KEAAU — There was something far more interesting than Kealakehe’s shootout 54-34 win against Keaau in a BIIIF football game Friday night at the Cougars stadium.
It was a mental-test game called, “I like know.” As in “I like know the score.” The scoreboard wasn’t working. The stadium lights were on, so it’s safe to assume the Cougars paid their Helco bill.
Maybe the biggest mental test was “I like know what time the game starts.” The Tribune-Herald listed it at 6 p.m. The Trib’s freelance photographer Tim Wright, who shot the game, texted that it began at 5 p.m.
If Wright wasn’t there, the game results may have never found the paper. Neither the BIIF nor Keaau phoned, emailed or texted the media about the time change. The parents knew because they were already in the stands, most of them anyway.
The game actually began at 4:50 p.m., just when Kealakehe’s stat crew, Lorna Nahale and Shayla Nahale, the wife and daughter of coach Wyatt Nahale, arrived at the pressbox.
Even coach Nahale thought the game started later until he received an email from athletic director Alan Vogt.
At least Keaau public address announcer Carlos Navor, who’s an early bird who never misses the start, provided the score and play-by-play to keep fans informed. .
According to those who were there early, there was no national anthem nor Hawaii Ponoi.
In any case, apologies to the Cougars for missing stats due to the “I like know what time the game starts” confusion.
The Nahale mother and daughter stat team was most helpful in providing the Waveriders’ accomplishments.
Senior quarterback Sheynen-Wyatt Nahale threw for 441 yards and four touchdowns, including a 65-yard scoring strike to Ayzen Cummings, who doubles as the kicker. Senior running back TJ Arakawa, built like a pitfall at 5 feet 6 and 180 pounds, ran through tackles for 255 yards and three scores.
In the third quarter with an unknown amount of time, Damon Sharp had an 18-yard run to set up Keaau near the goal line. On first-and-goal from the 2, the Cougars ran an RPO (run pass option) play. Sophomore quarterback Kaohu Kaluna ran the ball, stopped, and the Waveriders took the bait. They blitzed toward Kaluna who found a wide open Rockie Abadilla for an easy touchdown.
The Cougar duo connected again for the two-point conversion to get Keaau within 34-26 with an unknown amount of time left.
Then after an unknown amount of time, the fourth quarter began. Nahale, the third generation Waverider after grandpa and coach Joe Nahale and his dad Wyatt, hit current coach, threw a 9-yard scoring pass to Cummings, who booted the PAT for a 41-26 score with an UAOT remaining. Cumming caugth three TDs.
After an UAOT, Arakawa scored on a 3-yard run to increase the score to 47-26 with an UAOT left.
On Keaau’s next possession, Kaluna showcased his arm talent when he zipped a 40-yard scoring strike to junior speed burner Josiah Hoohuli. Masen Silva caught a pass for the two-point conversion, and the Cougars trailed 47-34 with an UAOT left.
Arakawa had four straight running plays to drain the clock before Nahale fired an 8-yard touchdown pass to Hunter Acia. Cummings kicked the PAT, and the Waveriders led 54-34 with an UAOT remaining.