No place like home as Warriors rebound

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

That last sound was the University of Hawai'i football team clicking its heels.

Hawai'i wide receiver Jason Rivers pulls in one of his school-record four touchdown receptions. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

In improving to 5-1 at home this season, the Warriors were able to begin recovering from the hangover of last week's 70-14 nationally televised road loss to Fresno State.

"We're not in Fresno anymore," UH defensive tackle Lui Fuga said. "We play well at home. We're just a different team. We're a better team."

UH quarterback Tim Chang agreed, saying, "We always play better at home. I don't know what it is. Maybe it's because we're relaxed here. Maybe it's because we have great fans. Maybe it has to do with this being one of the best places on Earth."

Chang, a fifth-year senior, completed 23 of 31 passes for 376 yards and a career-high six touchdowns.

Four of the scoring passes went to wideout Jason Rivers, also a Saint Louis School graduate.

"Jason did an outstanding job," Chang said. "He stepped up his game. He brought his 'A' game, as they would say. He was awesome out there."

Rivers, who set a school record for scoring catches, said: "Everybody had their catches. I had a little bit more opportunities than some of the other guys, that's all."

On one of Rivers' catches, cornerback Chris Nathan hung on like static cling.

"I wasn't thinking about him," Rivers said. "I was concentrating on the ball. A lot of people are counting on me to make some catches. I kept that in mind."

Chang, who played through the first series of the fourth quarter, was intercepted twice. Three of his passes were dropped, including two by wideout Britton Komine on the game's opening drive. Komine bobbled one of the passes while wide open in the end zone.

Landon Kafentzis records one of UH's 10 sacks — this one on Michael Harrington in the second quarter. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

"As an offense," slotback Gerald Welch said, "we had a lot to prove. We just challenged ourselves. People were saying we weren't that good. We know we're better than what we showed before. We proved it."

The Warriors overcame the absences of center Derek Fa'avi (bone bruise in right knee) and right guard Uriah Moenoa (hamstring and knee injuries). Because Moenoa also is Fa'avi's immediate backup, right guard Samson Satele moved to center and his cousin, left guard Hercules Satele, made his first NCAA start. Later, fifth-year senior Phil Kauffman played left guard.

"The offensive line has a lot of depth," Chang said. "We knew whoever was in there would do the job. Hercules, Samson, they all did a good job, a marvelous job. It makes our job so much easier when they're dominating."

In the post-game locker room, Moenoa gazed at his fellow linemen with quiet pride.

"Two starters went down, and they answered the call," Moenoa said. "Being the older guy, I felt like a proud father. We didn't have the greatest week of practice, but they came out and executed. Overall, they did a fairly good job."

On defense, the Warriors pledged to avoid last week's meltdown, in which Fresno State amassed 503 rushing yards.

The Warriors kept their promise, limiting the Vandals to 92 rushing yards — a total that was greatly affected by 10 UH sacks for 59 yards.

The Vandals' two early scoring drives were fueled by trick plays. On the first, the Vandals lined up for an apparent field-goal attempt. But quarterback Michael Harrington, who doubles as the holder, took the snap and passed to Bobby Bernal-Wood, who ran 10 yards for the first down. Two plays later, Bernal-Wood caught a pass in the left flat, eluded on-rushing safety Leonard Peters and completed the 8-yard scoring play.

The Vandals' second touchdown came on an option pass from Christian Populis to Desmond Belton.

But then the Warriors put their trust in a no-frills defensive scheme, in which the defensive backs played man-to-man coverage, the linebackers drove forward at the snap of the ball and 294-pound Fuga overpowered 269-pound center Jarrod Schulte.

The Vandals, who were not whole, could not respond. Their starting running back, Willie Sipoloa, was a tight end two weeks ago. Another tight end, Brian Yarno, served as a fullback.

When Harrington, the younger brother of quarterback Joey Harrington of the Detroit Lions, suffered a separated right (throwing) shoulder in the second quarter, the Vandals were at the Warriors' mercy.

Harrington, who left for good in the third quarter, was sacked five times. Backup Brian Nooy also was sacked five times, including four times in back-to-back drives.

The Vandals were held to 73 yards in the second half.

"Credit to those guys," Idaho coach Nick Holt said. "They did a nice job of getting us. (I'm) surprised we didn't get any points in the second half. We needed it."

Peters, UH's safety, said: "I don't know what it is, but when the defense wants to play, it plays. The second half is how we should play every week."

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8051.