PAHALA – Formally, he prefers to go by Izaiah Pilanca-Emmsley, though there was some confusion in the media last season over the spelling of his first name.
His Ka’u High teammates call him Bobby.
In a pinch, just call him the most explosive player in the five-year history of BIIF eight-man football.
Pilanca-Emmsley took off on an 80-yard run for the go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter Saturday to highlight his second 400-plus yard game of the season, and the Trojans rallied to beat Pahoa 40-28 to capture their third consecutive eight-man championship and fourth overall.
“Pahoa challenged us, they came out fiery,” Pilanca-Emmsley said. “Our team kept composure even when we were losing.”
The shifty sophomore dynamo accounted for four scores, the first a touchdown pass to go along with three long runs, picking up 405 yards on 35 carries while taking a shotgun snap at quarterback.
“I don’t care about the touchdowns,” he said, “I just wanted to get the ‘W.’”
The Trojans (6-0, 5-0 BIIF) capped their first unbeaten season since 2014. There is no state eight-man tournament since only two Hawaii leagues sponsor the sport, but Ka’u can lay their claim to No. 1 having defeated Maui co-champ Lanai 62-42 on Sept. 22 behind Pilanca-Emmsley’s seven touchdowns.
“This whole season was based off teamwork,” senior Manu Kalau-Keliikoa said. “Ever since my freshman year, it’s based off teamwork.”
Pilanca-Emmsley actually ran for one yard less than he did the last time out against Pahoa, a 52-28 victory on Sept. 29.
The Daggers (3-4, 3-3) played much better in what was the best BIIF eight-man championship game to date. Having to rely solely on their ground game and a revived defensive effort, they led four times, getting two touchdown runs from William Velez and a late one from Matthew Ortega that they hoped would stand up as the game-winner. Ortega ran hard for 195 yards, and Velez added 107.
“We played an awesome game, but somebody has to come out the winner,” Pahoa coach Chris Midel said. “No. 7, he’s awesome, too.
“Once he breaks free, he’s gone.”
Ortega’s 11-yard run gave the Daggers a 28-24 lead with 1:34 remaining, but on the Trojans next play from scrimmage, after an offsides call, Pahoa couldn’t keep contain on Pilanca-Emmsley. He dropped back as if to bait the Daggers into thinking he was going to pass, then tucked the ball and ran around the left side, using his speed to score untouched.
“They we’re biting (on) us the whole day inside and to the right, so we held that to the last play,” Trojans coach DuWayne Ke said.
The Trojans entered the contest on a three-week break, and their rust was apparent. Ka’u turned the ball over three times, Pilanca-Emmsley’s first pass was intercepted by Christian Omalza, and three penalties stalled a first-quarter drive. Omalza also had a fumble recovery.
“I had to humble them at halftime,” Ke said.
Pilanca-Emmsley found Andre Carvalho for a 17-yard scoring strike to answer Lansen Aranaydo’s 14-yard touchdown run for Pahoa earlier in the second quarter, then he went to work on the ground.
His 42-yard TD run later in the second quarter put him past 100 yards, he went 77 – darting cross-field to his right and scoring down the sideline – to put Ka’u ahead 24-22 and surpass 200 yards in the third quarter, and his 80-yarder vaulted him past 300.
“Bobby is the No. 1 player, but he’s so humble,” Ke said. “It’s not him, it’s his line, his blockers.
“I like how he thinks of his whole team instead of himself.”
Shesley Martinez was the Trojans’ next leading rusher with 32 yards, also catching a pass, and Weston Davis was the designated two-point try guy, going 5 for 5 on runs up the middle. In the air, Pilanca-Emmsley was 2 of 4 and Martinez missed on two passes.
Pahoa didn’t register a completion on 11 pass attempts with two interceptions (Luke Watson and Kyson Toriano).
Toriano’s pick came with less than a minute left in the game.
Ke went to victory formation and had Pilanca-Emmsley kneel with the ball, but after learning Pahoa still had timeouts remaining, Pilanca-Emmsley took the next snap up the middle and scampered 55 yards to surpass 400 for the afternoon.
From the 5, Ke elected to get a touchdown for senior Paul Solis Jr., a player who at times has been down on his luck, Ke said.
“We wanted to give that to him as a team,” Kalau-Keliikoa said. “It was very emotional for all of us.”
Now that the Trojans have an eight-man dynasty going, the next question is an obvious one: When do they make the leap back to 11-man?
Ka’u dressed 35 players for the title game, which is certainly enough to make a go of it in 11-man. In the past, Ke indicated he would eventually like to make the move.
The Trojans last played 11-man during a shortened 2012 campaign, switching to eight-man the following season.
Asked if 2019 was the year to go up, Ke only smiled, saying and he and his staff would think about it.
“It’s going to be fun next season,” he said.
Pahoa 0 14 8 6 – 28
Ka’u 0 16 8 16 –40
Second quarter
Pahoa – Lansen Aranaydo 14 run (Matthew Ortega run)
Ka’u – Andre Carvalho 17 pass from Izaiah Pilanca-Emmsley (Weston Davis run)
Pahoa – William Velez 17 run (run failed)
Ka’u – Pilanca-Emmsley 42 run (Davis run)
Third quarter
Pahoa – Velez 7 run (Ortega run)
Ka’u – Pilanca-Emmsley 77 run (Davis run)
Fourth quarter
Pahoa – Ortega 11 run (run failed)
Ka’u – Pilanca-Emmsley 80 run (Davis run)
Ka’u – Paul Solis Jr. 2 run (Davis run)