KEAAU — When in doubt, give the ball to the quarterback. Better yet, make it Buddy Flores.
The Ka’u senior rushed for his third touchdown in the second overtime Thursday night at Keaau High, and the Trojans came back to beat Pahoa 20-14 in a BIIF eight-man contest in which one team featured slugfest and the other played giveaway.
While the Trojans (3-2) took sole possession of first place, the upstart Daggers (2-3) saw a two-game winning streak end in what was the first overtime game of the BIIF season, and the first in the two-plus years in which the league has sponsored eight-man.
The Daggers stood strong defensively for most of the game but couldn’t overcome seven turnovers.
They held Ka’u to just one yard on the first possession of OT, with Keala Harris knocking away a fourth-down pass.
Starting at the 20, Pahoa’s possession ended with its sixth turnover, and its seventh — the second interception of the game by Kainalu Medeiros-Dancel — quickly ended what would turn out to be its final possession.
For once, Pahoa couldn’t hold. Flores compiled runs of 4 and 5 yards, before going around the right side from 5 yards out for the winner.
Both teams were probably just as happy to not be playing on their home fields. The league’s three teams are a combined 0-6 at home this season. Pahoa was technically the home team Thursday night.
The Trojans weren’t trying to fool anybody, running the quarterback on 69 of their 78 offensive plays.
They completed one pass, but another was taken back for a score on a 65-yard interception return by Kaniala Harris, giving Pahoa a 12-6 lead in the third quarter.
Flores finished with 130 yards on 33 carries. Also playing quarterback, Zachary Kai added 97 yards on 32 carries.
Ka’u’s first touchdown drive covered 33 yards after a failed fake punt by Pahoa.
On fourth-and-3 from the 26, Flores broke a tackle and gained 25 yards. After getting stuffed on his first attempt from the 1, Flores found a big hole to score untouched.
There weren’t many penalties called in the first half, but a hold proved costly for Pahoa, wiping out a nifty 57-yard touchdown run by Kaniala Harris, who reversed field.
The flags flew early and often in the second half, including a roughing-the-punter penalty that gave Pahoa new life after its the opening drive of the third quarter stalled. Harris again reversed field, scoring on a 35-yard run to tie the game.
He reversed field again on his most electrifying play, picking off a pass near the left sideline, and cutting back through the middle of the field for a touchdown.
Pahoa appeared to have all the momentum after Flores was tackled in the end zone for a safety.
Ka’u recovered the onside kick, and though Pahoa’s defense held, a fumble set Ka’u up at the Daggers’ 20, and Flores needed two plays to score.
The Daggers lost fumbles deep in their territory on their next two possessions, but their defense held and responded again after the Trojans set up at the Daggers’ 5 after a personal foul penalty was tacked on to Medeiros-Dancel’s punt return.
However, on the subsequent drive, Pahoa quarterback Justin Castro was tackled in the end zone for a safety, tying the game.
Ka’u 0 6 6 2 0 6 — 20
Pahoa 0 0 14 0 0 0 —14
Second quarter
Ka’u — Buddy Flores 1 run (run failed), 1:25
Third quarter
Pahoa — Kaniala Harris 35 run (run failed), 8:16
Pahoa — Harris 65 interception return (run failed), 6:47
Pahoa — Safety, Flores tackled in end zone, 5:38
Ka’u — Flores 15 run (run failed), 3:07
Fourth quarter
Ka’u — Safety, Justin Castro tackled in end zone, 5:49
Overtime
Ka’u — Jacob Flores 5 run
