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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Kelly, Monteilh gain WAC honors

By Stephen Tsai
HawaiiWarriorBeat.com Editor

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Dan Kelly

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Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Keao Monteilh

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He kicked the winning field goal in overtime.

He received a 63-player group hug, and then a kiss from his girlfriend.

And then in the hotel that night, he celebrated with a turkey sandwich and Gatorade.

Life is good for Dan "Iceman" Kelly.

It got even better yesterday when Kelly and Hawai'i football teammate Keao Monteilh were named this week's Western Athletic Conference top players for special teams and defense, respectively.

Kelly, a senior from Temecula, Calif., booted a career-best four field goals in a 32-29 upset of Fresno State. The last came in overtime, sealing the first road victory over a nationally ranked opponent in the football program's history.

Monteilh, a fifth-year senior from Papakolea, had two interceptions.

After the game, the Warriors took a charter flight to Oakland, where they stayed overnight.

"I ate my sandwich," Kelly said. "It was quite good. It was (from) the Oakland Hilton. They make some good sandwiches. My compliments go out to them.

"I watched SportsCenter until 3 a.m. They had the top-10 plays. (Ryan) Mouton made No. 3 (for a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown), which was fun to watch. Then I went to bed. I woke up at 7:30, 8, ate breakfast, got on the plane, got off the plane, did a little homework. All around, it was a fantastic celebration."

Kelly, who earned his nickname as a decorated soccer goaltender in high school, said he welcomes pressure situations. But it was in other situations where he struggled. He had missed four of his last five field-goal attempts entering Saturday's game.

But he found his accuracy by connecting on three field-goal attempts in regulation. A fourth was blocked.

"I have to do better in non-pressure situations," Kelly said. "I felt this (past) weekend was a good weekend to show that. I kicked in non-pressure situations, and then in the end, I kicked in a pressure situation."

Kelly credited his blockers, long-snapper Jake Ingram and holder Tim Grasso. "They did a great job," Kelly said.

Monteilh's acceptance speech included thanks to defensive linemen David Veikune and Josh Leonard. Veikune pressured quarterback Tom Brandstater into throwing an up-for-grabs pass.

"Veikune didn't just hit the guy, he nailed the guy," Monteilh said. "He made him throw it a little higher than he wanted to. It was a good rush."

Leonard, on a zone-dog play, tipped a pass that Monteilh intercepted. Leonard faked a pass rush, then retreated into coverage.

"He tipped it, and it fell into my hands," Monteilh said.

Monteilh said the Warriors fulfilled head coach Greg McMackin's prediction that turnovers would "come in bunches." Through the first four games, the Warriors forced two turnovers, both on fumbles. Against Fresno State, they intercepted three passes and recovered three Bulldog fumbles.

Monteilh said "fire drills" — 20-minute sessions devoted to interceptions and interception returns — proved helpful. He said the drills are not taxing when defensive coordinator Cal Lee throws the passes.

But when redshirt Steele Jantz is the scout quarterback, Monteilh said, "he makes us work for it in practice. Steele makes us run for it. He doesn't lob it, he throws it. Sometimes we get mad. It's early in the morning, and he's making us run for it. But it wakes us up. It's good."

Monteilh also noted the Warriors played with more energy in Fresno. "Even during the (pregame) ha'a, I could feel it," Monteilh said.

Kelly said he believes the game will turn the season. "There are always going to be people who love us, and there are always going to be haters," Kelly said. "We have to keep truckin' and get another victory."

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.