Long Beach Poly leaves Kahuku in dust
| • | Jones blazes through Kahuku 'D' |
| • | Kahuku, Long Beach Poly statistics |
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
Kahuku showed up for a football game, but ended up at a track meet.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser
Long Beach (Calif.) Poly, ranked No. 3 in the USA Today Super 25, displayed speed never seen in Hawai'i high school football and raced by the Red Raiders, 42-16, last night in the opener of the HHSAA/First Hawaiian Bank Football Classic at Aloha Stadium.
Long Beach Poly's Jabbar Morris rolls through the Kahuku defense for a touchdown.
The loss snapped the two-time defending state champion Red Raiders' 26-game winning streak that started during the 2000 season. Kahuku, ranked second in The Advertiser Top 10 statewide poll, dropped to 3-1, while the Jackrabbits improved to 2-0.
"You can't coach speed," Long Beach Poly coach Raul Lara said. "It's just a gift from God. That's what our kids are. They're definitely blessed."
Among the blessed is wide receiver and kick returner Derrick Jones, who was timed at 10.34 seconds in the 100 meters during the sum-
mer. He had four catches for 147 yards, including a 56-yard TD strike from Leon Jackson. Jones, a 6-foot, 170-pound junior, also opened the second half with a stunning 82-yard kickoff return for a score to put the Jackrabbits up 35-2.
"Most games, people double team me," Jones said. "I didn't think it would be like this."
Jones got single coverage from 5-foot-8, 160-pound senior Kyle Juliano. On the 56-yard TD pass, Juliano got spun trying to find the ball, easily allowing Jones to pull away.
"When I looked at (the ball), I just lost the receiver," Juliano said. "That's where everything went bad for me."
Another speed burner is running back Lorenzo Bursey. He had 62 yards on six carries, including TD runs of 7 and 19 yards. He also caught a TD pass of 22 yards from Jackson.
Kahuku coach Siuaki Livai was aware of Poly's speed, but was impressed to see it live.
"It's something you have to feel it, play it," Livai said. "It's your aiming point. Everything is just different. It was a great experience for us."
Speed might have aided the offense, but five turnovers by Kahuku gave the Jackrabbits the opportunities. Kahuku fumbled twice in the first half, both leading to Poly touchdowns. Defensive back Byron Velega added two interceptions.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser
Velega's second pick came when he leaped in front of receiver James Haiola and landed at the Poly 1. Ironically, that helped Kahuku get its first points in the game, as linebacker Sione Olevao tackled running back Jeremiah Tolouma in the end zone for a safety.
Long Beach Poly's Derrick Jones goes face to face with Kahuku's Kyle Juliano in the first period. Jones caught a 56-yard touchdown pass and returned a kickoff 82 yards for another score.
The Jackrabbits dominated from the outset, scoring on four of their six first-half possessions. Bursey's 7-yard TD run capped an eight-play, 58-yard drive that gave Poly a 7-0 lead. The 56-yard TD pass to Jones gave Poly a 14-0 lead after the first quarter.
Kahuku muffed the ensuing kickoff to start the second quarter, giving Poly possession at the Kahuku 22. On first down, Jackson hit Bursey for the touchdown to make it 21-0.
A Kahuku fumble at midfield later in the quarter also led to another TD, a 7-yard run by running back Jabbar Morris to make it 28-0 with 48 seconds left in the half. The safety by Kahuku made it 28-2 at the half.
"They made big plays when they needed to," said Kahuku's Olevao, who led his team with seven unassisted tackles.
The Jackrabbits weren't through, scoring on Jones' 82-yard kickoff return to start the second half.
Kahuku's fifth turnover, and its third fumble of the game, led to Bursey's 19-yard TD run, giving Poly a 42-2 lead with 1:43 left in the third quarter.
Kahuku found the end zone in the fourth quarter against Poly's backup defense. Quarterback Waika Carvalho scored on a 24-yard run and later threw a 13-yard TD pass to Bronson Ponciano.
"I think our execution was the difference," said Jackson, who completed 6 of 13 passes for 172 yards. "I thought it would be a close game because Kahuku executed well. We just happened to stop what they do best."
Sophomore Spencer Hafoka was Kahuku's best offensive threat. He had 73 yards rushing while playing quarterback and added 82 yards in receptions as a receiver when Carvalho was at quarterback.
Despite a licking they usually unleash on opponents, the Red Raiders said the experience will help them.
"I think we're going to react faster from now on," Livai said. "I wish there were more teams (in Hawai'i) similar to them in order to prepare for any team at (Poly's) level."
Livai said Poly has given Kahuku a standing invitation to play at Long Beach next season. Livai said he would like to go, but it depends if the O'ahu Interscholastic Association will let them make a schedule adjustment as it did for this game.
