Warriors trample Cowboys and give seniors a splendid sendoff

It was riches before glitches in the Hawaii football team’s at the Ching Complex.

A crowd of 13, 116—from a sellout announced at 15, 194—saw Micah Alejado throw two scoring passes ; wideout Jackson Harris amass 153 receiving yards (with 78 coming on a catch-and-dash TD ); and Kansei Matsuzawa convert two 47-yard field goals.

In improving to 8-4 overall and 5-3 in the Mountain West, the Warriors reclaimed the Paniolo Trophy and celebrated 26 seniors’ final regular-season game.

“We wanted to send the seniors out right, ” Alejado said. “The thing that’s special here is sending the seniors out strong. Everybody understands that.”

It also was a night of records and comebacks.

Matsuzawa, a self-taught kicker from Japan, tied the FBS record of 25 successful field goals to start a season with his second 47-yarder to extend the Warriors’ lead to 20-7. Washington’s Chuck Nelson made 25 in a row to open the 1982 season. Matsuzawa’s 26 consecutive field goals dating to last season tied San Diego State’s Gabriel Plascenia’s Mountain West record.

But in the third quarter, the Warriors’ trick play on third down fell short. UH head coach Timmy Chang summoned Matsuzawa for a 30-yard attempt. But Matsuzawa’s kick sailed a skosh outside of the right upright. The crowd, at first in stunned disbelief, then offered a rousing ovation for Matsuzawa’s streak. After the game, a tearful Matsuzawa, overcome with the emotions of the evening, embraced teammates.

The Cowboys struck first when free safety Jones Thomas intercepted Alejado and raced 50 yards the other way for a 7-0 lead. But Alejado shook off the setback, eventually completing 17 of 24 passes for 289 yards.

On third-and-1 from the Wyoming 19, Alejado tossed a 1-yard screen pass to running back Cam Barfield, who secured the ball at the 18 and sprinted untouched the rest of the way to tie it at 7 with 3 :52 left in the opening quarter. It was Alejado’s 20th scoring pass of the season, breaking Chang’s UH record for a freshman.

“That’s just hard work coming into fruition, ” Barfield said.

Alejado has been playing on a sore ankle this season.

“It’s been nagging me all year, ” Alejado said. “I’m thankful it’s over. Road to recovery now.”

“That’s all Micah’s trying to do with soreness is to try to do his job, ” UH quarterbacks coach Chad Kapanui said.

The Warriors then took the lead on the first of Matsuzawa’s two field goals.

Later, Alejado was flushed from the pocket and fired a pass to Harris, who slanted to the middle on the scramble-drill play. Harris caught the pass at the UH 39, then sprinted away to complete the 78-yard touchdown play. It was Harris’ fourth touchdown of at least 70 yards this season. Harris transferred from Stanford in January.

“He’s a great guy, ” Alejado said. “He’s been a great addition for us. I’ve said that for a long time.”

Receivers coach Jared Ursua said Harris “steps up in the biggest moments and makes plays. We find ways to give him the ball, and he goes out and turns it into huge plays.”

Of Harris’ chunk plays, Ursua said, “unbelievable. And he’s catching most of them at 10 yards. He’s done a darn good job.”

To cap the Warriors’ opening drive of the second half, Barfield juked three would-be tacklers with jump cuts en route to a 41-yard scoring run. It was Barfield’s second two-touchdown game of the season.

“That’s just me, that’s Luh Quick, that’s what they call me, that’s my nickname, ” Barfield said. “I just do it for my guys every single day. I’m so proud to send the seniors off the right way. I love these dudes so much.”

After not making a catch (with two drops ) in four targets last week, slotback Pofele Ashlock rebounded to grab four passes for 71 yards. He averaged 8.0 post-catch yards.

“The biggest thing I was watching over the last few weeks was CeeDee Lamb, ” Ashlock said, “and how we was taking his drops. I saw it was happening on a bigger stage. I knew it wasn’t the end of the world. The approach this week is to go be the person I needed to be. I think it all came to life today.”

Despite being without injured middle linebacker Jamih Otis, the Warriors stifled the Cowboys’ offense. The Cowboys’ seven first-half possessions ended with six punts and a failed fourth-and-2 run. Kaden Anderson exited after completing three of five passes and struggling to dodge the Warriors’ pressure. The Cowboys, who were without two of their top running backs, managed 34 yards from three running backs. Slotback Deion DeBlanc gained 5 yards on four rushes.

Peter Manuma had 11 tackles and cornerback Jaheim Wilson-Jones made the first interception of his UH career.

“I wouldn’t want to end it any other way, ” Wilson-Jones said. “It took me three years to get that pick. But I wouldn’t want it any more time than now. … Coach Chang emphasized playing for the seniors. But it was more playing for ourselves. This was our game to win.”