PAHALA — It would have taken about 11 players to have a chance to contain Pahoa’s Keala Harris, who was a one-play wonder over and over again. ADVERTISING PAHALA — It would have taken about 11 players to have a
PAHALA — It would have taken about 11 players to have a chance to contain Pahoa’s Keala Harris, who was a one-play wonder over and over again.
Harris took a sweep, ran left or right, then the Daggers sealed the edge and watched him run.
Pahoa wasn’t bullied up front this time, and while Ka’u’s thunder didn’t work, Harris’ lightning did to the tune of 333 yards rushing with four touchdowns, three in the second half as the Daggers pulled away for a 32-8 victory in BIIF eight-man football.
“We came as one and worked together,” Harris said. “Teamwork, don’t forget teamwork.”
With touchdown runs of 89 and 93 yards, Harris’ rampage against the defending champions came on just 15 carries, and his rushing total is believed to be the highest since the BIIF adopted eight-man in 2014.
“I got secure blocks, and I just had to read them,” the senior said.
Including a preseason win at Molokai, Harris has accounted for 622 yards and seven scores in two games.
Of Pahoa’s 471 yards of offense Saturday, 48 came off the arm of junior quarterback Josiah Waiolama, who was 5 of 9 with an interception.
“(Keala) takes all the pressure off,” Daggers coach Chris Midel said. “With the running he does, we stick to that game plan. Try to keep it simple.”
The Trojans (0-1) did as well with designed quarterback runs, but they didn’t have near the success playing smashmouth as they did last season, not with linebackers Matthew Meyer and Gabriel Martin helping the Daggers (2-0, 1-0) hold their ground.
Pahoa even overcame four turnovers, while forcing just one. A fumble led to the Trojans’ only touchdown, Janslae Badua scampered 20 yards to tie the game going into halftime, and another fumble snuffed out a Pahoa drive inside the Trojans’ 5.
“I didn’t like those (turnovers), but they picked themselves back up,” said Midel, who was quick to praise his first-year assistants. “It’s not me, it’s them.”
The Trojans’ 53 rushing plays netted just 153 yards. Badua ran for 98 yards, and Zachary Kai tacked on 21 passing yards.
Ka’u coach DuWayne Ke said his team was missing a slew of players and dressed only 18.
“Good win for them, but we have two more (games) against them,” he said.
Asked about defending the Harris and the sweep going forward, Ke said, “I’m a football coach, we always have secrets coming back.”
On this day, the differences in the offenses were stark, and for once it was advantage Pahoa, which went winless in 2014 and 2015 before winning twice last season.
On the opening drive of the game, the Trojans went 41 yards in 15 plays before stalling on downs at the Daggers’ 15. Pahoa moved back on two plays, but on third down Harris got the edge on the right side and ran untouched down the sideline on a 89-yard score.
Matthew Ortega’s 31-yard touchdown run on a trap play helped Pahoa regain the lead in the third quarter, and Duane Correa’s 22-yard run set up Harris for a short jaunt around the right side for a another score.
The Trojans tried to battle back, getting a nice gain by Badua for a first-and-goal. Pahoa held on downs, however, and a minute later Harris went around the left side for his longest run of the day.
“We can’t let this get to our heads,” Harris said. “We’ve always had good players, but this year we have solid heads and think as one.”
