KEAAU – Pahoa’s defense came out ferocious and fiery, swarming to the ball and attacking the line of scrimmage in forcing four consecutive three-and-outs.
It was an impressive start, especially by eight-man football standards.
Fans at Keaau High may have noticed a few warning signals, however. In the early-going, the Daggers showed vulnerabilities in pass coverage but got a reprieve thanks to two dropped balls.
Eventually, Molokai’s Kaimana Nakayama and Kanalu Kahale made them pay, connecting on two touchdown passes that made the difference as the Farmers wore down Pahoa for a 14-8 preseason victory that essentially concluded a home-and-home series.
Coach Chris Midel has two weeks before Pahoa (0-1) goes on an island-hopping venture of its own with a final nonleague game Aug. 25 at Lanai. In that time, he hopes to welcome a slew of players off academic probation, all the while whipping the team into shape.
“Finishing the game,” Midel said of his focus. “Finishing. That’s our motto right now. Just to finish.”
In theory, this was another step forward for his program.
He spearheaded Pahoa’s return to the gridiron in 2014, the Daggers won their first game in 201 and they reached their first eight-man title game last season. Saturday night was Pahoa first “home” nonleague game and their upcoming trip will mark the first time it will play two preseason games. The Daggers, who won’t play on their school field this season, won at Molokai in 2017.
Afterward, Midel wasn’t as concerned with grading his players’ performance as he was with some players’ grades. Pahoa’s roster lists 31 players, but Midel said only 19 were available against Molokai.
“Some kids, they never work in the classroom,” he said. “They didn’t realize doing good in the classroom pays off, no matter how many times we talk to them about it.”
To be fair, grade issues are hardly limited to Pahoa, and Midel said not all of those ineligible for the opener were because of bad grades.
“We try to keep it positive,” Midel said. “Before we go to Lanai, hopefully we improve their grades. I know they will.”
By necessity perhaps, the Daggers operated out of tight sets and bunched formations and tried to fool Molokai using misdirection. Senior quarterback Josaiah Waiolama either handed the ball to William Velez, Matthew Ortega or Matthew Meyer or kept it himself.
On Pahoa’s second possession, Velez raced around the left side for a 40-yard touchdown run, but the offense largely bogged down from there, aside from a catch-and-run from Waiolama to Ortega that resulted in a 37-yard gain.
The Daggers gained 156 yards, but just 64 in the second half.
Pahoa, which won the turnover battle 4-2, failed to take advantage of two fumbles recoveries in Molokai territory after the Farmers broke an 8-8 tie when Nakayama rifled a 26-yard touchdown pass to Kahale.
“Toward the end, they were tired,” Midel said. “The O-line was getting tired, but we try to work on these situations.”
Pahoa’s final possession began at its 40, but two penalties and a sack later it ended at its 6, and Molokai kneeled down twice as the clock ran out.
Velez finished with 70 yards on eight carries, and Waiolama was 4 of 20 in the air.
Pahoa’s run defense played well throughout, and Duke Palma recorded an interception and a fumble recovery.
With 85 yards passing – including a 33-yard scoring strike to Kahale in the first half – Nakayama accounted for nearly half of Molokai’s 173 yards.
The junior completed just one pass in the second half, and it turned out to be the game-winner.