KAPAAU — Ka’u scored nine touchdowns, in so many entertaining ways it was difficult to remember them all, even for someone like Cy Tamura, who accounted for three scores — each one more exciting than the next.
KAPAAU — Ka’u scored nine touchdowns, in so many entertaining ways it was difficult to remember them all, even for someone like Cy Tamura, who accounted for three scores — each one more exciting than the next.
It wasn’t an official Big Island Interscholastic Federation football championship game on Saturday, but the visiting Trojans defeated Kohala 62-36 to capture the league’s inaugural eight-man title.
If the Cowboys (2-2 BIIF, 4-2) had won, there would have been a rematch for an official BIIF eight-man championship before before the Division II title game.
Due to travel costs, the league decided two weeks ago that if the Trojans (4-0, 5-1) won the home and away games against Kohala, they would claim the eight-man title.
“I can’t remember all the touchdowns, but this is the first football championship for us,” said Ka’u coach DuWayne Ke, who was soaked twice with the traditional ice victory bath.
It was rather nice that he got an ice water soaking instead of a sticky Gatorade bath, because it was sizzling hot and windy at Kohala’s campus football field.
The second-year eight-man coach had a proud father’s moment when his son, senior Kainalu Ke, intercepted a pass in the third quarter and scored on a 27-yard return.
At that point, the Trojans led 56-22 in a fast-paced thriller that was also filled with turnovers. Ka’u had four giveaways; Kohala had five turnovers.
And it was fun times right from the start. On the game’s opening drive, the Trojans marched 65 yards on eight plays, capped by Tamura’s 3-yard run.
His second touchdown later in the first quarter was his favorite because it was a quickly improvised play. Ka‘u quarterback Kukamaehuikupono DeRamos threw a short pass to Anthony Emmsley-AhYee, then …. Well, let’s allow Tamura, a shifty senior running back, tell the story because it’s his glory.
“I told Anthony to pass me the ball,” said Tamura of that lateral. “I took the ball and ran, and all I saw was open green.”
Tamura took it to the end zone for a 43-yard touchdown. Then Tamura returned the favor to Emmsley-AhYee in the third quarter.
On a designed halfback option, Tamura got the handoff, ran right and drew the Cowboys in. It was one of those bait on a hook deals and Kohala bit hard.
Emmsley-AhYee got behind two defenders, Tamura lofted a rainbow, and his pal scored on a 46-yard scoring strike for a 48-22 cushion.
For the hometown Cowboys, senior Josiah Pacheco had two long moments of brilliance.
In the first quarter, after Kaliikupapalani Apia-Dolan’s 55-yard pick-six for a 14-0 lead, Pacheco grabbed the kickoff, got on his giddy-up and scored on an 80-yard return.
Later in the first quarter, Pacheco found a seam and looked destined to score on a 91-yard run. But he was tackled by that guy, Tamura, at the 2-yard line. Pacheco got credited for an 89-yard run, and one play later Dalyn Kupukaa plunged into the end zone.
“This BIIF championship means a lot,” Tamura said. “It was a tough game but our line was blocking good and our backs made good plays. On our line, No. 52 (James Kuahiwinui) was just an animal and No. 51 (Austin Martin) was on it. He was hungry.”
In the first half, the Trojans ran the ball down the sidelines with great success because their line walled off Kohala, relying on the O-line’s athleticism to block in space, and allowing Tamura and Kupono Palakiko-Leffew to find a hole and motor to daylight.
“Our ends were not containing in the first half,” Kohala coach Reggie Tolentino said. “We made an adjustment in the second half, and had our ends push everything back in.”
Still, the Trojans kept scoring because their line play was solid, and their backs, especially Tamura, a savvy stop-and-go runner, understand how to run with so much open space angles.
“It’s a tough loss because we prepared all week,” Tolentino said. “Ka’u showed up to play. But our boys gave 110 percent. What more could you ask? We never gave up and played hard to the end.”
When the public address announcer asked each school’s fans to roar, the Cowboy faithful voiced ample support. But when it the Trojans’ turn, the fans shouted to the hot heavens.
Not only that, the Ka’u supporters lined the field behind the their team’s bench, and stood, cheered and yelled encouragement all game long.
After the Trojans were awarded their BIIF championship medals, they shook hands and received bear hugs and congratulations up and down the line from their fans.
It’s not only a tradition, but a strong sign of support from the Ka’u parents. Tamura’s smile was brightest when he talked about that part of his final BIIF football experience.
“We do that at every away and home game. We want to thank everybody,” he said. “For our fans to stand up all game long, that’s awesome. Every parent comes to our home and away games. Some even came to Maui (during a preseason game).”
Ke, the Ka’u coach, pointed out that eight-man football is more than a game in Pahala. There’s a good vibe in the small-town community, where the Trojans are embraced as a driving feel-good force.
“The whole town is so excited,” he said. “We’ve had so many people turn out. We’ve had crowds at home and away games. We’ve had fans follow us to every game. I played a lot of our young kids, and played our seniors in the second half because it’s their last year, and we’ll have a big turnout next year, too.”