today offensively we didn’t finish and I take full responsibility for tonight’s loss. I need to finish those drives and get points on the board."
Woolsey had a shaky starting debut as a freshman last year against Fresno State and seized the role early in training camp this summer. He appeared far more composed in start No. 2 in completing all four of his throws on UH’s 10-play opening drive that ended with Joey Iosefa’s 1-yard dive for the season’s first score.
UH led 10-0 after Woolsey distributed the ball effectively in an 18-play march that yielded the first of Tyler Hadden’s three field goals. After Washington answered with a 17-point run, a field-goal attempt clanged off the left post just before halftime and Woolsey went into the locker room 16-for-23 for 167 yards.
"(Woolsey) did a great job stepping up," said Iosefa, who bulled for 86 of his 143 rushing yards in the second half. "Big role, big shoes to fill. I feel he did a heck of a job tonight. We didn’t have any turnovers — that’s the main key — but we have to work on our stuff a little bit better."
The Warriors covered 146 yards in the second half, while the UH defense limited the Huskies to 119 after the break. Two more Hadden field goals brought UH to within a point, but the Warriors stalled as they approached midfield on their final two possessions of the game.
In his UH debut, Utah transfer Quinton Pedroza was Woolsey’s most frequent target in catching nine passes for 90 yards, five going for first downs. But after extending drives on eight of 13 third-down situations in the first half, UH converted two of 10 in the second.
"Like Coach said, we can’t be counting on these moral wins or whatever," said Woolsey, who was 7-for-19 after halftime.
"At the end of the day, in the win column it says zero and in the loss column it says one. We just have to finish it. All we needed was one point, so collectively as a team we need to finish and sustain drives.
"(The defense) got us on the field; we just need to get down there and get points. It’s definitely a hard loss to deal with, but come Monday we’re back to work and it’s Oregon State."
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