KEAAU – As expected, Izaiah Pilanca-Emmsley got off to an electrifying start to his sophomore campaign for Ka’u.
In this case, he turned out the lights on Pahoa and in Puna.
Shortly after his longest run Thursday night, Keaau High’s field went dark as a power failure gripped the surrounding area just past the midway point of third quarter, giving the Trojans a shortened 20-6 victory against Pahoa in their eight-man BIIF football opener.
One minute, Ka’u was lining up for a play, and the next everything went dark. The scene then mimicked that of a crowd at rock concert, with only myriad cell phones visible on the field.
BIIF officials at first announced the game would be postponed and resumed at a later date, then they determined that the outcome would go in the books as a final.
In the 31-odd minutes that there was lighting, Pilanca-Emmsley carried the ball 21 times for 150 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-short. The reining BIIF offensive player of the year in eight-man, Pilanca-Emmsley also gathered an interception and led a modest passing attack for the Trojans (1-0), completing 2 of 4 passes for 33 yards and an interception.
Ka’u has won three of the past four eight-man titles under coach DuWayne Ke thanks to its run game, and the Trojans were no different Thursday night, keeping the ball on the ground for 36 of its 40 plays from scrimmage.
Sophomore Shesley Martinez made a successful debut on the smaller dimensions of eight-man, scoring the Trojans’ first two touchdowns, including an 18-yard run to cap his team’s first drive. Martinez was a member of Hilo High’s HHSAA Division I championship team last season.
For the second consecutive week, the Daggers (2-1, 1-1 BIIF), tried to incorporate their passing game, but after some initial success, senior Josaiah Waiolama misfired on his last nine passes, finishing 4 of 18 for 21 yards.
Action picked up after Ka’u went to the half leading 8-0.
There was only one punt attempt in the game, and it turned out badly for the Daggers when they never got it off, giving Ka’u the ball at the Pahoa 33. Four plays later, Martinez scored from 6 yards out.
Pahoa responded with it best drive of the game, highlighted by Matthew Ortega’s 32-yard run, setting up Waiolama’s 1-yard touchdown run. Ortega led Pahoa with 80 yards on the ground and has four touchdowns so far in BIIF play.
The teams will meet again for an 11 a.m. kickoff Sept. 29 in Pahala. The next BIIF eight-man game matches Ka’u at Kohala on Sept. 15.
The Daggers entered with momentum, having beaten Kohala 40-6 last Saturday in Kapaau. Ortega charged Pahoa with three touchdowns, Waiolama accounted for another, and William Velez and Duke Palma each hauled in scoring passes.
On Thursday night, Pilanca-Emmsley controlled the on-and-off switch.
Ka’u 8 0 12 – 20
Pahoa 0 0 6 – 6
First quarter
Ka’u– Shesley Martinez 18 run (Manu Kalua-Keliikoa run)
Third quarter
Ka’u – Martinez 6 run (run failed)
Pahoa – Josaiah Waiolama 1 run (run failed)
Ka’u – Izaiah Pilanca-Emmsley 56 run (run failed)