KEAAU — All Kamehameha-Hawaii needed was an opportunity.
The Warriors scored all their points off turnovers, and blanked previously undefeated Konawaena 24-0 at rainy Paiea Stadium on Friday.
Konawaena still holds an edge in the BIIF Division II race with a 4-1 league record, but Kamehameha improved to 3-2 with the win, making the final weeks of divisional play interesting as the teams jostle for playoff seeding.
Kaeo Batacan was the workhorse for the Warriors, carrying the ball 38 times for 101 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback DallasJ Duarte finished 7-of-15 for 68 yards and one touchdown.
Konawaena was behind by a stride for most of the night. Passes were just out of reach, kick returns were dropped, and a handful of defensive mistakes proved costly.
Konawaena quarterback Tristan Fleming-Nazara finished 12-of-27 for 111 yards and four interceptions. Fleming-Nazara was playing in relief of regular starter Austin Ewing, who was held out with a concussion. Running back Algene Kelekolio carried the ball 16 times for 74 yards.
The routine for Kamehameha-Hawaii early on was three-and-out on offense, but were gifted a fumble deep in Konawaena territory to get momentum rolling in the right direction.
Bayley-Allen Manliguis picked up the fumble and returned it to the Konawaena 5-yard line. Eight seconds later, Batacan took an inside handoff and found pay dirt on a 5-yard run.
The score put Konawaena behind 7-0, causing the first deficit of the BIIF season for the Wildcats. The only other time Konawaena trailed this season was against Kauai in the preseason. The Wildcats eventually won that game 32-7.
Konawaena continued to get its opportunities, but couldn’t finish. The first quarter ended with the Wildcats holding a 121-14 edge in total yards, but still behind.
Late in the second quarter, Konawaena made its third trip inside the Kamehameha 20-yard line thanks to 60 yards of penalties against the Warriors. Fleming-Nazara looked to the corner of the end zone on a pass, but was picked off by David Kalili.
And again, Kamehameha capitalized on the opportunity.
Duarte and Batacan led the extended drive, which ended with Manliguis catching a 30-yard pass and strolling into the end zone with under two minutes left in the half.
Kamehameha entered the locker room with a 14-0 lead, and a load of confidence.
On Konawaena’s second possession of the second half, Sean Lukela Chin made a heads-up interception of Fleming-Nazara on a tipped ball, setting up Kamehameha deep in Konawaena territory.
After three plays without a first down, Kamehameha opted to go for it on fourth down, setting up the most critical play of the game to that point. Batacan hit a wall of defenders, but drove his legs and picked up the first down.
The Warriors flipped the big play from the senior back into a 21-yard Jaisten Cabatbat field goal to make it a three-possession game.
After the score, Konawaena looked to dip into the deficit. Fleming-Nazara ripped off a 20-yard run, followed by a 24-yard plunge from Kelekolio. However, for the fourth time, the Wildcats would be turned away without points from inside the red zone. Cameron Howes took a direct snap, lowered his shoulder, but came up half a ball length short on fourth down.
It didn’t get any better to end the quarter. Threatening again, Fleming-Nazara threw a high-arching ball to the corner of the end zone, but was picked off.
Kamehameha DB Kailikea Kukuawela registered his second interception of the game in the fourth quarter. Batacan transformed that into points on his second touchdown of the night — a five-yard scamper — that made it 24-0.
Howes entered as quarterback late, trying to improvise to make a play. However, the Wildcats would be held off the board and the Kamehameha defense preserved the shutout.
Scoring plays
First quarter
KAM — Kaeo Batacan 5-yard run (kick good)
Second quarter
KAM — Bayley-Allen Manliguis 30-yard pass from DallasJ Duarte (kick good)
Third quarter
KAM — Jaisten Cabatbat 21-yard FG
Fourth quarter
KAM — Batacan 5-yard run (kick good)
Konawaena 0 0 0 0 — 0
KS-Hawaii 7 7 3 7 — 24