Two late interception returns for touchdowns allowed No. 7 Kamehameha to breathe a little easier in what had been a shaky fourth quarter on the way to a 29-8 victory over Fagaitua of Samoa on Friday night at Kunuiakea Stadium.
Trailing just 15-8 and punching the ball through for large chunks of yardage in their heavy, elephant-style package, the visitors were poised to march for a tying or go-ahead score.
But Fagaitua opted to switch from the wildcat attack that led to the Vikings’ first touchdown and 2-point conversion one series earlier. Quarterback Manuita Sofeni put the ball in the air and Kamehameha’s Harrison Donato clutched it, returning it 33 yards for a touchdown to virtually put the game away at 22-8 with 3:16 to go.
Later, with 2:58 left, the Warriors’ Taylor Scott Wong duplicated the feat, intercepting a Tuaoloina Taase pass and taking it to the house for a 47-yard score for the final exclamation point.
“Oh yeah, I was real worried,” said Kamehameha defensive lineman Ezra Evaimalo, a University of Hawaii commit who finished with a sack and a tackle for loss. “But I didn’t want the rest of the team to feel that, so I tried to keep my composure. They were great at pounding it, hammering straight at us. Once they scored, (I think) they should have kept pounding. But whatever they think is best for their team.”
Abu Maafala, the Kamehameha coach, was also “absolutely” worried.
“Oh my gosh, who lines up like that anymore?” he said. “That was a great game plan they had. We practiced for it all week, but we haven’t seen that type of physical football in a while. It was good to see. It was also scary to see. It was exactly like Kahuku (with Kesi Ah-Hoy four years ago).”
The Warriors got on the board for a 6-0 second-quarter lead when quarterback Jonah Yuen hit Blaze Kamoku with a 31-yard touchdown pass.
In the third quarter, Kamehameha (1-2) took advantage of two Fagaitua (0-1) fumbles, but could not pull away, settling for three field goals to make it 15-0, but nothing was a sure bet at that point.
Sofeni ran the ball 12 times for 65 yards on the Vikings’ 16-play, 80-yard TD drive. He capped it with a 6-yard burst and then ran home the 2-point conversion to make it 15-8 with 7:01 to go.
And then those two Warriors interceptions put the final sting into Fagaitua.
“I’m really proud of my guys,” Fagaitua coach Pooch Taase said. “This is not the end of our season. We’re going to lose now instead of later on in the season. Those turnovers early in the second half … that didn’t help us.”
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NON-LEAGUE
No. 7 Kamehameha 29, Fagaitua 8
At Kamehameha Schools
>> Fagaitua (0-1) 0 0 0 8 — 8
>> Kamehameha (1-2, 0-2) 0 6 9 14 — 29
Kamehameha – Blaze Kamoku 31 pass from Jonah Yuen (kick failed)
Kamehameha – FG Preston Rezentes 41
Kamehameha – FG Keaton Downing 30
Kamehameha – FG Rezentes 28
Fagaitua – Manuita Sofeni 6 run (Sofeni run)
Kamehameha – Harrison Donato 33 interception return (Precious Brown kick)
Kamehameha – Taylor Scott Wong 47 interception return (Downing kick)
RUSHING — Fagaitua: Manuita Sofeni 20-91, Joseph Umu 11-53, Fatu Fatu Jr. 4-34, Fitu Amata 6-12, Ajoren Iosua 2-9, Roni Oa 1-(minus 3), TEAM 1-(minus 8). Kamehameha: Kawika Clemente 14-73, Andrew-Lee Smith 4-25, Yuen 2-5, Kiai Keone 3-2, Downing 1-1.
PASSING — Fagaitua: Amata 1-2-0–9, Sofeni 1-5-1–5, Tuaoloina Taase 1-7-1–3. Kamehameha: Yuen 9-18-0–138, Keone 6-8-0–61.
RECEIVING – Fagaitua: Umu 2-14, Oa 1-3. Kamehameha: Kahekili Pahio 4-40, Kamoku 3-47, Edward Correa 2-47, Kelai Takahashi 2-33, Clemente 1-14, Kalanikuikahi Lorenzo 1-8, Kainoa Doctor 1-6, Micah Park 1-4.
