Hawaii football holds off UTEP for much-needed road win
DIEGO CRUZ / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER
Hawaii wide receiver Koa Eldredge runs with the ball as a UTEP defender approaches during a football game on Saturday at the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas.
EL PASO, TEXAS >> Keeping alive its postseason hopes, the Hawaii football team held on for a 17-14 victory over UTEP tonight at the Sun Bowl.
The Rainbow Warriors, who improved to 3-6 overall and 2-3 in the Mountain West, entered needing to win their final four regular-season games to break even and qualify for a bowl.
The Miners closed to 17-14 on tight end Judah Ezinwa’s 15-yard scoring catch with 6:57 to play.
But the Warriors were able to hold on for their second road victory in a row.
After opening the second half with two punts and a lost fumble — their first by a running back in 214 touches this season — the Warriors expanded their lead to 17-7 on Sitani Mikaele’s 6-yard rush with 10:12 to play. That touchdown capped a 12-play, 98-yard drive.
On the ensuing kickoff, UTEP appeared to go 98 yards when Nik Henry fumbled and a teammate caught the ball and took it the other way. But after a review, it was ruled Henry was down at the 21.
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The Miners instead drove 79 yards to pull within 3.
The Warriors led 10-7 at the half but missed out on expanding that advantage.
Their opening drive ended when kicker Sean Olvera-Harle was wide left on a field-goal attempt from 42 yards.
Up 7-0, the Warriors compiled an 18-play drive to advance to the 2. On third down, wildcat Tama Uiliata attempted a jump pass to tight end Frank Abreu in the end zone. But safety Xavier Smith blanketed Abreu, forcing the incompletion. The Warriors settled for Olvera-Harle’s 20-yard field goal to widen the Warriors’ advantage to 10-0.
But the Miners, fueled by two UH penalties — a kickoff that went out of bounds and a roughing penalty on a running play — closed the deficit to 10-7 on Lamar Sperling’s 5-yard run up the gut.
The Warriors appeared to regain the momentum when defensive end Lester Lagafuaina and cornerback Jaylon Edmond stopped UTEP’s Jaden Smith on a fourth-and-2 jet sweep. The Warriors’ ensuing possession was extended when Royce Wilson was called for roughing UH punter Gehrig Heil.
With the ball at the UTEP 18 with seven seconds to play in the half, the Warriors went for the end zone with the backup plan of kicking a field goal. Both options were nullified when Xavier Smith intercepted Micah Alejado’s pass in the end zone.
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