In each of Kaiser’s three wins to start the season, special teams has come up with at least one eye-popping play.
Thursday night’s feat came in the third quarter when junior Kyler Halvorsen booted a 53-yard field goal in the Cougars’ 33-7 win over Pac-Five at Kaiser Stadium.
Kaiser (3-0, 1-0 OIA Division II) has allowed seven points or fewer in each of its first three games for the first time in school history.
The Cougars have scored on three interception returns for touchdowns, a blocked punt in the end zone, a safety on a punt and two Halvorsen field goals, including a 53-yarder that fell 4 yards shy of the state record held by Kailua’s Naia Graham and Hilo’s Christian Doag.
“We try to make (special teams) an emphasis,” Kaiser coach Tim Seaman said. “We work on some aspect of special teams every day. That’s an area that for us, we need to be good in that. We need field position. We need to be able to generate points, and that’s something we hope to continue to emphasize as we move through the year.”
Freshman Easton Yoshino threw for 218 yards and three touchdowns before giving way to junior Brock Perreira in the fourth quarter with the Cougars ahead 23-0.
Perreira failed to pick up a first down but got points out of his first varsity drive when Halvorsen converted the long field goal with at least a couple of yards to spare.
“It felt pretty good, but I could have improved. I could have hit it nicer,” Halvorsen said. “But it went in. That’s all that matters.”
Pac-Five (0-2, 0-2 ILH Division II) kept the game close, trailing 9-0 late in the third quarter when Yoshino tossed the first of his two scoring passes caught by his brother, Mason.
Mason Yoshino added a 79-yard touchdown five minutes later on a post route as Easton threaded the ball between two defenders to hit him in stride.
Easton Yoshino finished 18-for-32 and was intercepted twice.
“Once again, rough spots, but you see the potential and then you see the freshman,” Seaman said. “But that is what it is. You’re going to see some ups. You’re going to see some downs.”
Kaiser bridged the first and second quarters with a 12-play drive, capped by a 3-yard touchdown pass from Yoshino to Dre Falls for the opening score.
Kaiser’s Joseph Chin, who had six tackles for loss in last week’s win over Pearl City, got his second of the first half when he cleaned up a safety in the end zone for a 9-0 lead.
Pac-Five running back Bryson Ho was tackled by a gang of Kaiser defenders.
It was the 20th point scored by the Kaiser defense in three games.
“Everything is about foundation, so what we need is the O-line and the D-line,” Chin said. “Every day we’re going at it against each other, and our foundation starts with the D-line and spreads back to the others. On defense the D-line and the linebackers have really set the tone.”
At Kaiser Stadium
Pac-Five (0-2, 0-2) 0 0 0 7 — 7
Kaiser (3-0, 1-0) 0 9 7 17 — 33
Kais—Dre Falls 3 pass from Easton Yoshino (Kyler Halvorsen kick)
Kais—Safety, Bryson Ho tackled in end zone
Kais—Mason Yoshino 1 pass from E. Yoshino (Halvorsen kick)
Kais—M. Yoshino 79 pass from E. Yoshino (Halvorsen kick)
Kais—FG Halvorsen 53
P5—Kama Espinda 24 pass from Chase Hedani (Giovanni Rufino kick)
Kais—Ethan Domen 24 run (Halia White kick)
RUSHING—Pac-Five: Bryson Ho 8-12, Micah Kong 1-8, Matthew Miura 1-4, Laitin Bradley 1-(minus 2), team 1-(minus 22), Hedani 7-(minus 11). Kaiser: Cavin Lime 13-79, Ethan Lynch 4-36, Domen 1-24, Hopoate Aholelei 4-15, Hunter Phelps 3-1, E. Yoshino 5-(minus 1), team 3-(minus 6).
PASSING—Pac-Five: Hedani 11-27–2-91, Miura 0-1-0-0. Kaiser: E. Yoshino 18-32–2-218, Brock Perriera 0-2-0-0.
RECEIVING—Pac-Five: Angelo Coluccio 3-35, Ho 3-(minus 3), Espinda 2-30, Kaala Tam 2-26, Ian Canute 1-3. Kaiser: M. Yoshino 6-140, Jesse Stroede 4-59, Kamakana Mahiko 2-8, Falls 2-2, Xavier Kepa 1-8, Lime 1-3, Phelps 1-2, Lynch 1-(minus 4).
