KEAAU — Hilo led one-win and charged-up Keaau just 14-7 at halftime, the type of football game both teams desperately needed, even though the ending was fairly predictable.
Behind explosive second-half plays, the Vikings pulled away from Keaau 42-13 in a BIIF Division I game on Friday night at the Cougars Stadium, where homecoming helped energize the home team.
The Cougars (1-5, 1-5 BIIF) played an almost perfect game, at least for the first half, and had their homecoming crowd fired up. They dominated time of possession (19 to 5 minutes), ran far more plays (32 to 11) and won the turnover battle (2 to 0).
Well, all that went out the window because the Vikings (5-0, 5-1) looked like a different team in the second half. They remembered that they are the five-time defending BIIF champions and played like it.
To borrow a baseball reference, it’s difficult for a team that hits singles to beat an opponent that keeps slugging home runs.
Hilo had big-play touchdowns from Fiki Aguilar (68-yard reception from Kyan Miyasato), Guyson Ogata (55 and 46 yard catches) and Elijah Apao (64-yard interception return).
“It all starts from practice. You put in the work at practice and at games it shows,” said Ogata, who kept torching Keaau’s Cover 3 (one safety and two corners tasked with defending the deep zones). “Our QB tagged me on a seam, and I took an inside release and was open. It was the same thing with the same play on the second touchdown.”
The Vikings won their last four games by average score of 35-5. They needed a competitive ballgame and got it from the Cougars, who cut down on their discipline issues and had only five penalties and focused on stopping the run; still, Hilo senior Kaleo Ramos ran for 65 yards on 12 attempts, a 5.4 yard average.
Hilo has deep personnel and adjusts accordingly. Last season, slashing running back Kahale Huddleston carried the offense. This year, the offense features several home run-hitting receivers, including juniors Ogata and Aguilar and senior Kalae Akui.
“We came out flat and didn’t execute on both side of the ball in the first half,” Hilo coach Kaeo Drummondo said. “We started to execute better in the second half. Guyson is a tough kid. He’s competitive and has a desire to come out to practice and run hard. When we get him the ball, good things happen.”
Miyasato is the beneficiary of those sure-handed game-breakers, and it’s not just the offense that’s capable of producing explosive plays (20 yards or more). Miyasato completed 9 of 17 for 240 yards, throwing four touchdown strikes and one pick.
Ogata had three receptions for 135 yards, his last catch went for 34 yards, and he was angle tackled at the Keaau 10-yard line in the fourth quarter. From there, Ramos rumbled in to cap the scoring.
Defensively, Apao had a 64-yard pick-six, a little earlier in the fourth quarter to provide a 34-13 lead and breathing room. The Cougars trailed 28-13 after the third period but just couldn’t string together any long drives.
Keaau quarterback Bryant Respicio-Mercado went 12 of 22 for 73 yards with a four-yard touchdown pass to Robbie Kahihikolo and an interception. Every time a Cougar caught a pass a Viking or a host of them were around to make a tackle and snuff out any yards after the catch gains.
The ground game ran in a blue Hilo wall. Emelio Acia rushed for hard-earned 50 yards on 19 attempts, including a 17-yard score in the second quarter. Keaau adjusted, too. Rushing attacks went to the left, away from corner Kahiau Walker, who quickly read run plays and blew them up.
“A game like this was good for us. It’s a learning experience,” Drummondo said. “You have to learn to play for four quarters and make adjustments, sometimes during a drive. That’s how you build that championship experience.”
Hilo 14 0 14 14 — 42
Keaau 0 7 6 0 — 13
First quarter
Hilo —Fiki Aguilar 68 pass from Kyan Miyasato (Joshua Rosario kick), 5:26
Hilo — Kalae Akui 11 pass from Miyasato (Rosario kick), :45
Second quarter
Keaau — Emelio Acia 17 run (Acia kick), 2:03
Third quarter
Hilo —Guyson Ogata 55 pass from Miyasato (Rosario kick), 9:53
Keaau — Robbie Kahihikolo 4 pass from Bryant Respicio-Mercado (kick failed), 6:19
Hilo — Ogata 46 pass from Miyasato (Rosario kick), 1:57
Fourth quarter
Hilo —Elijah Apao 64 interception return (Rosario kick), 5:29
Hilo — Kaleo Ramos 10 run (Rosario kick), 4:05