Before a capacity crowd and with a full-hearted effort, the Hawaii football team willed a 35-31 victory over California in Wednesday night’s Sheraton Hawaii Bowl.
It was an improbable finish, with a backup quarterback firing the winning pass to a Canada native who picked up American football as a freshman in 2022.
“Unbelievable,” UH coach Timmy Chang said of the conclusion to the Warriors’ 9-4 season. “I’m grateful for all the guys. They did it. I’m just speechless.”
The Golden Bears regained the lead at 31-28 on Campbell High graduate Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele’s 1-yard quarterback sneak with 1:57 to play.
UH quarterback Micah Alejado then drove the Warriors to the Cal 22 with a 13-yard pass to running back Cam Barfield. But Alejado fell in a heap after aggravating an injured right ankle, forcing the Warriors to call a timeout with 15 seconds to play.
Luke Weaver, who was a junior college All-American last season, was summoned as Alejado’s replacement. Weaver, who was 2-0 as a UH starter, was held to four regular-season games to qualify for a redshirt. But the limits were lifted for the postseason, freeing Weaver to be activated for the bowl.
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Chang called for a switch route. Nick Cenacle, aligned as the right slotback, cut toward the near sideline and then went into a sprint.
“I saw the corner low, and Nick Cenacle open,” Weaver said. “I had to give it a shot. The protection held up and he made the play.”
In full stride, Cenacle extended his arms to make the catch in the end zone for a 34-31 lead with 10 seconds to play. Kansei Matsuzawa, who has not missed a point-after kick this season, was true again to make it 35-31.
“That was our go-to,” Cenacle said. “We run it all season. I just did a little front-foot set, a little move (on the cornerback), and went. It seemed like time stopped. All the confidence in the world in Luke. All our quarterbacks are amazing.”
Chang said: “I called it, but I didn’t execute it. They executed it. What an amazing throw and catch by Luke and Nick.”
Weaver said: “That was all God. That’s as simple as I can put it. … It’s been that way the whole season. Just be ready if I’m needed. That’s my role.”
It was a fond adieu for senior Cenacle, who grew up in Montreal and had to adjust to American football as a freshman. Last year, Cenacle entered the transfer portal, but then withdrew to remain at UH for his senior season. Cenacle was hindered by ailments this year, but he used the 25-day break from the regular-season finale to be healthy for the bowl.
“I’m happy I stayed,” Cenacle said.
It was an emotional game, from the pairing of former UH quarterbacks — Chang and Cal’s interim head coach Nick Rolovich were teammates in 2000 and 2001 — to the duel of left-handed signal callers. Alejado, who moved to Las Vegas in the eighth grade, and Sagapolutele grew up in Ewa Beach.
Sagapolutele directed the Golden Bears to touchdowns on their first three drives. Set up by elusive running back Kendrick Raphael (who entered averaging 3.02 post-contact yards while amassing 46 missed tackles) and pre-snap motions, Sagapolutele picked apart the Warriors with a horizontal game featuring screens and throws to the flats.
“I know some people might have turned their TVs off,” Barfield said of the three-touchdown deficit, “but we fight hard for everything we have.”
Alejado sparked the comeback despite several ailments. He has played on an injured right ankle suffered in the season opener against Stanford. He also has an injury to his left foot. And the left-hander’s throwing arm has experienced soreness.
“It’s a constant grind,” Alejado said of the ailments. “It’s part of football. … We started off slow. But we’ve been resilient all year. It started off with that Stanford game when the first play was a strip-sack. Now we’re here.”
The Warriors scored 21 points in a row to tie it. The Warriors got on the board on Pofele Ashlock’s 13-yard scoring catch.
Matsuzawa added a 29-yard field goal with 27 seconds remaining in the first half, and a 39-yarder on the Warriors’ first drive of the second half.
Later, Ashlock caught a pass at the threshold of the end zone, then curled the ball around the right pylon for the touchdown to cut the deficit to 21-19.
Chang decided to go for the two-point conversion. Barfield faked receiving a handoff and went through the heart of the defense. Alejado then underhanded a shovel pass to Barfield to tie it at 21.
“That’s something we worked on since January,” Barfield said. “It was a shovel pass, but (Alejado) can sprint out and throw it. It’s built for situations like that.”
Alejado said: “It was fun to watch the hard work come to fruition.”
Ashlock, a junior from Euless, Texas, also was prominent in the night of comebacks. After Ashlock dropped a pass in the flats, he rebounded to make an acrobatic one-handed grab for a 30-yard gain. Ashlock finished with 14 catches (on 17 targets) for 123 yards and two touchdowns.
