PAHALA – There had been rumors swirling around, but Kohala High coach Jay Blanco had been hesitant to talk about the specifics of just how small his roster size was heading into the season.
Before and after his team forfeited its opener last weekend because of a lack of players, Blanco simply said, “We have enough.”
Now the secret is out: The Cowboys are “17 strong,” as they shouted in unison Saturday, and that was more than enough for them to roll past Ka’u High 27-0 in a season-opener at the Trojans’ sun-splashed county field.
“We just control what we can control,” Blanco said of his upperclassman-laden roster. “We know if we can get on the field, that we’re going to do what we need to do to compete and win.
“We don’t have the quantity of player, but the quality we’re not lacking.”
Already playing with a lack of depth that would be considered low for the 8-man game that made these two teams rivals from 2014-18 – much less BIIF Division II – the Cowboys finished with just 16 players after their one-man wrecking crew, Legend Libron, left the game. Libron scored two early touchdowns, but it was next-man up again when he left the field at halftime after suffering an injury.
“That was motivation for us, we had to do it for him,” said junior Tamatasi Suata, a force on a physical Kohala front seven that stonewalled the Trojans.
In order to get transpiration to make the 11 a.m. kickoff on the other side of the island, the Cowboys had to leave Kapaau at 5 a.m.
“That was a battle in itself,” Blanco said.
Kohala won most every battle upon arrival.
When the Trojans went for it on a fourth down in their own territory in the first quarter, Kohala stuffed them, and on the ensuing play Libron went around the left side for a 23-yard score.
When the Trojans punted after a three-and-out on their next possession, Libron picked up the ball at Ka’u’s 42 and went down the right sideline for a touchdown.
When the Trojans tried their first pass, Kamaehu Paaoao picked it off, setting up a short touchdown run by the 255-pound Suata, who lined up at fullback on fourth-and-goal at the 2 and plowed into the end zone in the second quarter
“We’ve been practicing everyday, nonstop,” Suata said. “Grind, grind. It feels so good to pull out this victory with 16.”
Run-happy Ka’u was held to fewer than 100 yards despite running more than 40 plays from scrimmage.
“I’m very proud of the boys, and equally proud of the coaching staff and first-year defensive coordinator Eddie Valenzuela,” Blanco said. “He put the boys in the right places, and they got the shutout they wanted.
True to his preseason word, Kohala worked on its passing game. Quarterback Kona Ledward was picked off by Jonah Beck, but among his four completions in 15 attempts was a 12-yard scoring pass to Logan Neves in the fourth quarter.
Libron rushed for 54 yards on four carries, and Damien Padilla filled in, compiling 43 yards on the ground.
The Trojans stayed true to their past offensively, which meant a heavy workload for junior quarterback Jycetin Mukini, who did well to display ball security. He ran the more than 27 times, often into the teeth of a punishing defense, and completed 3 of 5 passes for modest gains.
“He manned up all the way to the end,” Ka’u coach Tammy Ke said.
The Trojans’ coaching staff got on the offensive line to sustain blocks and lock down its assignments.
“A lot of these guys, what can I say, the jitterbugs got them,” Ke said.
Ka’u dressed 23 players, though Ke was hopeful some reinforcements would become eligible to give it 30 for next Saturday’s game at Hawaii Prep.
It almost doesn’t seem fair, but the Cowboys have a short week of practice head of their game Thursday night at Honokaa.
A Kohala roster handed out after the game listed 23 players. Asked if more players would be eligible to play against the Dragons, Blanco, of course, said, “We’ll have enough.”
Kohala 14 6 0 7 – 27
Ka’u 0 0 0 0 – 0
First quarter
Kohala – Legend Libron 23 run (Riley Preston kick)
Kohala – Libron 42 punt return (Preston kick)
Second quarter
Kohala – Tamatasi Suata 2 run (kick failed)
Fourth quarter
Kohala – Logan Neves 12 pass from Kona Ledward (Preston kick)