WARRIORS 59, NEVADA 34

RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM Hawaii receiver Britton Komine pulled in a reception ahead of Nevada's Ekene Agwuenu last night. The 72-yard scoring strike from Tim Chang came on the game's first play from scrimmage.

Warriors romp

Everything goes right for Hawaii in the
first quarter of a whipping of Nevada

Scoring drives
Sidelines
Wolf Pack caught in whirlwind
Komine makes the most of opportunity

---

By Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.com

Homecoming is supposed to be about happy recollections, and last night's record-breaking performance had the Hawaii football team thinking about the good old days -- of last December.

The Warriors broke their school record for total offense and scored touchdowns on all six first-quarter possessions while racing past Nevada 59-34 at Aloha Stadium.

UH -- coming off a 58-31 loss at Boise State -- improved to 4-2 and 3-1 in the Western Athletic Conference. Nevada fell to 2-4 and 1-1.

"It kind of brought back memories of like BYU (last year)," UH guard Vince Manuwai said. "It started rolling, and every time we had a drive scoring became a habit. It kept going and going. Credit the skill guys and the quarterback."

The Tim Chang critics might want to take the week off. He completed his first six passes -- two for scores -- and UH ran up and down the field for 674 yards, with 468 of them coming in the first half.

"Everybody put their game together and it was a success," Chang said. "Every week it seems like the defenses put six, seven or eight guys back there and it makes it harder in some ways, but it worked out tonight."

For a while, it looked like the Warriors might break the school record for points, which was set last year when Hawaii beat Brigham Young 72-45. Instead, UH settled for surpassing the 667 yards amassed against the Cougars in 1990.

Hawaii coach June Jones said he simplified the offense because injuries forced several backups into action.

"We didn't really run a whole lot of stuff," he said. "But Timmy did a great job. I'm glad he has gotten better every week."

Chang, relieved at times by Shawn Withy-Allen throughout the game, completed 19 of 31 passes for 381 yards before leaving early in the fourth quarter. Withy-Allen added 139 yards and a touchdown on 6-of-9 passing.

"We went zone, we went man," Nevada coach Chris Tormey said. "But Chang's a great player. We rushed him more last year. We thought we could cover the receivers and win this time."

This was supposed to be a long game, and it was: three hours and 41 minutes. But the contest was short. There wasn't much doubt of the outcome after a 75-minute first quarter in which the Warriors outscored the Wolf Pack 42-10.

Nevada, despite coming into the game with a big-play offense of its own, simply couldn't keep up. Wolf Pack quarterback Zack Threadgill passed for two touchdowns and ran for another, but it was far from enough.

Nevada netted 469 yards, including 133 rushing by Matt Milton, but was guilty of four turnovers. Pisa Tinoisamoa and David Gilmore recovered Wolf Pack fumbles.

"They audibled a lot at the line, so we had to disguise our coverages and move on the snap," UH linebacker Chris Brown said. "It worked."

RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM Hawaii quarterback Shawn Withy-Allen tried to elude Nevada's P.J. Hoeper last night.

An announced crowd of 39,616 saw the Warriors explode from the first play, when Chang hit Britton Komine with a 72-yard touchdown pass.

"We hadn't seen that," Tormey said. "We knew they would throw deep, but not that route."

Komine, starting in place of the injured Nate Ilaoa, caught seven passes for 218 yards and two touchdowns, both in the first quarter.

"We're lucky we've got some depth," Jones said.

The defense got in on the fun early, too, as Hyrum Peters grabbed his fourth interception of the season and took it back for a 64-yard score on the Wolf Pack's second play. Abraham Elimimian also intercepted a pass, with 22 seconds left in the first quarter.

"The defense helped us out, and before you know it, those guys are out of the game," said Warrior receiver Justin Colbert, who caught eight passes for 120 yards.

The Warriors amassed 354 yards in the first quarter -- six more than in the entire game when Hawaii lost 28-20 at Nevada last year.

Nevada got on the board when Threadgill rolled to his right and scored untouched from the Hawaii 2, making it 14-7 at 3:24 into the game. Nate Burleson accounted for 72 of the drive's 75 yards with two catches and a run, all for first downs.

