WAIMEA — Alex Brost, who transferred over the summer to Hawaii Prep, is an unlikely defensive tackle, at just 5 feet, 7 inches and 145 pounds, standing on a football field where almost everyone else is much bigger. WAIMEA —
WAIMEA — Alex Brost, who transferred over the summer to Hawaii Prep, is an unlikely defensive tackle, at just 5 feet, 7 inches and 145 pounds, standing on a football field where almost everyone else is much bigger.
Brost looks more fit for soccer, a sport he played growing up in Oregon along with football. Back on the mainland, he was a kicker, strong safety and running back. He plans to play soccer for HPA this season.
But it’s his handiwork at defensive tackle and kicker that propelled HPA over Kamehameha 28-24 in the Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division II semifinals on Saturday in a game that was in doubt until the dying minutes.
HPA (8-2 overall, 6-2 BIIF) next plays at two-time defending Division II champion Konawaena (8-2, 7-1) on Nov. 1 for the BIIF title. HPA last won the league crown in 2009.
In the other semifinal, Honokaa (0-9, 0-8) forfeited against the Wildcats, citing a diminished roster and mounting injury concerns.
The season is over for the Warriors (5-5, 4-4), who lost to HPA 41-24 during the regular season in a game that Bobby Lum rumbled for 235 yards on 31 carries.
Down 24-14 with 10 minutes remaining Saturday, Lum scored on a 38-yard screen pass from quarterback Koa Ellis to cap an eight-play, 77-yard drive.
On the ensuing kickoff, Brost put his soccer skills to good use, blasting a kick that bounced off a Warrior and rolled right into teammate Kanai Gaughen’s hands.
“It was supposed to be a squib kick, low on the ground,” said Brost, who estimated he’s done about 10 onside kicks in his young career with only one being recovered. “Luck was on my side. I saw the ball come up, and ran for it, but my teammate was there first and I let him have it.”
That was Kamehameha’s fourth turnover and the most painful one. Two of the giveaways were turned into Ka Makani touchdowns, including that last mistake. (HPA had three turnovers with one recycled into a Warrior touchdown.)
Six plays later, including a 44-yard Ellis pass to Kellen Gillins to set up HPA deep in Warrior territory, Lum ran in for a 2-yard touchdown for a leap-frogging 28-24 advantage with 4:42 to go.
HPA’s Lii Pury intercepted a Micah Kanehailua pass, but after a three-and-out Kamehameha got the ball back with 2:41 on the clock right at midfield.
Nicky Palleschi sacked Kanehailua on first down.
Then on the junior quarterback’s second pass attempt he threw a dart that would have been a 55-yard touchdown. But his receiver dropped the ball; one of four Warrior drops on the day.
On fourth-and-15 from the Kamehameha 45, Kanehailua dropped back to pass with 1:58 left in the game.
Brost, one of the smallest guys on the field, made one of the biggest plays, sacking Kanehailua to give his team the ball back to run out the clock.
Kamehameha-Hawaii 0 14 7 3 — 24
HPA 14 0 0 14 — 28
First quarter
HPA — Bobby Lum 1 run (Alex Brost kick), 4:58
HPA — Lii Purdy 13 pass from Koa Ellis (Brost kick), 2:44
Second quarter
KSH — Alapaki Iaea 20 pass from Micah Kanehailua (Logan Uyetake kick), 8:16
KSH — Kamuela Kawamoto 3 pass from Kanehailua (Uyetake kick), 45.5
Third quarter
KSH — Iaea 24 pass from Kanehailua (Uyetake kick), 8:54
Fourth quarter
KSH — Uyetake FG 22, 10:14
HPA — Lum 38 pass from Ellis (Brost kick), 7:15
HPA — Lum 2 run (Brost kick), 4:42
