The Kamehameha Schools Maui junior varsity football team won their homecoming game against the Sabers of Maui High School, 39-8, yesterday, Nov. 5.
“Our kids played hard through adversity, they put 110% and worked hard and continued to work hard this whole season,” said Head Coach Jojo Chong Kee of the Maui Warriors.
Fans carrying homemade signs and still wearing their class t-shirts quickly filled the seats to cheer on their favorite players.
The Warriors’ Chase Newton scored first with a touchdown near the end of the first quarter, capitalizing on the great 19-yd. line field position they earned after tackling the Sabers’ punter mid-kick. A successful point after kick put the Warriors up 7-0.
On the following kickoff, the Warriors squibbed, and sophomore Cal Alexander picked it up for the Warriors.
Quarterback Chase Newton ran in another score, the PAT was low, and KSM led 13-0. With five seconds left in the quarter, Joshua Higa defensive back for the Warriors ran in another touchdown. This time the extra point attempt was good, building the lead to 20-0.
The Sabers tightened up their defense in the second quarter, but the Warriors were equally impassable, and halftime came with no change to the score.
An interception by Jacob Lum Lung near the end of the third quarter, followed by a 35-yd. pass to sophomore Kamahoe Caliva, set up Pono Hokoana to tack on another six points, but the point after was no good, keeping the score to 26-0.
In a repeat of the first quarter, Alexander picked up an onsides kick on the next kickoff. With the Warriors in possession, Mika Kalehuawehe-Wilhelm ran the ball in for another with 8:19 left in the game; the score was followed up by a clean PAT by Colton Cabanas, giving the Warriors a 33-0 lead.
MHS broke the Warriors scoring streak when Saber defensive back Joaseph Matautia-Mose caught a short pass on a razzle dazzle play, caught the Warriors off guard and ran more than half the length of the field for a touchdown.
The Sabers pushed their advantage with a successful 2-point conversion, bringing the score to 33-8. The Saber plays showed that they had improved since the Warriors dealth them a shutout on Aug. 27, the first time these two teams met this season.
The last KS Maui score of the game came from sophomore Iain Armitage with 3:20 left. Saber hopes of a final play were dashed when freshman receiver Michael Brito intercepted their pass with only six seconds remaining in the game, securing a Warrior win, 39-8.
“This win makes [the] homecoming [game] a better game to know that we won [it],” said Newton.
This game wraps up the JV Warrior season with a record of 4 wins and 4 losses.
