RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Hawaii senior Isaac Sopoaga sacked Boise State's Ryan Dinwiddie in the fourth quarter last night. Sopoaga led the Warriors with two sacks and was in on eight tackles.
Hawaii seniors
walk the walkLast night's loss is one of five
at home in the last three seasons
for UH's senior class
Nineteen Hawaii seniors took their symbolic final stroll last night around a stadium they defended fiercely in their college football careers.
Eight Warriors joined the program in 1999, June Jones' first year as head coach. Twelve played at least three years for the Warriors, and last night's 45-28 loss to Western Athletic Conference champion Boise State marked only the fifth time in the last three seasons that the team left Aloha Stadium on the short end.
"It seems we've always played well at home, it's been like that since I've been here," said senior Kelvin Millhouse, a three-year starter at cornerback. "We've beaten some good teams at home over the years, and there's definitely a magic here."
Hawaii's loss to the 18th-ranked Broncos was its first at home this season, snapping a string of seven consecutive regular-season wins in Halawa dating back to last season.
The Warriors will have one more home game as they prepare for Houston in the Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Day. But last night had all the trappings of graduation day for the UH seniors.
They were introduced to the fans who stuck around after the game and made their way around the perimeter of the playing field to a reception of leis and hugs.
Taking part in last night's senior festivities were Millhouse, Keali'i Aguiar, Houston Ala, Keani Alapa, Lyle Castro, Jeremiah Cockheran, David Gilmore, Clifton Herbert, Kevin Jackson, Shayne Kajioka, Chad Kalilimoku, Travis LaBoy, Michael Miyashiro, Hyrum Peters, Lance Samuseva, Isaac Sopoaga, John West, Jason Whieldon and Gary Wright.
"I made so many friends here and had so many experiences," Millhouse said. "It's been one of the greatest experiences of my life."
RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Hawaii coach June Jones hugged senior Jeremiah Cockheran after last night's game during senior night festivities.
The Warriors will be hard-pressed to replace this year's class, especially on defense, where nine starters will complete their careers in the bowl game.
"They've brought a lot of wins," UH defensive coordinator George Lumpkin said. "We didn't do very well tonight, but we've had really only one losing season since they've been here, so they've meant a lot as far as understanding what it takes to win and doing what it takes to win."
LaBoy turned in the type of performance last night fans have come to expect over his three years at defensive end.
He extended his streak of games with at least one sack to six on Boise State's fifth offensive play of the game. With the Broncos facing third-and-6, LaBoy broke through the line and ran down BSU quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie for an 11-yard loss.
He finished with a game-high nine tackles, two for losses, and an interception, his second in as many weeks.
LaBoy entered the game as the WAC's leader in sacks and finished the regular season with 13 for 101 yards in losses.
A week after sparking UH to a landmark win over Alabama in relief of quarterback Tim Chang, Whieldon passed for 195 yards and rushed for 44. Seven throws went to his roommate Cockheran.
Miyashiro, the most senior member of the bunch age-wise at 29, went into the game on UH's second offensive play from scrimmage and caught two passes for 13 yards.
A shoulder injury drove him out of the game in the fourth quarter, but the pain couldn't blur the big picture for the long shot from Pearl City.
"It's meant so much for me and my family," Miyashiro said. "It's something I've worked for the last five, six years. It's something I prayed for and I got the opportunity, so I'm just so happy."
Not only has this year's class delivered wins for the program, it'll leave behind lessons for those who'll return.
"I just look at a guy like Hyrum," junior receiver Britton Komine said. "You might say he's undersized for his position, but he plays with so much heart and so much enthusiasm, and that's what makes him the explosive player that he is.
"I look at Jason Whieldon sitting back and waiting for his chance. He taught me a lot. It's hard to sit back and watch, but when you get your chance you have to make it count."
