The end zone was the only thing stopping Kapolei’s running backs and receivers Friday night.
Using a zippy up-tempo attack, the Hurricanes took advantage of two first-quarter Pearl City fumbles on the way to a big early lead and an eventual 42-7 rout in a nonleague, season-opening football game at Kapolei.
The Hurricanes got most of their mileage from senior running back Tristen Pebria, who scored the first two touchdowns with 5- and 6-yard dives up the middle. He finished the game with 188 yards on 19 carries and three scores.
Kapolei starting quarterback Aizon Kahana also had a big game, completing five of seven passes for 66 yards and two first-half touchdowns.
For Pearl City, an OIA White (Division II) team, and first-year coach Robin Kami, it was a tough opening act against the Hurricanes, who are in the OIA Red (D-I). Kapolei, with its snappy pace, was difficult to defend. On every down, its offense was nearly set before the official placed the ball.
“We practice it every day, the tempo,” said Kapolei coach Darren Hernandez, who also said this year’s squad is the best he’s had in that category. “We take pride in that and in our conditioning.”
Pebria broke the game open with a 71-yard burst for a touchdown on the first play of the second half. That put the Hurricanes ahead 35-0 and started the mercy-rule running clock.
“Our running game took off and our offensive linemen were the unsung heroes,” said Hernandez, who pointed to the leadership of UH commit Micah Kapoi.
Kapolei backup quarterback Alton Julius got in on his team’s offensive fury in the second half, completing a 47-yard pass to Ohaiali‘i Bumanglang to set up his own 6-yard touchdown scamper for a 42-0 lead as time ran out in the third quarter.
Pearl City’s offense got significantly past midfield only once in the first half before it finally broke through with a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Backup quarterback Travis Joe guided the Chargers on a 66-yard drive, capped by his 36-yard scoring strike to Timothy Rivera.
“We’re holding our heads up high,” Joe said. “We played our hearts out out there. We put in the hard work and it was reflected on the field (on the team’s only touchdown).”
Arielle Stoyanow, Kapolei’s senior female kicker, started the season strong, picking up where she left off last year by making all six of her extra-point kicks.
Hernandez and Kami mentioned that their teams are missing many players due to academic ineligibility.
Pebria, a 5-foot-7, 180-pound hard runner, is looking ahead to a possible big season by the Hurricanes.
“The sky is the limit this season,” he said.
At Kapolei
| PC (0-1) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
— |
7 |
| KAPOLEI (1-0) |
21 |
7 |
14 |
0 |
— |
42 |
Kapo—Tristen Pebria 6 run (Arielle Stoyanow kick)
Kapo—Pebria 5 run (Stoyanow kick)
Kapo—Donovan Kapuniai 27 pass from Aizon Kahana (Stoyanow kick)
Kapo—Daniel Magaoay 5 pass from Kahana (Stoyanow kick)
Kapo—Pebria 71 run (Stoyanow kick)
Kapo—Ohaiali‘I Bumanglang 47 pass from Alton Julius (Stoyanow kick)
PC—Timothy Rivera 36 pass from Travis Joe (Dominic Maneafiga kick)
RUSHING—PC: Joe 6-25, Jordan Taamu 4-20, Rivera 4-11, Dominic Maneafiga 3-(minus-5). Kapo: Pebria 19-188, Kahana 5-40, Konelio Maluina 2-14, Kaimana Bunker 2-13, Julius 1-6, Joseph Kaina 2-3, Malik Smith 3-1, TEAM 2-(minus-25).
PASSING—PC: Joe 4-5-0-52; Taamu 2-14-1-6. Kapo: Kahana 5-7-0-66; Julius 1-4-0-47.
RECEIVING—PC: Timothy Rivera 3-39, Kierren McGhee 2-7, Paul Martin 1-12. Kapo: Magaoay 2-18, Ohaiali‘I Bumanglang 1-47, Kapuniai 1-27, Julius 1-14, Pebria 1-7.
