HILO – Kealakehe’s first half included four turnovers, three dropped would-be touchdowns, an unsuccessful onside kick, a bungled handoff that thwarted a fourth-down try and a personal foul penalty that gave Keaau new life after missing on fourth down.
That the Waveriders actually finished the game with style points was all because of a career-night by Sequoia Iona and Kealakehe’s ball-hawking secondary.
Iona intercepted four passes, taking one back for a score Saturday night, and Kealakehe forced eight turnovers to beat the Cougars 28-8 in BIIF Division I.
Keanu Alu also returned an interception for a touchdown for the Waveriders, whose stingy defense withstood six turnovers by their offense.
Keaau (0-5 BIIF, 0-6) played its most competitive game since a 16-point loss to Honokaa in Week 1. But as has been a theme for the Cougars this season, they couldn’t produce any sort of rushing attack and finished with negative yardage again on the ground.
Playing in a featured role in place of Riggs Kurashige, Kobe Antolin rumbled for 140 yards and two scores for Kealakehe (4-1 BIIF, 4-3), which will return to East Hawaii on Friday to face Hilo, with the winner locking down the top seed in the playoffs.
After Iona’s second interception, Klein Hao’s 45-yard catch and Anthony “Head” Trevino’s 21-yard run set up Kealakehe with first-and-goal at the 10 late in the second quarter. But the Waveriders dropped three passes in the end zone, with the final one ending a first half that featured more turnovers (eight) than points (seven).
Despite all the miscues, the Waveriders’ defense cleaned things up on a muddy field, putting the game on spin cycle: Kealakehe would turn the ball over, and its defense would stuff Keaau. Wash, rinse, repeat.
Amazingly, none of the turnovers led to points until Alu picked off a Dilan Santos pass late in the third quarter and returned it 54 yards to finally give Kealakehe breathing room with a 14-0 lead.
Antolin’s second touchdown run capped an 86-yard drive that included a 45-yard completion from Markus Degrate to Trevino. His first came after Kealakehe took over at the Keaau 25 after a punt.
Trevino and DeGrate each threw an interception.
Keaau turned Damion Scandrick’s pick into a 3-yard touchdown run backup quarterback Damien Furtado.
Iona already had himself a big night when he picked off Furtado near the left sideline and returned it 67 yards for a score.
For good measure, Klein Hao also garnered an interception.
Kealakehe 7 0 7 14 —35
Keaau 0 0 0 8 — 8
First quarter
Kealakehe – Kobe Antolin 5 run (Kolby Martin kick), 1:11
Third quarter
Kealakehe – Keanu Alu 54 interception return (Martin kick), :48
Fourth quarter
Kealakehe – Antolin 5 run (Martin kick), 8:49
Keaau – Damien Furtado 3 run (pass good), 2:29
Kealakehe – Iona 67 interception return (Martin kick), 1:56