A runaway score and a running clock in Pahala. That’s nothing new.
A runaway score and a running clock in Pahala. That’s nothing new.
But this is eight-man Big Island Interscholastic Federation football, and the shoe is suddenly on the other foot for Ka’u.
Senior quarterback Cy Tamura led a first-half onslaught Friday night as the Trojans beat Pahoa 62-0.
Remembering all the lopsided scores Ka’u 11-man teams were on the wrong end of over the years, coach DuWayne Ke said he pulled his seniors at halftime and ran the ball exclusively in the second half.
“We were on the opposite end of the ball a couple of years ago,” Ke said. “I didn’t want to keep it going.”
The 62 points eclipsed the season output for any Trojans team from 2003-09.
Tamura tossed a pair of touchdown passes to Anthony Emmsley-AhYee (11 and 20 yards), one apiece to Kalii Apia-Dolan (15) and Randall Kahele (33), and also ran for a 14-yard score as Ka’u (2-0 BIIF, 2-1) bolted a 52-0 halftime lead.
Tamura scored seven touchdowns in the Trojans’ first two games, but Friday was his most prolific game as a passer.
“He took leadership in this game and with the rest of the seniors, and we let them have fun,” Ke said. “He wanted to play in the second half, but I told him he was done.”
Makana Gravela and Kupono Palakiko-Leffew added touchdowns.
Defensively, Kainalu Medeiros-Dancel grabbed an interception and Evan Manoha and Kaweni Ibarra combined to help produce a safety against the Daggers (0-2, 0-3).
Manoha, a junior, stood out to his coach.
“First year playing football, but it’s like he’s been playing football all of his life,” Ke said. “Unreal on defense.
“The underclassmen did their job very well in the second half. I can see what we going on for next year already.”
As the Trojans hum along in their second-year of eight-man, Ke can sympathize with the growing pains felt by Pahoa, which is returning to the gridiron after a 13-year absence.
“I had the same problem three years ago,” Ke said. “Once the players buy into the program, it’s going to get better.
“I told the the coaches their kids are playing with heart. Next year they’re going to be a good team.”