“Three yards and a cloud of dust” is a popular way to describe run-heavy offenses in football. Kalaheo took that saying a step further by only needed 2.8 yards per run play to come out with its first win of the season. 

The Mustangs recorded 168 yards of total offense (117 rushing) in their 6-3 win over Kalani Saturday night. It might not be jaw-dropping numbers, but it was enough to get the job done.

Kalaheo’s veer-option attack with two backs in the backfield was the perfect antidote to a wide-open aerial offense that Kalani has. If you exclude time spent on special teams, the Mustangs controlled the ball for a little over 29 minutes of game time. This help limit the Falcons’ offense to just 106 yards of total offense, a far cry from the 315 yards they put up against Waialua just a week ago.

“I think it did,” Kalaheo coach Darrell Poole said when asked if the running game played a factor. “(Kalani) is not really a running team. We’re a running team, a lot of people know that. If we can get an opportunity to control the game by our running, by all means we’re going to run the ball.” 

Although they trailed for over three quarters of game time, Kalaheo never wavered from its identity and kept running the ball even if it wasn’t for big gains.

It wasn’t till the fourth quarter when all the ground-and-pound started to pay dividends. In a drive that carried over from the third quarter, Kalaheo pieced together a 12-play, 85-yard drive for the go-ahead score. Triggerman Tommy Capilonch’s one-yard dive into the end zone capped off a five minute and 21 second drive, the longest that the Mustangs had in the contest. 

“He did an awesome job tonight,” Poole said on Capilonch’s ability to run the veer. It “He unfortunately had to sit out last week and was a little rusty, but he’s back now. I think he held it well running the option. I think he’ll get better as the season (goes) on.”

Now with the lead, the Mustangs were able to do what they love best, running the ball and eating clock. The end result saw Kalaheo with possession of the ball for nine minutes and four seconds alone in the fourth quarter.

“It’s tough, we were on the field for a long time,” Kalani coach Greg Taguchi said on the fourth quarter turnaround in favor of Kalaheo. “If we can cut out our turnovers and get first downs, we should be okay. I think we just got tired towards the end of the game.”

Kalani’s two possessions in the fourth resulted in a turnover on downs at the Kalaheo 42-yard line, and a punt with three minutes remaining in regulation. Kalaheo got the first downs necessary to run out the remaining clock and the Mustangs were able to ride home victorious. 

“In the end we just stuck together as a team, as a family and we came out on top,” said Poole.