KEAAU — Everything fell into place at the Hawaii Football Club’s inaugural Life Champion Senior Bowl on Saturday night, and founder Keala Pule’s wide smile said it all.
There was a huge crowd, a pulsating atmosphere in the stands, and great game action, including a fantastic finish. Also for hometown pride, one of the Big Island boys really shined.
Keanan Luis, from Maui’s Baldwin High, scored on a 25-yard run in overtime to lift the Black team a 35-28 win over the White squad in the senior showcase that featured 86 players from 33 high schools.
“It was awesome,” Pule said. “The college coaches are excited about coming back. They love the athletes we have. They love their heart, and they love the aloha the kids have. They represented all of Hawaii so well.”
That late touchdown upstaged a highlight performance by the White team’s Donavan Kelley, from Hilo, who caught six passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns.
Black team quarterback Jordan Taamu, from Pearl City, was named the game’s MVP. He went 13 of 22 for 173 yards and rushed for 28 yards and three scores on 12 carries.
Kelley was awarded the Skill Position Player trophy. He reeled in touchdowns of 83 and 26 yards, both from Nanakuli quarterback Kale Kanehailua, the cousin of Kamehameha quarterback Micah Kanehailua.
“It was huge exposure and I was excited to be out here with my class of 2015, and all the college coaches,” Kelley said. “My family was out here and I’m glad I was able to show them something.”
The QB cousins were on the same White team. Micah Kanehailua went 12 of 22 for 132 with a touchdown and an interception. Kale Kanehailua completed 11 of 18 for 237 yards and three touchdowns.
It was a packed house at 1,500-seat Paiea Stadium with the local crowd coming out strong to support players from the Big Island, Oahu, Maui, Kauai and Lanai. There was even a player from Guam High School, Lewis Harris. He snagged two balls for 42 yards.
“I’m thrilled. It’s a great crowd,” said Doris Sullivan, president of Pacific Islands Athletic Alliance, the state’s largest recruiting service. “The community support is fantastic. We couldn’t have asked for more support from Kamehameha Schools and the community. It’s thrilling.
“Half stayed at the Butler Building and half stayed with family and friends. The kids at the Butler Building made a bond. The neighbor island kids came over and introduced themselves to the Oahu kids. They had fun. They played cards, traded helmet stickers and had study hall. They bonded and made friends and I think they’ll be friends for a long time.”
The game was streamed live on scoring live.com to over 200 colleges (NCAA Division I, I-AA, II, III, NAIA and junior colleges) through Sullivan’s vast network of contacts.
On the Black team the Big Island Interscholastic Federation players were Alapaki Iaea (Kamehameha), Paul Purdy (Honokaa), Preston Kalai (Kamehameha), Caleb Baptiste (Kamehameha), Grant Shiroma (Kamehameha), Kupono Palakiko-Leffew (Ka’u), Ofa Fahiua (Hilo), Kacey Hall (Hilo), Kainoa Pitz (Kealakehe) and Pono Davis (Kamehameha).
Palakiko-Leffew had two carries for a negative yard and Shiroma had three receptions for 22 yards.
On the White team the BIIF players were Isaiah Tauati (Kamehameha), Donavan Kelley (Hilo), Micah Kanehailua (Kamehameha), Haili Mahoe (Hilo), Tristin Spikes (Hilo), Kui Mortensen (Hilo), Jordan Caoagdan (Hilo), Keola Kelekolio (Hilo), Kiliona Pomroy (Hilo), Kamaehu Richards (Honokaa) and Kalalena Santiago (Konawaena).
Spikes rushed for eight yards on three carries, with a long of five yards. On one run, he showed a nifty lateral skip hop to avoid a tackle. He also caught one pass for 12 yards.
Micah Kanehailua and Kale Kanehailua, from Nanakuli, were teammates on the White team after being on opposing sidelines in the Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division II state tournament.
On Nov. 8 at Paiea Stadium, Kamehameha defeated Nanakuli 42-20 in the first round. It was the first time in five trips to states the Warriors won. They lost to Lahainaluna 52-7 the next week on Maui.
On a winter cold Saturday night and playing on his cousin’s home field, Kale Kanehailua had a highlight moment when he threw an 83-yard scoring strike to Hilo’s Kelley that tied it 7-7 in the second quarter with 5:51 remaining.
Kelley was listed as a 5-foot-7, 175-pound defensive back, but he made his biggest impact at receiver.
“I was in the slot and ran a seam route against Cover 2 and I split the safeties,” Kelley said.
He hauled in a 26-yard touchdown pass from Kale Kanehailua to give team White a 14-7 lead with 1:13 left.
“That was all instinct. I saw an open hole and took it,” Kelley said. “I learned a lot from the college coaches. You can learn something every day. You have to be patient and let the game open up.”
Taamu scored on a 1-yard run in the first quarter, and added a 7-yard run right before halftime for a 14-14 tie with no time on the clock.
In the third quarter, Luis scored on a 17-yard run, and Micah Kanehailua answered with 45-yard scoring strike to Kaiser’s Destin Moss to tie it 21-21.
Later Taamu added another 1-yard TD, and Kale Kanehailua knotted the score at 28-28 with an 11-yard scoring strike to Kahuku’s Alohi Gillman.
UH prospect
The local crowd got a wonderful treat watching Black defensive end Salanoa-Alo Wily, from Kahuku, who’s a verbal commit to the University of Hawaii.
“I came for the fun of it,” Wily said. “My senior season ended a little early (13-10 loss to Punahou in the state semifinals). It was a blessing to have this opportunity to further my high school career.
“It was a humbling experience playing with players from different islands. I didn’t know if we would all be on the same page. But they proved me wrong. We were one team even though the actual players were not from my school. We instantly clicked. I didn’t expect that to happen, but it was good that it did.”
Viking fans remember him well. He tore through Hilo’s defense for 138 yards and two touchdowns in Kahuku’s 20-10 win the first round of the Division I state tournament.
The 6-1, 270-pound Wily showed a furious bull rush against Waimea’s Drake Kaohelaulii, who’s 6-0 and 330 pounds. Every time Wily fired off the ball the large Menehune right guard went backward, and the Kanehailua cousins got an up close look at the Red Raider.
Hall honor
Hilo’s Kacey Hall received the Team Player award. He played about 19 snaps at right tackle. He hurt his shoulder during the season and never fully recovered.
“I’m amazed. I was not expecting it at all,” he said. “I tried to put others before myself. One player forgot his jersey and I let him use mine. I did better than I thought I would.”
Whether the 6-0, 205-pound offensive lineman plays college ball or not, Hall has a general idea of a career path. He’s thinking about going to school and majoring in pharmacy.
Great prizes
One prize was a two-night stay at the Westin Hotel on Oahu. Another was two tickets to the UH basketball’s Diamond Head Classic. There were also Under Armour apparel as prizes.
Nice nickname
Team Black’s nickname was “Aztec Coqui Frog Bags.”
The head coach was Jim Monaco from Pima (Ariz.) College.
Unfortunately, Team White didn’t have a unique nickname. For next year, a good one might be “Hilo Rain Drops Water Bottle.”
The head coach was Joe Schmitz from Briar Cliff (Iowa) University, an NAIA school where 2014 Ka’u graduate Toni Beck is playing volleyball.