Makoa Camanse-Stevens doesn’t seem interested in splitting quarterback duties this year.
The 6-foot-3 senior threw for a career-high 174 yards and two touchdowns to help No. 3 Kamehameha defeat Castle 30-7 on Friday night in a nonconference football game at Kunuiakea Stadium.
Camanse-Stevens highlighted Kamehameha’s first home game in three years with an impressive performance that included 169 passing yards in the first half alone as Kamehameha raced out to a 27-0 lead.
“We were fired up because all of us haven’t played a varsity game on our own field,” Camanse-Stevens said. “To see all our fans came out here and see us play on our first day of school — we were jacked up.”
Camanse-Stevens split time with Nephi Stevens at quarterback as a junior but took every snap through the game’s first 35 minutes.
He found Jake Kealohi over the middle on a quick pass to the slot for a 20-yard touchdown to put the Warriors up 13-0 less than 8 minutes into the game.
Camanse-Stevens then started the second quarter with an 8-yard scoring pass to Nick Young to push the Kamehameha lead to 20-0.
“If he can get it where he can stick the ball in a 2- or 3-foot window with confidence, I think we’re going to be pretty dang good,” Kamehameha coach David Stant said. “Especially with our running game, because we have some pretty good backs.”
Kainoa Simao ran for 48 yards and a touchdown on eight carries and Kalani Wengler had 40 yards, averaging more than 4 yards a carry.
Even Kaulana Apelu got in on the action, gaining 36 yards on only three touches.
Stevens, who replaced Camanse-Stevens for two series at QB, made his presence felt at receiver, finishing with a game-high 71 receiving yards. He caught a 52-yard bomb from Camanse-Stevens midway through the second quarter, just barely stepping out of bounds at the Castle 10, negating a touchdown.
“We did some good things, but we’ve got a long way to go … especially if we want to beat the Saint Louises and the Punahous,” Stant said.
Six-foot-3 junior Kingston Fernandez led an imposing Warriors defense up front, recording three sacks in the first half alone.
Kamehameha had six total in the game.
Castle quarterback Kela Shea was an efficient 18-for-32 passing for 152 yards.
Castle only suited up 25 players for the game.
At Kunuiakea Stadium
| Castle (0-1) |
0 |
0 |
7 |
0 |
— |
7 |
| Kamehameha (1-0) |
13 |
14 |
3 |
0 |
— |
30 |
Kam—Alii Pedrina 30 run (kick failed)
Kam—Jake Kealohi 20 pass from Makoa Camanse-Stevens (TJ Fitzsimmons kick)
Kam—Nick Young 8 pass from Camanse-Stevens (Noah Crabbe kick)
Kam—Kainoa Siamo 10 run (Crabbe kick)
Kam—FG Fitzimmons 36
Cast—Ikaika Urasaki 13 pass from Keala Shea (Urasaki kick)
RUSHING—Castle: Makana Rombawa 2-6, Don Kaio 6-2, Shea 9-(minus 31). Kamehameha: Simao 8-48, Kalani Wengler 9-40, Kaulana Apelu 3-36, Pedrina 1-30, Camanse-Stevens 4-6, Kaulana Werner 1-(minus 5), Joshua Navarro Ishiki 1-(minus 8), Nephi Stevens 4-(minus 22).
PASSING—Castle: Shea 18-32-0-152. Kamehameha: Camanse-Stevens 11-23-0-174, N. Stevens 3-4-0-18, Navarro Ishiki 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING—Castle: Urasaki 4-61, Steven Yam 3-33, Kaio 3-0, Cullen Shroma-Fernandez 2-26, Rombawa 2-16, Makana Bee 2-7, Anu Ukauka 1-6, Chase Sagawinit 1-3. Kamehameha: Will Young 4-20, Pedrina 3-35, N. Stevens 2-71, N. Young 2-24, Kealohi 1-20, Werner 1-10, Kekoa Kuwada 1-7, Alohi Gilman 1-5.