But the Warriors came right back with a 50-yard touchdown pass from Chang to Chad Owens. Owens caught a high throw at the Nevada 35 and broke away from two tacklers. A sustained block by Colbert at the 10 helped him make it to the end zone. It was an expensive TD, though: Owens suffered a torn medial collateral ligament and could be lost for the season. UH led 21-7 with the game was less than five minutes old.

Two rushing touchdowns made it 35-7, as Michael Brewster ran for a 6-yard score and John West carried for a 7-yard TD (his first of three for the night) -- with a three-and-out by the defense in between. West's score with 5:50 left was preceded by a 29-yard pass from Chang to Omar Bennett. Bennett's first-career reception was tipped by two Nevada defenders.

Damon Fine's 27-yard field goal made it 35-10 at 2:04 of the first, but UH fired back with Shawn Withy-Allen's 54-yard TD pass to Komine and a 2-yard run by West nine plays after Elimimian's interception gave Hawaii the ball at the Hawaii 34.

The Warriors' scoring streak ended when Chang was intercepted by Keone Kauo with 7:27 left before halftime. Kauo returned it 13 yards to the Hawaii 33.

Threadgill hit tight end Erick Streelman with a 3-yard touchdown pass six plays later. A 2-point conversion pass attempt (to make up for Fine's missed extra point earlier) fell incomplete. It was 49-22 at 4:42 before halftime.

UH's Justin Ayat kicked a 25-yard field goal at 1:55 before the break, after a 28-yard pass from Chang to West and West's 26-yard run got the Warriors deep into Nevada territory.

The Wolf Pack's Nicheren Flowers caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from Threadgill at 6:59 of the third quarter. A 2-point try failed again, and the score was 52-28.

Again, Hawaii responded. West's third score, a 2-yarder, came the play after Chang found Colbert for a 48-yard completion.

Nevada's B.J. Mitchell scored on a 1-yard run at 1:07 of the third. A third failed 2-point try made it 59-34.

---

BACK TO TOP
|

[ SCORING DRIVES ]

FIRST QUARTER

HAWAII
1-10-H-28: Britton Komine 72 pass from Tim Chang--TOUCHDOWN
PAT: Justin Ayat kick, GOOD.
1 play, 72 yards, 20 seconds.
14:40 left in the first quarter.
Hawaii 7, Nevada 0

Notes: First play from scrimmage of the game ... Komine's fourth touchdown of the season ... Hawaii's longest pass play of the season.

HAWAII
1-10-H-41: Zack Threadgill pass intercepted by Hyrum Peters, 64 return--TOUCHDOWN.
PAT: Justin Ayat kick, GOOD.
13:49 left in the first quarter.
Hawaii 14, Nevada 0

Notes: Peters' fourth interception of the season and his third return for a touchdown.

NEVADA
1-10-N-25: Nate Burleson 11 pass from Zack Threadgill.
1-10-N-36: Nate Burleson 29 pass from Zack Threadgill. Penalty--facemask, UH.
1-10-H-20: Nate Burleson 17 run
1-G-H-3: Matt Milton 1 run
2-G-H-2: Zack Threadgill 0 run
3-G-H-2: Zack Threadgill 2 run--TOUCHDOWN
PAT: Damon Fine kick, GOOD.
6 plays, 75 yards, 2:13
11:36 left in the first quarter.
Hawaii 14, Nevada 7

Notes: Threadgill's first rushing touchdown of the season and Nevada's third as a team. ... Burleson accounted for 57 yards on the drive.

HAWAII
1-10-H-41: Justin Colbert 9 pass from Tim Chang.
2-1-50: Chad Owens 50 pass from Tim Chang--TOUCHDOWN.
PAT: Justin Ayat kick, GOOD.
2 plays, 59 yards, 58 seconds.
10:38 left in the first quarter.
Hawaii 21, Nevada 7.

Notes: Drive set up by Michael Brewster's 41-yard kickoff return. ... Owens' first receiving touchdown of the season, Chang's eighth touchdown pass. ... Owens had to be helped from the field with a sprained knee and did not return. ... Chang 3-for-3 for 131 yards and two scores at this point.

HAWAII
1-10-H-35: Justin Colbert 6 pass from Tim Chang.
2-4-H-41: Shawn Withy-Allen 3 run.
3-1-H-44: Michael Brewster 7 pass from Tim Chang.
1-10-N-49: Britton Komine 45 pass from Tim Chang. (Timeout, UH).
1-G-N-4: Incomplete pass.
2-G-N-4: Michael Brewster 4 run--TOUCHDOWN.
PAT: Justin Ayat kick, GOOD.
6 plays, 65 yards, 59 seconds.
7:59 left in the first quarter.
Hawaii 28, Nevada 7.

