HONOKAA — The beginning of the end started in a hurry for Keaau in all the right ways.
On the first play of the game, Iokepa La’a grabbed a pass from quarterback Bryant Respicio-Mercado and shook off a half dozen Honokaa tacklers. It was just a 5-yard gain, but it set the tone for the Cougars and his teammates followed suit.
In its final game of the season, Keaau (2-5 BIIF D-I) posted two quick touchdowns against host Honokaa and rode out a muddy night (1-6 BIIF D-II) for a 28-0 victory.
Keaau running back Emelio Acia looked to be in a different gear than everyone else all night. He hit his holes hard, resulting in 73 yards and a touchdown.
He would only be outdone by his teammate, Storm Quilinderino, who provided the longest play of the night with an 86-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. The junior back finished with 136 yards and two scores, helping the Cougs rush for a shade under 300 yards as a team.
Honokaa was held for under 100 yards of total offense until its last possession of the game.
The Cougars ripped through the Honokaa defense on their opening drive, with Acia and Quilinderino leading the way. The backfield pair ripped off big gains before Quilinderino rumbled in from 9 yards out for the first score of the contest.
Keaau went with an onside kick and recovered, needing just a few plays to score on a Respicio-Mercado QB keeper. The TDs came in the first four minutes of the game.
The rain started falling shortly after the score, which pumped the brakes on both offenses. Save for a 40-yard connection between Respicio-Mercado and Isaiah Akana, there was little to cheer about the rest of the first half.
Meanwhile, the wet weather forced four first half fumbles between the teams, and Keaau was content with running out the clock on its final possession with a series of QB sneaks.
Keaau kept up a similar pattern in the second half as they did in the first. The Cougars scored on their opening drive with a short TD run by Acia and then recovered an onside kick. However, this time they would be turned away without points on a second trip downfield thanks to an interception by Honokaa defensive back Kaiah Badon.
Honokaa threatened to score late in the fourth quarter, but turned the ball over on downs after a pass was dropped in the end zone.
Quilinderino ended the game in style, breaking off a 86-yard run for the final score of the night and the Cougars season.
Keaau 14 0 6 8 — 28
Honokaa 0 0 0 0 — 0
First quarter
KEAAU — Storm Quilinderino 9 run (2-pt pass fail)
KEAAU — Bryant Respicio-Mercado 7 run (Isaiah Akana 2-pt run good)
Third quarter
KEAAU — Emelio Acia 2 run (kick failed)
Fourth quarter
KEAAU — Quilinderino 86 run (2-pt run Akana)