Warriors win wild shootout

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

It was fitting that last night's breathtaking college football game came down to a last-gasp play.

As holder Jared Flint settles the ball, Justin Ayat kicks the game-winner. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

"It was a great, great feeling," Ayat said of his only field goal of the game.

As the 350-pound "Warrior" — entertainer-turned-mascot Vili Fehoko — piggy-backed Ayat during a wild celebration, several players and coaches from both teams began pushing each other at midfield, an outburst allegedly triggered when a Miami player spit at a UH player.

But even that bitter aftertaste could not diminish the enthusiasm of the Warriors, who improved to 7-3, meeting the NCAA bowl requirement of a winning record. They have two games remaining but, as UH quarterback NIck Rolovich said, "This is the game nobody will ever forget."

Rolovich passed for 500 yards and a school-record seven touchdowns, including two in the fourth quarter, when the lead see-sawed five times.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger scrambled for a 9-yard touchdown, giving the RedHawks a 51-49 lead with 2:31 to play. But UH's Sean Butts raced in and blocked Jared Parseghian's extra-point kick.

"It sounded like a 'thud,' " Butts said, rubbing his swollen right forearm. "I just wished I blocked it with my hands instead."

"No, no, no," defensive tackle Lance Samuseva said. "It sounded like the cannon that goes off after a touchdown is scored."

As it turned out, it was the sound of opportunity for the Warriors, who started their final drive at their 42.

"I knew they couldn't stop us," said UH wideout Ashley Lelie, who caught six passes for a career-high 211 yards, including three touchdowns. "If we got into field-goal range, I knew we would win it."

With Rolovich at the controls, the Warriors picked apart what was left of the RedHawks' shell-shocked secondary. Lelie's 17-yard catch advanced the Warriors to the RedHawk 11 with 30 seconds left.

UH running back Mike Bass then took a handoff and slipped for a 2-yard loss, forcing UH coach June Jones to change his strategy.

"I wanted to go for the touchdown," Jones said, "but when Michael fell, I knew it was better to go for the field goal."

Hawai‘i kicker Justin Ayat gets a victory ride from Warrior mascot Vili Fehoko as offensive lineman Vince Manuwai offers congratulations. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

But a Miami player jumped off sides, and Ayat's kick sailed wide left.

"I saw him out of the corner of my eye, and it caused me to hesitate," Ayat said. "I knew I wouldn't miss again."

Said holder Jared Flint: "He makes that kick a thousand times in practice. I wasn't worried at all."

Following a 5-yard markoff for the penalty, Ayat drained the winning kick.

"I just pretended it was an extra point," he said.

UH slotback Channon Harris described the game as "fast-break football. We were running and jumping all over the field."

And the final kick? "That was the winning shot," Harris said. "Nothin' but net."

In the UH locker room, several players crumpled over, exhausted from a roller-coaster ride that took 3 hours, 49 minutes. And, in the end, it was the statisticians who ended up with writer's cramp.

Rolovich, who struggled in the first half, completed 17 of 23 passes for 291 yards after the intermission. UH wideout Justin Colbert caught 10 passes for 151 yards, including a 10-yarder that gave the Warriors a 49-45 lead with 3:39 left.

UH overcame two 14-point deficits, and trailed 31-21 and 38-28 in the third quarter.

The RedHawks (7-4) also were an unstoppable force, rolling up 616 yards in offense and holding possession for 40 minutes, 40 seconds (compared to UH's possession time of 19:20). Most of the RedHawks' time was spent on runs by Steve Little, who gained a season-high 122 yards and scored three touchdowns, and Roethlisberger eluding UH defenders. Roethlisberger, who had as much as eight seconds on some pass plays, threw for 452 yards and three touchdowns.

But the RedHawks could not overcome their mistakes. They were assessed 16 penalties for 121 yards (compared to UH's five for 33 yards), and their right tackle, Ben Harrell, was ejected for shoving a UH player in the third quarter.

Miami coach Terry Hoeppner said the push was in retaliation for a UH push. Later, he described the officiating as "horrible. ... The officiating sucked."

When Miami right guard Justin Smith limped off with a leg injury, the RedHawks were forced to play the final 11:34 without the right-side starters on their offensive line.

Still, they managed to answer each UH touchdown in the fourth quarter, until time eventually ran out.

"Rolovich did a great job for Hawai'i," Hoeppner said. "Congratulations to June Jones. He was masterful."