When Tristin Spikes and Sione Atuekaho are carving up defenses, the Hilo Vikings are nearly impossible to beat.
The senior duo combined for 183 yards rushing and four touchdowns as Hilo manhandled Kealakehe 32-0 to win its second consecutive Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division I championship Friday.
Hilo (10-0 overall, 9-0 BIIF) was kept to just 17 yards rushing in its first meeting on Sept. 20, a game which the Vikings narrowly left Kailua-Kona with a 7-0 victory.
The Vikings doubled that number on its second play from scrimmage when Spikes broke through the Waveriders’ defense for a 35-yard gain. Four plays later, he capped off the game’s opening drive with a 10-yard touchdown run to get the Vikings ahead 6-0 with 9:38 showing on the clock.
Later in the quarter, it was Atuekaho’s turn to get in the act. Wet conditions forced a bad snap by Hilo early in its third drive of the game. The senior quarterback got much of those yards back with a 20-yard run on third-and-22. On fourth down, his play-action bootleg got nearly everyone in Wong Stadium looking the other way, including the Kealakehe defense. He was able to stroll in untouched for a 17-yard scoring run to push the Vikings ahead 14-0 with 2:40 left in the quarter.
A fumble by Kobe Antolin gave the Vikings the ball again at the Waveriders’ 15 yard line. This time, Hilo went to its heavy package and called on Malu Lapilio for a one-yard burst into the end zone, giving Hilo an 18-0 advantage with 1:46 remaining in the opening period.
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Wondering where Kealakehe’s offensive highlights are? There weren’t many under a driving East Hawai’i rain. The Waveriders were held to negative-19 yards of offense in the first half and didn’t get a first down until a special teams roughing penalty early in the third quarter. Kealakehe was held to negative-two yards of offense for the entire game.
Kealakehe (4-6, 4-5) kept the game manageable as its defense failed to break in the second quarter. It didn’t take long, however, for things to change in the third. A poor punt set Hilo up at Kealakehe’s 23 yard line. A completion to Isaac Lerma got the Vikings down to the two, and two plays later, Spikes cashed in for a one-yard score, surging the Vikings’ lead to 25-0 with 7:19 left in the third quarter.
Later, Kealakehe quarterback Kaimi Wilson was intercepted by Tracen Calicadan, setting the Vikings up in great field position at the Waveriders’ 19. Spikes got the ball three times in a row on the drive, and punched it in from four yards out to increase the lead to 32-0 with 1:56 left in the third.
Spikes crossed the 1,000-yard threshold with his 87-yard performance on 15 carries Friday. Atuekaho outdid him, though, picking up 96 yards on 18 carries. Hilo tallied 188 yards of rushing on the night.
Hilo’s win happens as a league investigation into the program continues. Hilo Principal Robert Dircks told Big Island Now after the game that the investigation, which revolves around the eligibility of a student-athlete, was triggered by his school, not any other. Dircks cited “rumors” that his administration caught wind of, and, in the interest of the integrity of the league and his school, he brought the matter to the attention of the BIIF.
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Dircks said that his case, in which he believes the athlete in question is eligible, was sent to BIIF President Shawn Suzuki on Friday. Suzuki is also the principal at Konawaena High School. Dircks said that the investigation is not completed, but he has told his coaching staff to continue to prepare as normal.
Hilo will face Oahu Interscholastic Association runner-up Kahuku next Friday at Hawaiian Airlines Field at Aloha Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on OC16 and ESPNHawaii.com.
Kealakehe 0 0 0 0 – 0
Hilo 18 0 14 0 – 32
Scoring Summary
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1st Quarter
HILO (9:38) – Tristan Spikes 10 yard run (Rayce Takayesu XPT missed)
HILO (2:48) – Sione Atuekaho 17 yard run (run failed)
HILO (1:46) – Craighlen “Malu” Lapilio 1 yard run (run failed)
3rd Quarter
HILO (9:39) – Spikes 1 yard run (Takayesu XPT good)
HILO (4:35) – SPikes 4 yard run (Takayesu XPT good)
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