Kamehameha steals show in rout of Pac-Five, 42-6
By Kalani Takase
Advertiser Staff Writer
Michael Hoke passed for 204 yards and two touchdowns to lead host Kamehameha to a 42-6 win over Pac-Five at Kunuiakea Stadium last night.
The Warriors improved to 3-2-1 overall and 2-2 in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu. Pac-Five fell to 1-6, 0-4.
The game was the first ILH football telecast on OC-16 and was seen live statewide.
"We were excited for (television)," said Kamehameha defensive back Ula Nakamura. "We knew we had to be more focused."
Nakamura scored the game's first points on a 25-yard fumble return 52 seconds into the game. Kevin Doo added the extra point and the Warriors quickly led, 7-0.
"Since we played Damien, our defense had been a question mark," said Kamehameha head coach David Stant. "With that score, it's like Ula said to the team, 'we're going to be OK.' "
Nakamura added: "That changed the momentum."
Pac-Five was aided by a pair of 15-yard penalties on Kamehameha on a 12-play, 91-yard drive later in the first quarter that was capped by a 1-yard plunge by Jaime Rivera into the end zone. The extra point was blocked.
Kamehameha responded with an 11-play drive of its own, covering 65 yards. Hoke completed passes to Brandon Demello, Maika Mataele and Shaun Bode to move the ball to the Wolf Pack 7-yard line.
Hoke's pass fell incomplete on first-and-goal, but he called his own number on second. Hoke ran to his left, but fumbled as he attempted to turn the corner. The loose ball took a Kamehameha bounce into the hands of running back Pono Perez, already in the end zone with 6:41 left in the first half.
Kamehameha added two more scores, a 20-yard pass from Hoke to Mataele and a 9-yard run by Brandon Dumlao, to make it 28-6 at halftime.
"We had (Pac-Five) scouted really well," said Hoke. "Our first bunch of scripted plays, it was all wide open."
Hoke threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Rylee Urasaki with 8:37 left in the third quarter and backup Edmund Kamano Jr. hooked up with Kepo'o Noah for a 32-yard score that induced the 35-point mercy rule and running clock.
ILH executive director Don "Spud" Botelho was pleased with the historic broadcast.
"I think it was an exciting situation for everybody," Botelho said. "It was a tremendous opportunity for our league to showcase our kids."
Despite the score, OC-16 executive sports director Dave Vinton said there was much to be excited about.
"It was beyond our expectations, just a great night of television," Vinton said. "Even though the score wasn't that close, I thought it was an outstanding effort by both teams."
KAMEHAMEHA (3-2-1, 2-2) 7 21 7 7—42
PAC-FIVE (1-6, 0-4) 6 0 0 0— 6
KS — Ula Nakamura 25 fumble return (Kevin Doo kick)
P5 — Jaime Rivera 1 run (kick blocked)
KS — Pono Perez fumble recovery in end zone (Doo kick)
KS — Maika Mataele 20 pass from Michael Hoke (Doo kick)
KS — Brandon Dumlao 9 run (Doo kick)
KS — Rylee Urasaki 50 pass from Hoke (Doo kick)
KS — Kepo'o Noah 32 pass from Edmund Kamano Jr. (Doo kick)
RUSHING — Kamehameha: Dumlao 7-43, Truman Chun 6-41, Perez 4-28, Haitsuka 1-(minus 4), Hoke 4-16, Aleks Akiyama 1-11, Kaohu McCabe 1-2, Kamano Jr. 8-9, team 2-(minus 14). Pac-Five: Phillip Sarubbi 4-7, Rivera 10-27, Jon-Ray Rodrigues 3-(minus 11), Matt Milton 1-(minus 2), Zac Fujimoto 1-0, Gabe Miller 1-15.
PASSING — Kamehameha: Hoke 11-17-0—204, Kamano Jr. 1-2-1—32. Pac-Five: Rodrigues 10-20-1—107, Milton 2-5-1—15, Brenton Beirne 0-2-0—0.
RECEIVING — Kamehameha: Shaun Bode 4-80, Mataele 2-35, Brandon Demello 2-21, Ryne Haitsuka 1-20, Dumlao 1-(minus 2), Urasaki 1-50, Noah 1-32. Pac-Five: Matt Shibata 3-33, Zac Fujimoto 4-63, Westin Alcover 2-15, Rivera 2-2, Miller 1-9.
Reach Kalani Takase at ktakase@honoluluadvertiser.com.