UH grounds
‘Air Wolf’

The Warriors put offense
and defense together for
the first time this season

That sure was a thing of beauty last night at Aloha Stadium if you're a Hawaii football fan.

Yes, coach June Jones liked the Warriors' most complete game of the season, too, as UH routed hapless Nevada 48-26 before a turnstile crowd of 30,476.

Stars of the Game Tanuvasa Moe, Hawaii The middle linebacker was in on 11 tackles, including a sack, and had a forced fumble and an interception. Chance Kretschmer, Nevada The running back compiled 178 yards on 34 carries, and put the Wolf Pack on the board with a 1-yard TD. Key Matchup Nevada RB Chance Kretschmer vs. Hawaii defensive tackles Early on, it appeared Kretschmer would dominate the Warriors again. But despite 178 rushing yards, Kretschmer was stopped at key points throughout the game. UH defensive tackles Lui Fuga and Matt Faga did a strong job inside, along with waves of defensive ends and linebackers making big plays.

But Jones knows the meat of the Hawaii schedule is on the horizon, beginning with a dangerous road game at Texas-El Paso this Saturday. Think the Miners are pushovers? Then you didn't know until now that UTEP upset Fresno State yesterday.

"I thought we did some good things. But we didn't play good enough to play next week, I'll tell you that," Jones said. "If we're going to contend for the WAC conference we're going to have to win on the road. We didn't prove we can stop the run, and we're going to have to stop the run."

With its second Western Athletic Conference win in two weeks, UH moved into the upper echelon of the league standings at 2-1 (2-2 overall). Beginning next week, the Warriors must prove they belong there.

For the second game in a row, Hawaii broke it open in the third quarter -- and without injured defensive starters Ikaika Curnan (middle linebacker) and Kenny Patton (cornerback). Curnan has a high-ankle sprain and Patton has a hamstring pull; both are troublesome injuries that usually take plenty of time to heal. Their backups, Watson Ho'ohuli and Cameron Hollingsworth, performed well last night, but losing Curnan and Patton for any games is a huge blow.

Jones said Curnan probably won't make the UTEP trip. Also, reserve defensive tackle Kahai LaCount left last night's game with a knee sprain, and another backup at the same position, Keala Watson, is out for an undisclosed reason.

UH led Nevada 24-13 at halftime, and outscored the Wolf Pack 17-0 over the next 15 minutes with a performance that included a lot of everything except what the Warriors are usually known for -- passing.

Michael Brewster's long runs, Chad Owens' second punt return touchdown in two games and stalwart defense by linebacker Tanuvasa Moe highlighted the pivotal action.

Nevada's Chance Kretschmer -- a nemesis in two Hawaii losses at Reno -- rumbled for 178 yards on 34 carries. But Kretschmer was denied twice at the UH goal line, once on a controversial call on an apparent second-quarter touchdown catch, and then in the third quarter when Moe knocked the ball out of his hands, with UH defensive end Kila Kamakawiwo'ole recovering.

RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM Hawaii linebacker Tanuvasa Moe got a little help from his teammates in bringing down Nevada running back Chance Kretschmer in the fourth quarter last night at Aloha Stadium. Moe was in on 11 tackles for the Warriors, including a sack, and had one forced fumble and an interception.

In the next series, Moe pressured quarterback Travis Moore into an incomplete pass and then an intentional grounding. Owens returned the ensuing punt 75 yards for a touchdown and a 34-13 Hawaii lead.

"That was a helluva punt return by a helluva football player," Nevada coach Chris Ault said.

Moe then intercepted Moore's next pass, setting up a run by Brewster that ended with a fumble recovery in the end zone by right guard Uriah Moenoa for his first career touchdown and a 41-13 margin.

"I don't think I made a bigger impact than anyone else out there," Moe said.

The numbers say otherwise.

Moe was in on 11 tackles, including a 13-yard sack. He also had a quarterback hurry, forced fumble and interception.

"T.J. had a great, great game," UH linebackers coach Cal Lee said. "He has really started to come around, not being a linebacker for all those years. He's back in the saddle.

