Sports Notebook
Star-Bulletin staff
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WARRIOR FOOTBALL
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM
Ross Dickerson started at running back for Hawaii last night instead of his usual wide-receiver spot and caught two passes.
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Dickerson tries new role
As expected, the seniors carried the rushing load for Hawaii last night. But the Warriors did throw in a new wrinkle for their regular-season finale.
Ross Dickerson came out for senior night with a new look and a new position against Oregon State.
Dickerson, wearing No. 37 rather than his customary 82, lined up in the backfield alongside quarterback Colt Brennan to open the game. Reagan Mauia, another senior running back, started in a slot as an extra blocker.
"I played a little bit of running back in high school (at Saint Louis)," Dickerson said. "We practiced it all week."
The outcome didn't turn out the way the senior class had hoped, as Oregon State held on for a 35-32 win before a sold-out Aloha Stadium. But they found some solace in that they'll have one more shot to go out with a win in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Eve.
"It's too bad we lost tonight, but we're looking forward to playing Arizona State and redeeming ourselves a little bit," Dickerson said.
After sitting out the first quarter, Nate Ilaoa entered the game and sparked the Warriors with 48 yards and a touchdown rushing and six receptions for 67 yards on shovel passes, including a 34-yard gain.
"My leg's kind of bugging me, but I just went ahead and played with it," Ilaoa said.
Dickerson picked up 48 total yards as a back and a receiver. Mauia turned in several big plays on shovel passes for 37 yards.
Ilaoa had missed practice time this week with a bruised heel and sat out the first quarter while Dickerson and Mauia split time in the backfield.
"(Dickerson's) a natural, you know a natural runner when you can put him on the field and they get have success getting yards and that was the case," Ilaoa said.
Seniors honored: Although the Warriors will have one more game at Aloha Stadium, 20 Hawaii seniors were given their ceremonial sendoff with the traditional senior walk last night.
Honored in the festivities were Dickerson, Ilaoa, Mauia, defensive end Ikaika Alama-Francis, right tackle Dane Uperesa, left tackle Tala Esera, linebacker Bully Fergerstrom, defensive lineman Renolds Fruean, offensive lineman Marques Kaonohi, nose tackle Kahai LaCount, defensive back Mike Malala, punter Kurt Milne, wide receiver Chad Mock, cornerback Kenny Patton, safety Leonard Peters, defensive end Melila Purcell, wide receiver Ian Sample, offensive lineman Samson Satele, linebacker Chris Williams and defensive lineman Lawrence Wilson.
Rare goose eggs: Hawaii did not score in the opening period. It's the first time UH was held scoreless for an entire quarter since the third period of the Oct. 21 game at New Mexico State, a span of 21 quarters.
The only other time UH didn't score in the first quarter this year was Sept. 23 at Boise State.
The Warriors failed to score on their initial possession for the first time since the Fresno State game Oct. 14. It was also the first home game of the season in which they did not put up points on the opening drive.
On the move: Oregon State's Gerard Lawson gave the Beavers a big boost early in the second quarter when he fielded a Hawaii kickoff in the south end zone and ran it out up the right side, cut to the middle and then through a gaping hole in the Warriors' special-teams unit before speeding into the clear all the way to complete a 100-yard kickoff return.
Lawson's electrifying return gave Oregon State its second lead of the game, 14-7. It was the Beavers' first kickoff return for a touchdown and the first against Hawaii this season.
Opponent's end tight again: The tight end. It's a UH cliche. Hawaii has no tight ends. Hawaii always seems to have trouble playing against them.
Oregon State's Joe Newton had just two catches last night. But both were daggers. They totaled 44 yards. The first was the game's opening TD, a 21-yard seam route on the last play of the first quarter to help make it 7-0.
The second was even more spectacular. In the fourth quarter Newton made a crazy catch between two UH defenders, landing inches from the goal line. Oregon State would score a play later to take the lead for good.
"He's a tall guy," UH safety Jacob Patek said -- Newton is 6-foot-7. "Long arms, he's got those long arms he can reach over and make the kind of plays not a lot of people can make."