Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.
Saturday, August 26, 2000
Waianae wins Revenge was as sloppy as it was sweet for the Waianae football team last night at Kailua.
’Rider cup
The Surfriders succumb
More prep football
to the Seariders in a
sloppy season starterBy Dave Reardon
Star-BulletinThe first play symbolized the game for the Seariders -- mistake-ridden, but spectacularly successful.
Peter Sarono bobbled the opening kickoff, but picked it up and ran 95 yards for a touchdown.
Several other big plays helped the No. 2-ranked Seariders overcome their own mistakes as they beat the No. 10 Surfriders, 21-6, in the Oahu Interscholastic Association Red opener for both teams.
The Surfriders beat the Seariders twice last year.
"To us guys this game was redemption, payback for us," said Lia Atuatasi, who with fellow lineman Siota Malu led Waianae's defense. "We know now we've got to worry about the other contenders."
Danny Matsumoto, Waianae's new head coach, seemed more relieved than overjoyed after the Seariders fumbled three times (once when quarterback Jonah Nunuha tossed the ball on the ground when he mistakenly thought a play was over) and were penalized 13 times for 108 yards.
"This win's a big thing for us," Matsumoto said. "But as you can see, we made so many simple mistakes."
Fortunately for Waianae, Kailua made a lot of them, too. At the end of the third quarter and beginning of the fourth, the teams combined for four fumbles in five plays.
"Waianae made the least amount of mistakes, and we didn't capitalize on the ones they did make," Kailua coach Darren Johnson said. "I'm shocked we lost. We honestly feel we're the better football team, but we made too many mistakes."
They did do some things well. Kailua's Jason Harbottle scored on a 50-yard run after blasting through a huge hole created by Sam Satele and David Moku with 7:42 left in the first half.
The Seariders played without top running back Lono Manners, who is out with a broken leg. But their passing game was efficient and sometimes spectacular.
But Nunuha found Graen Enriquez open across the middle for a 77-yard catch-and-run score, and Waianae took a 14-6 lead into halftime.
Brandon Lopes, who rotates with Nunuha at quarterback, scrambled 30 yards late in the third quarter for the final score.
"We faced a tough team that took us out twice last year, including the playoffs," Sarono said. "We needed to prove something to ourselves."
Kailua plays Mililani a week from today at Aloha Stadium. Waianae has a bye next weekend.
Waianae 7 7 7 0--21 Kailua 0 6 0 0-- 6 Scoring summary
Waian--Peter Sarono 95 kick off return (Shawn Bebeau kick).
Kail--Brenton Harbottle 50 run (pass failed).
Waian--Graen Enriquez 78 pass from Jonah Nunuha (Bebeau kick).
Waian--Brandon Lopes 30 run (Bebeau kick)Individual statistics
Rushing--Waian: Sarono 13-26, Brandon Lopes 1-22, Kawena Rosario 9-13, Jonathan Valdez 1-4, James Woodard 1-3, Nunuha 1-(-6). Kail: Harbottle 14-77, Josh Uelese 7-16, Taleki Mailau 18-12.
Passing--Waian: Nunuha 6-9-1 for 167 yards, Lopes 3-10-0 for 38 yards. Kail: Mailau 6-18-0 for 75 yards.
Receiving--Waian: Bebeau 3-71, Enriquez 5-138, Sarono 1-(-4). Kail: Ryan Lum 4-55, Harbottle 1-10, Cathcart 1-10.
Junior varsity--Waianae 21, Kailua 0.