KEAAU – Kealakehe might have entered Paiea Stadium as a mystery, but it left as much more of a known quantity.
Especially on offense, where the Waveriders might have a juggernaut on their hands.
Senior quarterback Jorden Himalaya was poised and precise in throwing for 349 yards and three touchdowns Friday night, Raymond Skillern ran for three scores and Kealakehe beat Kamehameha 49-42 with a rousing performance that hearkened back to the BIIF football program’s glory days.
One shining night does not a revival make, but there was a lot for Kealakehe to like about this one.
Himalaya whipped passes to nine different receivers in engineering a quick-strike passing game, finishing an efficient 25 of 34 with an interception. Kainoa Jones was his favorite target, hauling in eight passes, one for a touchdown.
The Waveriders (2-1, 1-0 BIIF Division I) made a rare mainland appearance last Friday, losing 42-0 to Desert Hills of Utah, but they came back with a vengeance, starting fast with 147 yards on their first two touchdown drives and finishing faster. Ahead 27-20 at the half, Kealakehe scored on its first three possessions of the second half, allowing themselves to line up in victory formation after recovering an onsides kick with under a minute remaining.
Kamehameha’s Kolten Kaaihue took back a kickoff return for a touchdown, but the showstopper of the night for the Warriors (1-1, 1-1 BIIF Division II) was Kilohana Haasenritter, who ran for 203 yards and two touchdowns.
A one-man highlight reel for the Warriors, on one second quarter drive, after a Izayah Chartrand-Penera interception, Haasenritter weaved his way to 88 yards on the ground, ripping off runs of 27, 36 and 24 yards – each seemingly more splendid than the last one – before easing in from the 1.
Kealakehe made its share of mistakes of defense and special teams, but its offense always came through, accumulating more than 500 yards.
Kalani Piltz and Koarii Atkinson-Sioloa caught touchdown passes, Teyler Frasier showed a knack for making big plays with four catches for 136 yards and Duwayne Johnson ran for a third-quarter score.
The Waveriders made a mistake on the opening kickoff of the second half, letting the ball get to the 1 before falling on it.
No worries.
The Waveriders simply marched 99 yards, getting a key pass play from Himalaya to Frasier covering 49 yards on third-and-10 from their 5. A personal foul extended the drive and Skillern capped it off with his third score.
Kealakehe usually went to the run in the red zone. Skillern ran five times for 59 yards, and Himalaya added 56 yards.
Haasenritter carried seven times on a 78-yard scoring drive to make it a one-score game again in the third, but Himalaya and the Waveriders always had an answer.
After Tabuyo-Kahele’s touchdown run made it 42-34 in the fourth quarter, the Warriors twice looked set to get the ball back.
On third-and-25 from their 20, Himalaya hit Frazier for a 37-yard gain, and later on third-and-14 he found Atkinson-Siolo, who turned a short reception into for a 52-yard catch-and-run score.