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AMHERST, Mass. >> Ryan Meskell has fond memories of his first football game.
It was on Saturday.
Meskell, who was raised in Australia, converted a 29-yard field goal in Hawaii’s 38-35 victory over Massachusetts at McGuirk Stadium.
“It was awesome,” Meskell said of his 3-pointer with 5:23 to play.
In the preseason, Meskell and Alex Trifonovitch, a 2015 Punahou School graduate recruited as a punter, competed for the place-kicker’s job. Special teams coordinator Mayur Chaudhari divided the duties: Meskell was used on kickoffs and the field-goal attempt on Saturday; Trifonovitch handled point-after kicks.
“I was standing around watching the whole game,” Meskell said. “When it came on for my kick, I was excited. I honestly thought we were going (for the first down). I’m still getting used to the whole rhythm of game.”
UH to sport new helmets next week
The Warriors will wait until next weekend’s home opener against Western Carolina to debut their new green helmets. All of those helmets (priced at $450 a pop) came from donations from fans. The Warriors wore the white helmets they used last season during Saturday’s game.
But the Warriors performed their ha‘a twice on Saturday — after completing pregame warm-ups and in the postgame celebration.
Matautia makes first interception
It was outside linebacker Solomon Matautia who produced the Warriors’ first interception of the season. It came in the first quarter after an Andrew Ford pass ricocheted off receiver Andy Isabella’s hands.
Matautia had not intercepted a pass since 2014, when he was the state’s top safety as a Campbell High senior.
Hicks produces in new rover position
Kalen Hicks was used in the Warriors’ new rover position, which is part of defensive coordinator Legi Suiaunoa’s recently implemented sub-packages.
Hicks is a graduate of Las Vegas’ Bishop Gorman High School, a national football power. But he suffered an ACL injury days prior to the first game of his senior season in 2016. Last year, as a UH freshman, he played in three games before aggravating the ACL.
Hicks made four tackles against UMass.
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