KEAAU – Apu Alfiche’s second touchdown came at garbage time, but it also came served on a silver platter.
Kamehameha’s senior running back got a taste of what he and the Warriors hope is to come, all the while wiping the bitterness away.
Alfiche ran for 126 yards Saturday and Michael Perry threw three touchdown passes, two to Austin Wilson, as Kamehameha overwhelmed Waiakea 56-6 in a nonleague matinee at Paiea Stadium.
“I worked so hard this offseason, getting those two touchdowns, that last one, made me feel good,” Alfiche said. “I’m going to chase that feeling from now on, getting into the end zone with my team … I’m going to be chasing that feeling this whole season.”
Micah Mahiai also ran for two touchdowns for the Warriors (1-1), who scored on every possession until missing a field goal late in the fourth quarter. The challenge was a far cry from Kamehameha’s opener last week, a 47-10 loss to Iolani.
“We just wanted to come out next game and give them hell,” Alfiche said, “and give them everything we’ve got. It’s imperative for us to do that. We prepare so much, we just had to come back and show we’re not that team that is going to blow it this season.”
Kamehameha handed off to Alfiche early and often, and Perry, a freshman, looked much more poised in the pocket than last week – 12 sacks will do that. He completed nine consecutive passes in the first half, including a touchdown toss to Ezekial Gragas early in the second quarter that made it 21-0.
Perry, the son of coach Shaun Perry, was efficient in going 16 of 22 for 148 yards.
“I just try to come out and prove that I should be on the field,” Michael Perry said. “Being a freshman, it’s hard to make (varsity), but we were able to come together.”
With no rushing attack to speak of, Waiakea’s opener under second-year coach Neil Azevedo quickly got out of hand. Five of its seven first-half possession were three-and-outs, and that’s not including a 25-yard loss on a bad center-quarterback exchange that resulted in quarterback Justin Nakamoto-Baltazar getting tackled in the end zone for a safety.
“My biggest fear was making sure there were no whites in the eyes,” Azevedo said of the young squad he brought to Kamehameha. “They never gave up. This will help our junior varsity program.”
Of the 50-plus players Waiakea suited up, a fair share will be placed on the JV squad ahead of its BIIF Division I opener against Honokaa.
Receiver Kamaha’o Ka’ilipaka will not be moving down. The junior represented his team’s offense, hauling in six catches from Nakamoto-Baltazar for 213 yards, including a 75-yard scoring toss in the fourth quarter in which Ka’ilipaka got behind the defense down the left sideline.
“That was open all game,” Azevedo said. “(Kamaha’o) is fast.”
Nakamoto-Baltazar was under siege much like Perry was a week earlier. The senior quarterback was sacked seven times, completing 10 of 30 passes for 232 and interceptions by Kamehameha’s Wilde Germano and Mason Fukunaga.
Boosted by the return of defensive lineman Kanaka Kuamoo-Quihano, Kamehameha held Waiakea to minus-57 yards rushing. Taylor Eckart also had a fine hustle play, stripping Ka’ilipaka after a gain of nearly 50 yards and recovering the fumble.
Wilson showed his big-play capabilities, catching five passes for 64 yards and rushing for 37 more
“You have to feed him the rock,” Shaun Perry said.
The coach appreciated the progress his team made in a week’s time, but he was already looking ahead to its matchup Friday night against Hilo at Wong Stadium.
“(Michael) not holding on to the ball and our QB not holding holding on to the ball, were part of the issues against Iolani,” he said. “The line protected better. These are the things that we have to get better at every week.”
Kamehameha’s plan is for Koby Tabuyo-Kahele to take the reins at quarterback as soon as he participates in enough practices to become eligible, perhaps in time for the Vikings’ game, moving Perry to the slot.
After firing a touchdown pass to Wilson to put Kamehameha ahead 43-0n early in the third quarter, Perry moved to receiver when Jadin Chaves came in at quarterback.
“For a freshman, he’s doing amazing,” Alfiche said. “He’s going to do really great things here.”
Waiakea 0 0 0 6 — 6
Kamehameha 14 22 7 13— 56
First quarter
KSH — Apu Alfiche 2 run (Elijah Dinkel kick)
KSH — Micah Mahiai 3 run (Dinkel kick)
Second quarter
KSH — Ezekial Gragas 6 pass from Michael Perry (Dinkel kick), N/A
KSH — FG Dinkel 33, 5:53
KSH – FG Dinkel 33, 5:53
KSH — Safety, Nakamoto-Baltazar tackled in end zone
KSH — Austin Wilson 4 pass from 3 (4 kick)
Third quarter
KSH — Wilson 23 pass from Perry (Dinkel kick)
Fourth quarter
KSH — Mahiai 6 run 11:22 (conversion failed)
KSH — Alfiche 28 run (Dinkel kick)
Waiakea — Kamaha’o Ka’ilipaka 75 pass from Nakamoto-Baltazar (run failed), 2:46