KAILUA-KONA — With its seniors basking in the glow of a celebratory homecoming fire, Kealakehe put to bed an eventful week with an overwhelming 41-8 victory against Keaau on Saturday night.
KAILUA-KONA — With its seniors basking in the glow of a celebratory homecoming fire, Kealakehe put to bed an eventful week with an overwhelming 41-8 victory against Keaau on Saturday night.
“Everyone worked hard for this win,” Kealakehe head coach Sam Kekuaokalani said.
There were some obvious, potential distractions this week lurking for the Waveriders (2-3 BIIF, 2-4 overall) as they faced a near must-win game against the Cougars (2-3, 2-3) to keep their playoffs hopes alive. Foremost among those the homecoming celebration, as well as some extra spotlight on the program after senior Mason Kaawa-Loa made news for taking a knee during the national anthem.
However, Kekuaokalani said the busy week and series of conversations leading up to the game actually brought the team closer together.
“It was interesting, but we were able to focus and have some great practices,” he said. “I thought the boys reacted well to all of it. They knew the expectations coming in and executed.”
Kaawa-Loa continued to take a knee during the anthem on Saturday, and was joined by one other Kealakehe player.
After the anthem ended and the first whistle blew, Kaawa-Loa — like the rest of his teammates — tuned out the distractions and churned out his best game of the season. The two-way standout rushed for two touchdowns, while also making an impact on defense.
“All I saw was the end zone,” Kaawa-Loa said of his first touchdown runs of the season.
It would be an understatment to say Kaawa-Loa’s actions elicited a large response from the public during the week, but the Waverider senior embraced the situation.
“I got a lot of comments, but it was a good experience for me to see how people reacted,” Kaawa-Loa said. “I know not everyone was with me, but I tried to take it all into consideration.”
As for how it affected the team as a whole, Kealakehe running back Siosifa “Mafoa” Vaea probably said it best.
“We are closer than we have ever been before,” Vaea said. “We may all be from different cultures and backgrounds, but we are brothers at heart.”
Back to football
The Waveriders had their best offensive output of the season, tallying 200-plus yards on the ground with a stable of backs. The 41 points were by far another season-high, with the previous being 25 against Hilo on Sept. 10.
Eight different players carried the ball for Kealakehe, and four different runners found the end zone. Kaawa-Loa led the way with his two touchdown trots, and Vaea and Swope Conn combined for 101 yards.
While the ground game put up points, the production also helped the defense step up its play by giving the unit some rest on the sideline.
“That really helped out,” Kealakehe linebacker Randy Hatori said. “It motivated all of us to keep going.”
Hatori — the reigning BIIF Division I Defensive Player of the Year — did his part against the Cougars, delivering big hits and even finding the end zone. The defense also forced a safety, and Keaau’s offense finished in the red with negative yardage.
“We had some intense practices,” Hatori said. “Both the offense and defense pulled equal parts tonight.”
The win put Kealakehe in control of its own destiny to make the playoffs. A win next week at Waiakea, and the Waveriders pretty much guarantee a spot in the BIIF Championship game — a contest they have played in every season since 2002.
“This was a great win to bounce back from the rivalry loss last week (to Konawaena) and a big confidence boost,” Hatori said. “No one wants to end their senior year on a loss. We want to get back there.”