WAIMEA — It was no secret that both Kealakehe and Hawaii Prep had nothing to play for in terms of postseason implications on Saturday. That didn’t stop either squad from battling until the final seconds of their BIIF seasons.
WAIMEA — It was no secret that both Kealakehe and Hawaii Prep had nothing to play for in terms of postseason implications on Saturday. That didn’t stop either squad from battling until the final seconds of their BIIF seasons.
Kealakehe rushed for 173 yards as a team, led by a 72-yard effort by Swope Conn, and downed Hawaii Prep 15-3 in both teams’ season finales.
Conn, a junior back, also found the end zone on a short touchdown plunge in the second half to give the Waveriders some insurance points. Quarterback Anthony Trevino was 8 of 17 passing in the Waimea wind, but caught a touchdown in the first half.
“I’m very proud that they came out, practiced hard, and finished this season strong,” Kealakehe head coach Sam Kekuaokalani said. “They really showed their commitment and character this game.”
Kealakehe finishes the BIIF season at 3-4, and with the league semifinals eliminated, will watch the BIIF Championship for the first time since 2001.
There’s some unfortunate history on the Hawaii Prep side as well. With the loss to the Waveriders, Ka Makani finished the league season at 0-7. It’s the first winless season since 1987 for HPA, when they finished with an 0-10 record.
Despite that, Hawaii Prep head coach Jordan Hayslip still came away with a positive take on the season.
“They fought today, like they have all year. I’m proud of that,” Hayslip said. “Our seniors did a great job of keeping us going. It didn’t feel like a losing team. These kids came out and worked hard every day.”
Noah Wise — one of seven seniors on the Hawaii Prep roster — was the workhorse back for Ka Makani. He carried the ball 14 times for 63 yards.
There wasn’t a whole lot of offense to speak of in the first half as the teams entered the break 7-3.
Kealakehe kept their offense grounded for the majority of the first half, with six players receiving carries. Trevino — who split reps at quarterback and wide receiver in the first half — led the way, scrambling for 25 yards, while also catching a 5-yard touchdown pass from Travis Grace.
Hawaii Prep had the biggest play of the half, with quarterback Umi Kealoha hitting Kekoa Ilagan-LeBlanc on a 40-yard pass and catch along the sideline. The opportunity led to a field goal by Elijah Anakalea-Buckley.
The middle of the field continued to be beat up in the second half, with neither team gaining traction on offense. The longest play of the third quarter was the last, as Conn rumbled 20 yards as the scoreboard buzzer welcomed the fourth quarter.
After flipping sides, Conn continued to bully the Ka Makani defense. Eventually, the junior found the end zone and scored a two-point conversion to put Kealakehe up 15-3.
Hawaii Prep had it’s chances late to get some points, but couldn’t muster a score. After a failed punt gave Hawaii Prep stellar field position to score late, an interception by Kealakehe’s Qishaun Gallon at the 1-yard line effectively ended the game with less than a minute left.