KEAAU – No drama, no surprises, no letdowns.
The Kamehameha Warriors are who we thought they were: The clear class of BIIF Division II football.
Quarterback Koby Tabuyo-Kahele returned from a two-game absence from injury to throw three touchdown passes, and Apu Alfiche and Michael Perry each scored twice as the Warriors beat Ka’u 49-8 at Paiea Stadium, running their record to an untested 6-0 in league play.
After taking on overmatched BIIF foes all season, Kamehameha will play one of its own next week when it travels to Kauai to face Kapaa, the 2018 HHSAA D-II runner-up. The nonconference game could hold seeding implications at the state tournament.
“The kids are clicking before Kapaa, I’m really, really stoked,” Warriors coach Shaun Perry said. “I use every single game for what’s going to come eventually. I don’t look past anyone, but we use every game very specifically.”
The Warriors put up 35 points during a 50-minute first quarter, with Tabuyo-Kahele tossing touchdowns to Izayah Chartrand-Penera (56 yards), Perry (22) and Isaiah Villanueva (12). The junior was 8 of 10 for 162 yards for an offense that surpassed 400 yards.
Trailing by four scores and backed up with a 4th-and-3 inside its own 15 late in the second quarter, the Trojans (2-3) went for it, and two of the best in the BIIF at what they do collided – Kamehameha’s Wilde Germano stopped Izaiah Pilanca-Emmsley short of the first down. That set up Micah Mahiai’s short touchdown run
Pilanca-Emmsley was responsible for a big play for the Trojans, catching a defalcated pass from Keliikoa Reyes-Nalu and racing 78 yards for a score. The junior gained 65 yards on the ground. Reyes-Nalu completed three of his 18 passes for 78 yards.
“I like watching (Pilanca-Emmsley),” Perry said. “We made sure we new where he was going to be. Players all had to be aware of where he was. Even when they did, he still made plays.”
Because of Pilanca-Emmsley’s touchdown, the Warriors have now outscored the three former eight-man teams 263-14 in five contests.
“I don’t know what the score was, but the execution is getting better,” Shaun Perry said. “We are getting way, way better.”
Michael Perry’s 36-yard touchdown set up the running clock with 8:54 remaining in the second quarter. At quarterback, Perry completed all eight of his passes for 69 yards.
The Trojans played spiritedly into the fourth quarter, but the biggest second-half drama for the Warriors was when freshman Elijah Dinkel lined up for a 43-yard field goal try, missing just short.
The spotlight could shine on Dinkel when Kamehameha starts playing tougher competition.
“I’ve hit a 49-yarder before in practice,” he said. “I can get a little more (on) it.”
The Trojans still can reach the D-II title game – and a likely return trip to Paiea Stadium – but they’ll need to win their final three games, including a win at home against Hawaii Prep by more than 14 points, and hope the Warriors can beat HPA at home.
Its spot in the D-II title game secure, Kamehameha can put its full focus on Kapaa for a week.
“This is all a team, nothing about one individual,” Dinkel said. “Practice last week was a little rough, but it’s OK. I’m pretty sure we’re back on track.”
Ka’u 8 0 0 0 – 8
KS-Hawaii 35 14 0 0 – 49
First quarter
KS-Hawaii – Izayah Chartrand-Penera 56 pass from Koby Tabuyo-Kahele (Elijah Dinkel kick)
KS-Hawaii – Michael Perry 22 pass from Tabuyo-Kahele (Dinkel kick)
KS-Hawaii – Apu Alfiche 21 run (Dinkel kick)
Ka’u – Izaiah Pilanca-Emmsley 78 pass from Keliikoa Reyes-Nalu (Kainalu Satkofsky pass from Reyes-Nalu)
KS-Hawaii – Isaiah Villanueva 22 pass from Tabuyo-Kahele (Dinkel kick)
KS-Hawaii – Alfiche 1 run (Dinkel kick)
Second quarter
KS-Hawaii – Micah Mahiai 1 run (Dinkel kick)
KS-Hawaii – Perry 36 run (Dinkel kick)