Everything came together for Waiakea this week: The offense and defense did their parts, sophomore quarterback Gehrig Octavio came of age and senior Tyler Kerr kicked the game-winning field goal.
Kerr blasted a 25-yard field goal with eight seconds left Friday night, and Waiakea defeated Kealakehe for the first time in nearly a decade, 24-21, in a Big Island Interscholastic Federation football game at Wong Stadium.
The Warriors (2-3 BIIF, 2-5) held a 21-0 cushion late in the third quarter, but the Waveriders (2-3, 2-4) stormed back with three straight touchdowns.
After Kealakehe running back Kobe Antolin scored on a 28-yard run to tie the score at 21-all with less than six minutes left, Waiakea drove 65 yards for the winning score.
The Warriors ran 11 plays — all on the ground, then Kerr came in and smoked his game-winner from 25 yards out.
Last week, Kealakehe held Hilo to 33 rushing yards in a 7-0 home loss. Friday, Waiakea ran for 231 yards on 56 attempts, a 4.1-yard average.
Waiakea junior running back Pono Auwae stamped himself as a leading contender for the BIIF Division I Offensive Player of the Year award with 18 carries for 88 yards.
Octavio finished with 16 carries for 70 yards; Joe Ongais, 17 attempts, 55 yards; and Joe Alvarez, three carries, 17 yards.
Octavio was 6 of 11 for 63 yards with a touchdown and interception. Cody Cuba caught two balls for 39 yards.
Kealakehe quarterback Markus Degrate was an offensive spark plug. He rushed for 57 yards on eight carries and was 12 of 23 for 154 yards with a TD and a pick.
Antolin added 46 yards on six carries with two touchdowns for the Waveriders, who finished with 111 yards on 17 attempts, a 6.5-yard average.
After a scoreless first quarter, Kainalu Fejeran picked off Degrate near midfield to start the second quarter. Then the Warriors went on an 11-play, 61-yard drive, capped by Ryder Oshiro’s 1-yard plunge.
Octavio’s elusiveness provided the key play on second-and-10 from the Waveriders’ 13-yard line. Kealakehe had a strong pass rush, but Octavio turned a potential sack into a 10-yard run.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Waveriders had a nice runback and started at the Warriors’ 42. Degrate ran through an open hole, and went untouched for 17 yards.
Degrate got 5 yards on the next play, but was stripped, and Manuia Sevao recovered the fumble at the Waiakea 20.
It took only six plays for the Warriors to increase the lead to 14-0 after Octavio ran an option and pitched to Auwae, who scored from 5 yards out.
Kealakehe 0 0 7 14 — 21
Waiakea01473—24
Second quarter
Wai — Ryder Oshiro 1 run (Tyler Kerr kick), 5:47
Wai — Pono Auwae 5 run (Kerr kick), 3:32
Third quarter
Wai — Isaiah Mahaulu 8 pass from Gehrig Octavio (Kerr kick), 3:40
Kea — Louie Garcia 13 pass from Markus DeGrate (Ari Mench kick), :52
Fourth quarter
Kea — Kobe Antolin 3 run (Mench kick), 10:07
Kea — Antolin 28 run (Mench kick), 5:39
Wai — FG 25 Kerr, :08