HILO – The game started innocently and awkwardly enough. On the first play Thursday night, Kamehameha’s Israel Bowden deflected a screen pass intended for teammate Tre Evans-Dumaran, who raised his arms as if to say, “Huh?”
For the rest of the first quarter — which included five touchdowns in the first eight-plus minutes — the operative word was “wow.”
The fireworks never stopped, and never did Kamehameha’s Elijah Campbell. In a game chock full of big plays, his two short touchdown runs made all the difference.
Playing in place of injured standout Kaeo Batacan, Campbell proved just as slippery, churning out 265 yards as Kamehameha beat BIIF rival Waiakea 39-27 at Wong Stadium.
Makoa Andres threw two touchdown passes and ran for 98 yards for Waiakea (0-2 BIIF Division I, 0-5), which had its hands full with Kamehameha’s balanced attack.
DallasJ Duarte threw for 234 yards in the first half, including long touchdown strikes of 47 yards to Evans-Dumaran and an 88-yard catch-and-run by Bayley Allen-Manliguis.
Special team helped Waiakea stay in the game.
As Kamehameha (1-1 BIIF Division II, 4-1) was celebrating Allen-Manliguis’ electrifying score, Waiakea’s Cody Cuba took a kickoff return 83 yards for a touchdown.
KS-Hawaii 20 7 6 0 —39
Waiakea 14 0 7 6 — 27