"They all got great experience," Lee added, referring also to Ho'ohuli and second-year freshman Timo Paepule. "They all did more than adequate being in for Ikaika."

The Warriors offense was dominant, rolling up 571 yards, the most this season.

Brewster finished with a career-high 150 yards on nine carries, as Hawaii rushed for an uncharacteristic 251 yards. It was the first time UH rushed for more than 200 yards since 1998, and more than this year's previous games.

GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM Hawaii running back Michael Brewster and wide receiver Chad Owens celebrated a UH touchdown. Brewster finished with 150 rushing yards on nine carries, and Owens had seven receptions for 80 yards and three touchdowns, including a 75-yard punt return for a score.

UH quarterback Tim Chang completed 21 passes in 35 attempts for 322 yards and three touchdowns. Chang also threw his first interception of the season.

Owens had his second consecutive game with three touchdowns, and Britton Komine caught six passes for 147 yards.

Early on, it looked like both offenses would dominate throughout.

Hawaii took the opening kickoff and went 65 yards on eight plays, with Chang's 12-yard touchdown pass to Owens capping the drive.

Nevada came right back with an 89-yard drive, fueled by 63 yards on eight carries by Kretschmer -- including a 1-yard TD. The score was tied at 7 at 7:45.

UH retook the lead on another Chang-to-Owens touchdown pass at the 6:33 mark. This time, Chang completed a short toss to Owens, who juked Nevada safety Nick Hawthrone and scored on a 13-yard play. Hawaii got into scoring position on a 62-yard pass to Komine from Chang.

"I didn't mind getting into an offensive shootout, because our offense is supposed to be good," Ault said.

But Nevada's offense blinked first. The Wolf Pack had first-and-goal at the Hawaii 9. But quarterback Jeff Rowe was stopped for no gain on first down, and after two incompletes, Nevada settled for a 36-yard field goal by Damon Fine and a 14-10 deficit with 1:47 left in the first.

RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM Hawaii's Kenny Patton dover after Nevada's Caleb Spencer -- a Kamehameha alumnus -- in the second quarter.

UH committed its first turnover of the season on the next series. Ross Dickerson caught a short pass from Chang and made a nice run to the Nevada 10. But Roderick Stallings knocked the ball loose and Keone Kauo recovered for the Wolf Pack.

Hawaii came back with a defensive stop. Kamakawiwo'ole sacked Rowe for a 2-yard loss on third down at the Nevada 13.

Following the Nevada punt, Chang's 46-yard pass to Britton Komine set up a 2-yard touchdown run by West Keli'ikipi, his first of the season. UH padded its lead to 21-10 at 11:38 before the break.

It quickly became 24-10, on a 40-yard field goal by Justin Ayat at 9:40. Leonard Peters intercepted Rowe's pass, giving UH the ball at the Wolf Pack 17.

Fine kicked a 24-yarder, making it 24-13 at the 5:22 mark. Two plays earlier, Kretschmer appeared to score on a diving pass reception in the end zone, but he was ruled out of bounds.

Kauo intercepted Chang on the next series. It was the Hawaii quarterback's first pick of the season after 200 passes without one dating back to last year's Hawaii Bowl.

Nevada was turned back after first-and-goal from the 9. Mel Purcell and Matt Faga sacked Rowe for losses of 12 and 5 yards, sandwiching Faga's shackling of Kretschmer for another loss. Fine's 46-yard field-goal try was no good.

In the fourth quarter, Talib Wise's 1-yard run and 24-yard TD pass from Moore completed Nevada's scoring, while Bryan Maneafaiga scored on a 6-yard run for Hawaii.

"Defensively, we were non-existent," Ault said. "And offensively neither quarterback took charge."

It wasn't a very happy homecoming for Nevada receiver Caleb Spencer, a former Kamehameha standout.

"It's been such a tough season," said Spencer, who caught four passes for 91 yards. "It took away from the fun of coming home. We didn't help our defense, especially with the fumbles."

GROUP HUG

GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM Hawaii linemen celebrated a touchdown by Uriah Moenoa, who scored on a fumble recovery during the third quarter.