“It’s a constant thing I have to remember, the confidence I have to have in myself,” Ashlock said.
In the aftermath — when mid-field scuffles calmed between the teams — Alejado was able to raise the trophy.
“It means a lot to me, but more for the state,” Alejado said. “I’m happy for the state. I’m trying to bring back the pride to the state. It was a great season. But we’re focusing on what we can do better.”
GAME STATS
FIRST QUARTER
CALIFORNIA
>> Jacob De Jesus 41 pass from
Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele.
Chase Meyer kick.
>> Drive: 8 plays, 72 yards, 4:11
elapsed time.
>> Time: 7:01. Score: California
7, Hawaii 0
SECOND QUARTER
CALIFORNIA
>> Kendrick Raphael 19 run.
Meyer kick.
>> Drive: 8 plays, 68 yards, 3:02
elapsed time.
>> Time: 14:55. Score: California 14, Hawaii 0
CALIFORNIA
>> Anthony League 8 run. Meyer
kick.
>> Drive: 8 plays, 49 yards, 3:13
elapsed time.
>> Time: 9:38. Score: California
21, Hawaii 0
HAWAII
>> Pofele Ashlock 13 pass
from Micah Alejado. Kansei
Matsuzawa kick.
>> Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards,
5:41 elapsed time.
>> Time: 3:57. Score: California
21, Hawaii 7
HAWAII
>> FG Matsuzawa 29
>> Drive: 7 plays, 21 yards, 1:18
elapsed time.
>> Time: 0:27. Score: California
21, Hawaii 10
THIRD QUARTER
HAWAII
>> FG Matsuzawa 39
>> Drive: 13 plays, 61 yards,
6:20 elapsed time.
>> Time: 5:58 Score: California
21, Hawaii 13
FOURTH QUARTER
HAWAII
>> Ashlock 3 pass from Alejado.
Cam Barfield pass from
Alejado.
>> Drive: 8 plays, 53 yards, 3:41
elapsed time.
>> Time: 13:50 Score: California
21, Hawaii 21
CALIFORNIA
>> FG Meyer 22
>> Drive: 10 plays, 71 yards,
4:54 elapsed time.
>> Time: 8:56 Score: California
24, Hawaii 21
HAWAII
>> Brandon White 17 pass from
Alejado. Matsuzawa kick.
>> Drive: 4 plays, 59 yards, 1:27
elapsed time.
>> Time: 7:19. Score: Hawaii
28, California 24
CALIFORNIA
>> Sagapolutele 1 run.
Meyer kick.
>> Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 5:22
elapsed time.
>> Time: 1:57. Score: California
31, Hawaii 28
HAWAII
>> Nick Cenacle 22 pass
from Luke Weaver. Matsuzawa kick.
>> Drive: 10 plays, 68 yards,
1:42 elapsed time.
>> Time: 0:10. Score: Hawaii
35, California 31
TEAM STATISTICS
CAL UH
First downs 29 24
Rushing 10 6
Passing 18 16
Penalty 1 2
Net Yards Rush. 145 93
Attempts 29 23
Avg. Per Rush 5.0 4.0
Rushing TDs 3 0
Yards Gained 151 98
Yards Lost 6 5
Net Yards Pass. 343 302
Comp-Att-Int 28-39-0 34-49-0
Avg./Attempt 8.8 6.2
Avg./Completion 12.3 8.9
TDs 1 4
Total Offen. Yards 488 395
Plays 68 72
Avg./Play 7.2 5.5
Fumbles-Lost 0-0 0-0
Penalties-Yards 8-85 8-55
Punts-Yards 2-47 2-91
Avg./Punt 23.5 45.5
Net/Punt 23.5 28.5
Inside 20 1 1
50+ Yards 0 0
Touchbacks 0 0
Fair Catch 1 0
Kickoffs-Yards 6-347 7-418
Avg. Yards/KO 57.8 59.7
Net Yards/KO 41.7 46.4
Touchbacks 2 3
Punt Ret.-Yards 2-34 0-0
Punt Ret.-Avg. 17.0 NA
Time of Poss. 29:40 30:20
3rd Down Conv. 6-10 8-17
4th Down Conv. 0-1 3-3
Red Zone Conv. 4-4 5-5
RZ Touchdowns 3 3
RZ Field Goals 1 2
Sacks Total-Yards 0-0 1-6
PATs 4-4 3-3
Field Goals 1-2 2-3
