KAPAAU — After coming back down 15 points late in the second half to tie the game, Kohala football could not hold onto the momentum and fell 44-24 to Ka‘u on Saturday afternoon at home. The Cowboys move to 0-2 on the season while the Trojans improve to 1-1.
“It was an exciting game,” Kohala head coach Earl Hoshida said postgame. “The boys fought hard.”
Running back Isaiah Antonio, wide receiver Kahaka Catrett and receiver/safety Tirus Perez all scored touchdowns for Kohala.
Although the Cowboys fell short, Kohala started the game firing on all cylinders on the defensive side of the ball. Perez picked off Ka‘u quarterback Adahdiyah Ellis-Reyes midfield and returned it for a touchdown, getting the Cowboys on the board first.
“Tirus makes plays,” Hoshida said. “He’s one of our better playmakers.”
Kohala’s persistent pass-rush pressure early earned a safety credited to lineman Joshua Ka‘auwai White in the next possession, putting the Cowboys up nine. The Trojans responded later in the first quarter with an Ellis-Reyes over-the-shoulder touchdown throw down the seam to receiver Tyson Junior Kuahuia-Faafia to get Ka‘u on the board. The Trojans converted the two-point attempt to make it a one-point game.
Kohala’s pass rush continued to pester Ka‘u’s line, forcing a fumble in its own territory to get the ball back. Cowboys quarterback Hezekiah Wilson routinely made quick completions to receivers Perez and Kuokalani Kahalioumi to move the chains and keep the ball away from the Trojans’ offense.
But Ka‘u’s running offense began to ramp up towards the end of the first half, with Ellis-Reyes making big runs of his own to propel the Trojans to the end zone — getting the 16-9 lead at halftime.
In the ensuing quarter, Ka‘u faced a third-down situation in the red zone, when Ellis-Reyes extended the play under pressure by rolling to his right and finding Ocean Nihipali-Session through a screen pass.
Nihipali-Session broke a multitude of tackles after the catch to waltz into the end zone for the Trojans’ third score of the afternoon.
But the Cowboys responded by forcing a fumble near the end of the third. A 30-yard gain from Antonio put Kohala deep in Ka‘u territory. Antonio carried the ball again for another big gain to end Kohala’s two-quarter scoring drought — making it a one-touchdown game following the two-point conversion.
In the Cowboys’ next offensive possession, big runs from Antonio put Kohala on the Trojans’ one-yard line. Catrett then ran it in for the short touchdown to tie the game.
“They’re fighters,” Hoshida said of the comeback.
But Ka‘u finally had an answer for the Cowboys’ late rally. Ellis-Reyes connected with Kuahuia-Faafia again on a short route, taking it another 40 yards after the catch for the score to take the lead back early in the fourth quarter.
The Cowboys then fumbled on their next drive, leading to another Nihipali-Session touchdown. Kohala turned it over again to give the Trojans an additional possession — leading to one last Ellis-Reyes-to-Kuahuia-Faafia connection in the end zone for the final score of the game.
“We just have to keep working hard,” Hoshida said of the game’s takeaways. “And of course coming out and having fun.”
Kohala will seek redemption against Honoka‘a on Friday on the road for Week 3.
