HILO — Hilo’s special teams made the biggest impact against Waiakea during crosstown rivalry week, and the other two phases of the game — offense and defense — dominated as well.
The Vikings turned over the football four times, but did more than enough to defeat the Warriors 43-3 in a Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division I game Friday night at Wong Stadium.
Hilo’s average starting field position was at midfield while Waiakea started at its 25-yard line most of the time.
When the Warriors caught a break, and had good field position, potential touchdowns were squandered.
In the first quarter, they started from near midfield, reached Hilo’s 13-yard line, then threw an interception.
A series later in the second quarter, Waiakea started at the Vikings 22, had third-and-goal from the 1, but was called for an illegal substitution.
The Warriors settled for a 25-yard field goal from Tyler Kerr. It pretty much never got better from there.
Tristin Spikes rushed for 112 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries to spark the Vikings (7-0 BIIF, 8-0), who finished with 175 yards on 30 carries, a 5.8-yard average.
Hilo quarterback Sione Atuekaho accounted for four touchdowns. He was 14 of 26 for 165 yards with three scoring strikes, but he threw three interceptions. He rushed four times for 53 yards, including a 36-yard TD.
Shelton Lerma was Atuekaho’s favorite target. He caught six balls for 74 yards, including TD passes of 14 and 11 yards.
Waiakea’s Kainalu Fejeran had two interceptions and Shane Smith also had a pick for the Warriors (2-5, 2-7), who had a tough time moving the ball against a Hilo defense that gave little ground.
Waiakea’s aerial attack just couldn’t find a rhythm. Sophomore quarterback Gehrig Octavio was 5 of 24 for 40 yards with two picks, and missed his first 10 passes.
Hilo’s Haili Mahoe and Jacob Chiquita had interceptions. Kui Mortensen would have had a 58-yard pick-six, but a Vikings holding penalty nullified his score.
Joe Alvarez rumbled for 72 yards on 14 carries and Joey Ongais added 57 yards on 18 attempts. Octavio ran for 17 yards on 12 carries. Only those three ran the ball, and Waiakea finished with 146 yards on 44 carries, a 3.3-yard average.
In the first quarter, the Vikings had two productive kickoff returns to set up scores, the first was Donavan Kelley’s 35-yard return on the opening drive, and the next was Rylen Kaniaupio’s 43-yard return a little later.
Kelley’s run put the ball at the Hilo 46, and nine plays later Atuekaho connected with Lerma on a 14-yard scoring strike. Kelley threw a two-point pass to Keola Kelekolio.
Then Kaniaupio grabbed the kickoff, weaved through a school of tacklers and was stopped at the Waiakea 27. Spikes ran 12 yards, Lerma caught a 12-yard pass and Spikes scored on a 3-yard run.
It was 15-0 and the Vikings were only warming up.
Waiakea 0 3 0 0 — 3
Hilo 15 6 14 8 — 43
First quarter
Hilo — Shelton Lerma 14 pass from Sione Atuekaho (Keola Kelekolio pass from Donavan Kelley), 7:46
Hilo — Tristin Spikes 3 run (Rayce Takayesu kick), 2:08
Second quarter
Wai — FG 25 Tyler Kerr, 6:24
Hilo — Spikes 1 run (pass failed), 4:16
Third quarter
Hilo — Atuekaho 36 run (Malu Lapilio run), 6:36
Hilo — Cohlby Espaniola 19 pass (kick failed), 4:36
Fourth quarter
Hilo — Lerma 11 pass from Atuekaho (Kelley run), 6:49