KAILUA-KONA — On the eve of the Ironman World Championship in Kona, there was no swimming or biking done by Kealakehe, but the Waveriders did a whole lot of running in a 43-16 win over Waiakea on Friday night.
KAILUA-KONA — On the eve of the Ironman World Championship in Kona, there was no swimming or biking done by Kealakehe, but the Waveriders did a whole lot of running in a 43-16 win over Waiakea on Friday night.
Mason Kaawa-Loa scored on a pair of touchdown runs and the Waveriders amassed 195 yards on the ground to end the BIIF regular season on a high note. Kobe Antolin didn’t find the end zone, but led the Waveriders in rushing with 106 yards on 16 carries.
The Waveriders produced in all facets of the game. An opportunistic defense provided a touchdown on a Bryton Lewi pick-six and safety, and Riggs Kurashige was the catalyst on special teams, setting up scores with long returns.
Kealakehe will be the No. 1 seed entering the playoffs, and will take on last place Keaau at home Oct. 17.
Despite the loss, Waiakea retains the No. 3 spot and will travel to take on No. 2 Hilo.
Kealakehe opened the game with a surprise onside kick and recovered. The Waveriders got the ball moving early with the passing game. Markus Degrate connected on two passes for a combined 36 yards to move Kealakehe into scoring territory. Akoni Demello capped the eight-play, 45-yard drive with a three-yard run to put the Waveriders up.
Waiakea moved the ball effectively in the first quarter with a balanced look out of the pistol. The first big play of the game came on a 40-yard completion from a scrambling Gehrig Octavio to Cody Cuba in the middle of the field. Waiakea pounded the ball down inside the 10-yard line, but came up just inches short on fourth down and gave the ball back to Kealakehe.
The Warriors were not discouraged by the lack of points. Waiakea came back on its next drive, driving down against inside the Kealakehe 20. This time, the Warriors opted for an Octavio field goal to make it 7-3.
The always-dangerous Kurashige gave Kealakehe a boost on the ensuing kickoff. The senior returned the ball 81 yards, deep into Waiakea territory. Kaawa-Loa punched it in one play later from 11-yards out.
It didn’t take long for Waiakea to respond. Octavio looked out wide, pumped faked on a screen, and then turned his attention downfield to a wide open Cuba, who scooted untouched 50 yards into the end zone for a score.
Kealakehe churned out its most sustained drive before half, using a steady dose of Antolin and Ini Paio. The senior backs chipped away, moving Kealakehe into Waiakea territory. Degrate finished the drive with a three-yard QB keeper on a read option to give the Waveriders a 20-10 advantage heading into the half.
The Kealakehe offense had a hard time revving up after the break, but the defense found a way to put up points.
Octavio used his legs to make a lot of plays in the first half, but they got him in trouble deep in his own territory. Octavio saw pressure from a Kealakehe blitz, ran backwards, but was forced to lob out a pass with no one in the area. The ref ruled it intentional grounding in the end zone, granting a two-point safety to Kealakehe.
Overshadowed by an incident on the Waiakea sideline involving a parent coming out of the stands and confronting a coach, the Kealakehe offense got back on track. Again, Kurashige gave the offense stellar field position with a big return and Kaawa-Loa batted cleanup, finding the end zone for his second score from 10-yards out.
After the score, Waiakea opted for backup quarterback Makoa Andres. Octavio finished 5-11 for 101 yards and a touchdown. However, 90 of Octavio’s yards came on two plays.
Andres didn’t fare much better. He threw interceptions on back-to-back drives, one a pick six to Bryton Lewi and the other the Klein Hao.
Waiakea wouldn’t go away though, flipping a controversial turnover on a muffed punt into six points on a Tevin Holi TD run.
Kealakehe capped the night with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Degrate to a wide open Elijah Brouwer in the middle of the field.
Kealakehe 7 13 16 7 — 43
Waiakea 0 10 0 6 — 16
First quarter
KEALA — Akoni Demello 3-yard run (kick good) 9:51
Second quarter
WAI — Gehrig Octavio 27-yard FG
KEALA — Mason Kaawa-Loa 11-yard run (2-pt failed) 11:35
WAI — Octavio 50-yard pass to Cuba (kick good) 7:27
KEAL — Markus Degrate 3-yard run (kick good) :47
Third quarter
KEALA — Safety, intentional grounding in end zone 9:03
KEALA — Kaawa-Loa 10-yard run (kick good)
KEALA – Bryton Lewi 10-yard interception return (kick good)
Fourth quarter
WAI — Tevis Holi 4-yard run
KEALA — Degrate 7-yard pass to Elijah Brouwer