Notes: Brewster's third touchdown of the season. ... Komine has 117 yards on two receptions.

HAWAII
1-10-N-45: Omar Bennett 30 pass from Tim Chang.
1-10-N-15: Thero Mitchell 9 run.
2-1-N-6: John West 6 run--TOUCHDOWN.
PAT: Justin Ayat kick, GOOD.
3 plays, 45 yards, 1:03.
5:50 left in the first quarter.
Hawaii 35, Nevada 7.

Notes: Bennett's reception was the first of his career. .... West scored his second touchdown of the season and his career.

NEVADA
1-10-N-25: Matt Milton (-1) run.
2-11-N-24: Incomplete pass. Penalty--pass interference, UH.
1-10-N-34: Incomplete pass. Penalty--personal foul, UH, UN.
2-10-N-34: Incomplete pass. (Timeout, UN)
3-10-N-34: Nate Burleson 20 pass from Zack Threadgill.
1-10-H-46: Matt Milton 12 run.
1-10-H-34: Matt Milton 23 run.
1-10-H-11: Nate Burleson 0 pass from Zack Threadgill.
2-10-H-11: Incomplete pass.
3-10-H-11: Penalty--delay of game, UN.
3-15-H-16: Nichiren Flowers 6 pass from Zack Threadgill.
4-9-H-10: Damon Fine 27 FG, GOOD.
10 plays, 65 yards, 3:46.
2:04 left in the first quarter.
Hawaii 35, Nevada 10

Notes: Fine now 6-for-8 in field goals this season. ... eighth field goal surrendered by Hawaii.

HAWAII
1-10-H-34: Penalty--pass interference, UH.
1-25-H-19: Justin Colbert 19 pass from Shawn Withy-Allen.
2-6-H-38: Incomplete pass.
3-6-H-38: Jeremiah Cockerhan 8 pass from Shawn Withy-Allen.
1-10-H-46: Britton Komine 54 pass from Shawn Withy-Allen-TOUCHDOWN.
PAT: Justin Ayat kick, GOOD.
4 plays, 66 yards, 1:25
39 seconds left in the first quarter.
Hawaii 42, Nevada 10.

Notes: Komine's second touchdown reception of the game. He now has three catches for 171 yards. He entered the game with 10 receptions for 151 yards. ... Withy-Allen's third touchdown pass of the season.

---

SECOND QUARTER

HAWAII
1-10-H-34: Shawn Withy-Allen 9 run.
2-1-H-43: Omar Bennett 22 pass from Shawn Withy-Allen. Penalty--deadball personal foul, UH.
End of first quarter
1-10-N-49: Incomplete pass.
2-10-N-49: Justin Colbert 14 pass from Tim Chang.
1-10-N-35: John West 9 run.
2-1-N-26: Incomplete pass. Penalty--offside, UN.
1-10-N-21: Shawn Withy-Allen 9 run.
2-1-N-12: Shawn Withy-Allen 3 run.
1-G-N-9: Britton Komine 7 pass from Tim Chang.
2-G-N-2: John West 2 run--TOUCHDOWN.
PAT: Justin Ayat kick, GOOD.
9 plays, 66 yards, 2:59.
12:23 left in the second quarter.
Hawaii 49, Nevada 10.

Notes: Drive set up by Abraham Elimimian's interception of a Zack Threadgill pass. ... West's second touchdown of the game and the third of his career.

NEVADA
1-10-N-27: Matt Milton 0 run.
2-10-N-27: Penalty--delay of game, UN.
2-15-N-22: Nate Burleson 5 pass from Zack Threadgill.
3-10-N-27: Nate Burleson 10 pass from Zack Threadgill.
1-10-N-37: Matt Milton 1 run.
2-9-N-38: Tim Fleming 20 pass from Zack Threadgill.
1-10-H-42: Buddy Lewis 33 pass from Zack Threadgill.
1-G-H-9: Matt Milton 8 run.
2-G-H-1: Matt Milton 1 run--TOUCHDOWN.
PAT: Damon Fine kick, no good.
8 plays, 73 yards, 4:38.
7:45 left in the second quarter.
Hawaii 49, Nevada 16.

