By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Columnist

ONTARIO, Calif. — Barely an hour after its loss to the University of Southern California Saturday, the University of Hawai'i football team was already boarding the bus caravan that would take it swiftly out of town.

So swiftly, in fact, that running back West Keliikipi, who was being interviewed during a taping of the June Jones television show, was inadvertently left behind.

The Warriors' hasty departure painted an appropriate picture of a team that is trying quickly to put some distance between itself and its first loss of the season.

For now comes the hard part, picking up the pieces and preparing for Friday's ESPN2 appearance at Nevada-Las Vegas after the daze of a 61-32 whipping.

How well the Warriors go about accomplishing this figures to tell us a lot about the 2003 team and its chances for the season. A win would put the Warriors back on track entering Western Athletic Conference play next week with Rice. A loss, and suddenly they would be 1-2 and returning home with a lot of gnawing questions after what would be their first back-to-back defeats in 26 games.

Whichever way the USC game went — and this was hardly the ending the Warriors had in mind — they knew they were facing a quick turnaround to get ready for UNLV (2-1) in their first back-to-back non-conference road games in 30 years. And there would be precious little time to dwell over the loss to USC.

That's part of why UH had plans to hurriedly leave for Ontario, Calif., where the Warriors will headquarter near Ontario International Airport, 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, until their Thursday evening flight to Las Vegas.

There was the intent to avoid all the distractions and temptations of Las Vegas. There was also the wish to find a slightly more hospitable climate than the 90-degree temperatures of Las Vegas in which to practice. Not to mention practice away from inquiring eyes.

And, you surmise, Jones being a creature of some superstition might have also liked the fact that UH headquartered in Ontario last year before flying into Fresno and beating the Bulldogs.

Rebounding from the USC loss became a task made tougher by UNLV's stunning 23-5 upset of No. 14 Wisconsin in Madison, Wis.

A UNLV team that had been embarrassed by Kansas, 46-24, last week, has found some momentum and big-play performers.

Meanwhile, the Warriors begin four days of practices designed to help find some for themselves, something they would be hard-pressed to do if memories of USC linger.

"We're not going to be thinking about this (USC) game anymore," vowed offensive lineman Uriah Moenoa. "We're going to move on and get ready for UNLV."

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.