The Doug Cosbie show is off and running.
Almost exclusively using a ground attack under its new coach, No. 5 Kamehameha weathered the elements in a 15-0 win at Castle to open the 2013 preseason on Friday night.
Brandon Kahookele came on in relief of injured starter Kaulana Apelu and rushed for 138 yards, including a 31-yard fourth quarter insurance score.
It was a sloppy affair in near constant rain in the debut of Castle’s new turf field. Each team committed four turnovers before halftime. But Kamehameha’s defense stayed upright the whole game while Castle’s faltered after the break.
“We played great on defense, and not at all on offense,” said Cosbie, a three-time Pro Bowl tight end when he played for the Dallas Cowboys. “Some of it was the weather, but we’ve got some inexperienced players. We just didn’t play very well.”
The Warriors attempted just four passes in the Kaneohe elements, completing one for negative yardage.
On the other hand, Castle’s four-wide offense was held in check in the air and demolished to minus-113 yards in the ground.
Heavy rain and an inoperable scoreboard somewhat dampened the festivities of Castle unveiling its new field.
The Knights came in shorthanded and undersized, but they held their ground for a half, holding the Warriors without an offensive touchdown before the break.
Senior linebacker Calen Scot Holt got Kamehameha on the board with 1:37 left in the first half on a 20-yard interception return. He ripped the ball out of the air while rushing quarterback Stephen Lee.
“As long as we keep putting pressure … our defense is made to make plays like that,” Holt said. “As long as we have the guys to do so, we’ll do good. I believe in this defense.”
Eventually, sheer physics had its way on the other side of the ball and the 5-foot-6 senior running back Kahookele plowed through for clock-killing yardage in the fourth quarter.
Apelu, a returning starter, had 59 first-half yards before going out with what Cosbie said was a ligament stretch in his knee.
“It’s not a season-ending thing, but he’ll be out for a little bit,” Cosbie said.
Signal-callers Fatu Sua-Godinet and Mahonri Latu split the load as the successor to departed quarterback Makoa Camanse-Stevens. They almost exclusively handed off the ball.
Latu guided the Warriors into range for TJ Fitzsimmons’ 22-yard field goal to make it 9-0 midway through the third quarter.
Castle opened the fourth quarter by blocking a Kamehameha punt, starting on the Warriors’ 39. The Knights could not capitalize, however, and the Warriors scored their only offensive touchdown, by Kahookele on a right-to-left burst across the middle with about five minutes left.
It had been two seasons since Castle played a home game while renovations were done to install the artificial turf on the Knights’ field.
Kamehameha fumbled the ball on the game’s opening return, giving Castle position on the Warriors’ 36.
Castle went with 28 available players, down 10 from an already threadbare full complement due to a combination of preseason injuries and academic issues, coach Nelson Maeda said.
It necessitated a call-up of quarterback Willie Ewaliko, who played the JV game, then had to turn around and start for the varsity. Ewaliko was suddenly thrust into the action in excellent field position.
It was still a tall order with pressure from the Warriors’ much bigger line, and after two series Maeda lifted him for Lee.
Kamehameha intercepted Lee three times. The junior went 8-for-22 for 32 yards.
“I think it was good that they battled. We were 28 strong,” Maeda said. “I think our defense played well but just got worn down at the end. The weather element made it really difficult, combined of course with the very tenacious Kamehameha defense. They were bringing people all over the place and we really had a hard time.”
Kamehameha hosts Farrington next week, while Damien travels to Castle.
At Castle
| KAMEHAMEHA (1-0) |
0 |
6 |
3 |
6 |
— |
15 |
| CASTLE (0-1) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
— |
0 |
KS—Calen Scot Holt 20 interception return (kick failed).
KS—TJ Fitzsimmons FG 22
KS—Brandon Kahookele 31 run (run failed).
RUSHING—KS: Kahookele 18-138, Kaulana Apelu 11-59, Kainoa Simao 7-25, Kayson Nakatsu 2-(minus 2), Fatu Sua-Godinet 4-(minus 2), Team 4-(minus 4). Cast: Joseph Lilio 1-1, Makanaola Kalahili-Rombawa 3-(minus 5), Kaleo Kanekoa 1-(minus 5), Willie Ewaliko 2-(minus 13), Team 4-(minus 30), Stephen Lee 8-(minus 61).
PASSING—KS: Sua-Godinet 1-4-1-(minus 2), Mahonri Latu 0-2-0-0. Cast: Lee 8-22-3-32, Ewaliko 3-5-0-18.
RECEIVING—KS: Simao 1-(minus 2). Cast: Kumukoa Oana 5-30, Lilio 2-9, Chad Figueroa 2-(minus 3), Ryan Mohika 1-7, Kalahiki-Rombawa 1-7.
JV—Kamehameha 34, Castle 7