Notes: Milton's second touchdown run of the season. ... Lewis' 33-yard reception was his first catch of the season. ... Threadgill 4-for-4 for 68 yards on the drive.

NEVADA
1-10-H-33: Nate Burleson 22 pass from Zack Threadgill.
1-10-H-11: Matt Milton 3 run.
2-7-H-8: Incomplete pass. Penalty--pass interference, UH.
1-G-H-2: Penalty--false start, UN.
1-G-H-7: Incomplete pass.
2-G-H-7: Penalty--false start, UN.
2-G-H-12: Matt Milton 3 run.
3-G-H-9: Nichiren Flowers 6 pass from Zack Threadgill.
4-G-H-3: Erick Streelman 3 pass from Zack Threadgill--TOUCHDOWN.
PAT: Incomplete pass, attempt failed.
6 plays, 33 yards, 2:45.
4:42 left in the second quarter.
Hawaii 49, Nevada 22.

Notes: Drive set up by Keone Kauo's interception of a Tim Chang pass and 13-yard return. It marked Hawaii's first possession of the game that did not end in a touchdown. ... Streelman's third touchdown reception of the season.

HAWAII
1-10-H-21: John West 28 pass from Tim Chang.
1-10-H-49: John West 5 run.
2-5-N-36: John West 25 run.
1-10-N-21: Britton Komine 12 pass from Tim Chang.
1-G-N-9: Incomplete pass.
2-G-N-9: Incomplete pass.
3-G-N-9: John West 1 run.
4-G-N-8: Justin Ayat 25 FG, GOOD.
8 plays, 71 yards, 2:47.
1:55 left in the second quarter.
Hawaii 52, Nevada 22.

Notes: Ayat now 6-for-8 in field goals this season. ... West's reception was the longest of his career.

---

THIRD QUARTER

NEVADA
1-10-N-27: B.J. Mitchell 22 run.
1-10-N-49: Incomplete pass.
2-10-N-49: Penalty--offside, UH.
2-5-H-46: Nichiren Flowers 9 pass from Zack Threadgill.
1-10-H-37: Nate Burleson 17 pass from Zack Threadgill.
1-10-H-20: Nichiren Flowers 20 pass from Zack Threadgill--TOUCHDOWN.
PAT: Zack Threadgill pass failed.
5 plays, 73 yards, 1:29.
6:59 left in the third quarter.
Hawaii 52, Nevada 28.

Notes: Flowers' second touchdown catch of the season. ... Threadgill's second scoring pass of the game and his 14th of the season.

HAWAII
1-10-H-9: Incomplete pass. Penalty--holding, UN.
1-10-H-19: Incomplete pass.
2-10-H-19: Justin Colbert 13 pass from Tim Chang.
1-10-H-32: Penalty--false start, UH.
1-15-H-27: John West 11 run.
2-4-H-38: Incomplete pass.
3-4-H-38: Britton Komine 12 pass from Tim Chang.
1-10-50: Justin Colbert 48 pass from Tim Chang.
1-G-N-2: John West 2 run--TOUCHDOWN. Penalty--unsportsmanlike conduct, UH.
PAT: Justin Ayat kick, GOOD.
7 plays, 91 yards, 2:24
4:35 left in the third quarter.
Hawaii 59, Nevada 28

Notes: West's third touchdown of the night and his fourth of the season, tying him with Thero Mitchell for the team lead.

NEVADA

1-10-N-25: B.J. Mitchell 12 run. Penalty--facemask, UH.
1-10-N-42: B.J. Mitchell 22 run.
1-10-H-36: Nate Burleson 11 pass from Zack Threadgill.
1-10-H-25: Incomplete pass.
2-10-H-25: Incomplete pass.
3-10-H-25: Nate Burleson 22 pass from Zack Threadgill.
1-G-H-3: B.J. Mitchell (-1) run.
2-G-H-4: Zack Threadgill 2 run.
3-G-H-2: B.J. Mitchell 2 run--TOUCHDOWN.
PAT: Zack Threadgill run failed.
9 plays, 75 yards, 3:28.
1:07 left in the third quarter.
Hawaiii 59, Nevada 34.

Notes: Mitchell nearly equaled his rushing output coming into the game (37 yards) with 35 on the drive and scored his first touchdown of the season.

---

UH Athletics