PAHOA – The eight-man football game plans featured by Ka’u and Pahoa on Saturday did not favor a wide receiver/defensive back such as the Trojans’ Kainalu Medeiros-Dancel. Not at all.
Ka’u was content to run the quarterback again and again, though one of its few completions was a long touchdown pass to Medeiros-Dancel.
The Daggers were just as likely to try a pooch kick or an onsides kick than kick deep, but when they did, Medeiros-Dancel came up with a electrifying return for a score.
Pahoa didn’t attempt to establish its passing game until a potential game-tying drive late in the fourth quarter. Wouldn’t you know it? – that’s when Medeiros-Dancel came up with a game-sealing interception.
Smash-mouth football seemingly left little room for a gamebreaker to make his mark, but the senior broke open the BIIF season opener anyway, pushing Ka’u to a 26-18 victory on the Daggers field.
“I just kept my head up and looked for openings,” he said. “Whether I’m blocking or running, they just tell me to fire off the line hard.”
Starting their third year of eight-man, the Daggers looked in prime position to grab their first victory when quarterback Justin Castro powered into the end zone on keeper from 5 yards out to give Pahoa a 18-12 lead with just more than 2 minutes left in the third quarter.
On the ensuing kickoff, the only player to make good contact with Medeiros-Dancel was teammate John Kalahiki.
“He almost tackled me,” Medeiros-Dancel.
While Kalahiki hit the ground after a collision and two Daggers appeared to let up on the play, Medeiros-Dancel raced down the right sideline on a 82-yard return.
“That got everybody pumped up,” said quarterback Buddy Flores, who rumbled in for the two-point conversion, the only successful one by either team, to give Ka’u its first lead.
“This means we have to push harder next practice,” he said. “Now we know what we are up against, and it’s time to work harder.”
Flores ran and passed for a score as the Trojans overcame three turnovers.
Most of Ka’u’s plays involved either Flores or Zachary Kai lining up in the shotgun and simply taking it left, right or up the middle.
Flores ran 21 times, finally getting loose on a 46-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, finishing with 88 hard-earned yards.
Both of the Trojans’ completions went for scores. Kai and Kalahiki connected for a 30-yard score in the second quarter. Kai ran 14 times and gained 64 yards.
“Every game is a different game plan,” coach DuWayne Ke. “Today the plan was to let them have fun.
“Kainalu stepped up for everything, but it was team win.”
Pahoa played in front for most of the first three quarters.
The Dragons took advantage of a fumble and a fourth-down stop deep in Ka’u territory as Josiah Anderson-Letreta and Duane Correa compiled short touchdown runs in the first half, and Kaniala Harris led the ground-heavy attack with 85 yards.
Castro completed 5 of 15 passes but finished with negative yardage on his 19 runs thanks to botched snap that lost 31 yards. Harris cleaned up the mistake with an interception.
“My line did good and the defense was doing all right until (Flores’) run up the middle,” Daggers coach Chris Midel said. “I like how we run the ball, we just need more protection up front.”
For most of the game, Pahoa met the physical challenge, but injuries took a toll. The Daggers played most of the game with out their best defensive player when William Stinnett injured his knee.
“A lot of positives,” Midel said. “We’ll work on some things.”
Fourth-quarter sacks by Manu Kalau-Keliikoa and Kaimana Davis helped preserve the win for Ka’u, which has a quick turnaround and plays Kohala on Thursday night at Keaau High. After calling his own number so many times, a tired Flores figured the Trojans have their running game down.
“So the next game we’re going to work on our passing,” he said.
Ka’u 6 6 8 6 – 26
Pahoa 6 6 6 0 –18
First quarter
Pahoa – Josiah Anderson-Letreta 3 run (kick blocked)
Ka’u – Kainalu Medeiros-Dancel 64 pass from Buddy Flores (pass failed)
Second quarter
Pahoa – Duane Correa 2 run (run failed)
Ka’u – John Kalahiki 30 pass from Zachary Kai (run failed)
Third quarter
Pahoa – Justin Castro 5 run (pass failed)
Ka’u – Medeiros-Dancel 82 kickoff return (Flores run)
Fourth quarter
Ka’u – Flores 46 run (run failed)
