Senior RB Mark Lagazo accounted for 187 yards from scrimmage with a touchdown while also recording four tackles and a pass breakup on defense. Peter Caldwell | SL

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Male Athlete of the Week: Mark Lagazo, Kailua football
When the Kailua offense began to stall, Mark Lagazo answered the call.

The senior running back was a workhorse in the Surfriders' 16-13 season-opening win over Moanalua, having rushed for 109 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. He also caught three passes for 78 yards and had four tackles and a pass breakup while seeing time on the defense.

Lagazo was primarily a defensive back in 2015, but will see majority of his snaps on the offensive side of the ball this year to suit the team's strengths and personnel.

"Mark would do anything I ask of him," Kailua coach Joe Wong said. "At the start of the year I told (Lagazo) what needed to get done and what he had to do to carry this team for us to be successful. He's done everything that we asked for, and then some. That's the true meaning of a team player."

Both teams struggled to move the ball in the first quarter — having combined for -11 yards of total offense in the opening period — up until Lagazo's 22-yard run at the 8:34 mark of the second period, which netted the first earned first down of the game. The Surfriders were unable to finish drive with a score, but gained confidence in their ability to run the football, and led 2-0 heading into the break.

Kailua's lead quickly evaporated after the team went 3-and-out to begin the third quarter. A bad punt gave Na Menehune possession at the Kailua 16-yard line, setting up Alakai Yuen's scoring pass to Ryan Ramones to make the score 6-2.

Things looked bleak for the Surfriders when quarterback Keoni Serikawa Jr. was sacked to start the next possession. Yuen, who did not play in the first half for team reasons, was coming off a six touchdown performance the week before. If Kailua did not score on the current drive, it was in danger of falling behind by two scores.

Like he did earlier, Lagazo came up big once again. On 3rd-and-7, Serikawa bought time in the pocket before finding Lagazo slipping out of the backfield. The senior running back was able to turn a simple check down pass into a 54-yard catch-and-run to take the Surfriders deep into Moanalua territory.

"He's so versatile," Wong said. "When we send him out on a pass route, whether it's a design pass route or we empty out the backfield, and a linebacker has to cover him, it's a mismatch. Nine out of 10 times he's going to be wide-open because he's fast and elusive."

Three plays later Lagazo took a direct snap in a wildcat formation and bulldozed his way around right end to give the Surfriders a 9-6 lead.

Kailua's forced a turnover on downs on the next drive to give the team possession on its own 27-yard line. Instead of getting too exotic on offense, the Surfriders stuck to what was working and ran the ball. Lagazo started the drive with two runs totaling nine yards before Kealoha Hanawahine-Wong spelled him with four carries of his own before Kailua called timeout facing 4th-and-1.

Like they did all game, the Surfriders went to Lagazo to extend the drive. Lagazo converted for a new set of downs with a 2-yard run, and did it again four plays later with a 22-yard scamper on a 4th-and-3 situation.

"I just had to push and keep going. Finish strong, go fast and do it for the team," said Lagazo, who carried the ball 17 times in the second half. "My O-line is excellent and I love them. I thank them for blocking for me all the time, and I can trust them all the time."

The Surfriders came up empty on the drive, but was able to pin Moanalua deep into its own territory to quickly force another 3-and-out. Like the previous drive, Kailua kept things grounded and ran it eight straight times before turning it over on downs on the Na Menehune 1-yard line. On the next possession, the Kailua defense was able to strip sack Yuen and recover the loose ball in the end zone for the Surfriders' final score of the game.

"I feel like that with our offensive line and defensive line, there's not too many I think in the state —with the exception of the powerhouses — that can match up against us," said Wong. "With the size, speed, and power that we have on those two lines, it's going to be a dog fight with whoever comes in front of them. I call them earth movers. They move guys out of there, so it's a testament to the hard work that they put in."

Although his team came up empty on those possessions, Wong felt that the Surfriders were able to find their identity in the second half.

"I told the team winning sets the tone, and we set the tone for the season right there," he said. "It doesn't matter if we win by one or we win by 28. We set the tone and the precedence right there. What we did (Saturday night), that's how we're going to play for the rest of the season."

As for Lagazo, Wong sees potential for even greater performances in the future. With more players becoming eligible in the coming weeks, Lagazo will be able to devote more of his efforts on the offensive side of the ball.

"From here on out, the legs that he'll be able to have under him in the third and fourth quarter, there's no telling what else he can do. I'm curious myself to see what else he can bring. The kid is very talented."

FOOTBALL
Kesi Ah-Hoy, Kahuku — Made five tackles, including one for loss, intercepted a pass, recovered a fumble, broke up a pass and scored on an 82-yard fumble return in a win over Leilehua

Chris Ah Mook Sang, Kamehameha — Caught five passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Baldwin

Chayce Akaka, Baldwin — Rushed for 103 yards on 20 carries in a loss to Kamehameha

Kade Ambrocio, Waianae — Rushed for 90 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries in a win over Kapolei

Braden Amorozo, Waipahu — Threw for 353 yards with two touchdowns on 19-of-28 passing and rushed for another score in a win over Kalaheo

Ikaika Andaya, Kalani — Caught four passes for 152 yards and a touchdown in a loss to Pearl City

Gage Asing, Aiea — Recorded a game-high nine tackles in a win over Nanakuli

Iulio Atonio, McKinley — Scored on a 62-yard fumble return in a loss to Roosevelt

Harmon Brown, Kahuku — Rushed for 101 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries in a win over Leilehua

Marcus Faufata-Pedrina, Damien — Threw for 204 yards with five touchdowns on 18-of-31 passing and rushed for 85 yards on 13 carries in a win over Maui

Keawe Fox, Mililani — Recorded a sack and scored on an interception return in a win over Kaiser

Dillon Gabriel, Mililani — Threw for 131 yards with three touchdowns and rushed for another score in a win over Kaiser

Kekaula Kaniho, Kahuku — Made five tackles, broke up two passes and recovered a fumble in a win over Leilehua

Shastyn Kekahuna, Roosevelt — Threw two touchdown passes and rushed for another score in a win over McKinley

Lancen Kuni, Waialua — Caught two touchdown passes in a loss to Kaimuki

Takaamoatoa Lautaha, Saint Francis — Had three tackles, including two sacks, in a win over Kauai

Mark Lehrner, Kalaheo — Threw for 215 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 88 yards and another score in a loss to Waipahu

Zelius Maae-Liupaono, Aiea — Threw for 197 yards and two touchdowns on 20-of-25 passing and made six tackles in a win over Nanakuli

Wembley Mailei, Saint Francis — Rushed for a touchdown and scored on a 34-yard interception return in a win over Kauai

Omar Mareko, Kapolei — Had a game-high 10 tackles and intercepted a pass in a loss to Waianae

Ty Matsunami, Aiea — Caught two touchdown passes in a win over Nanakuli

Jeremy McGoldrick, Castle — Caught seven passes for 101 yards with a touchdown and rushed for another score in a win over Radford

Christian Mejia, Kailua — Had 4 1/2 tackles for loss, three sacks, forced two fumbles, recovered a fumble and one pass break-up in a win over Moanalua

Leighton Moniz, Kapaa — Scored on a 76-yard punt return in a win over Lahainaluna

Kingston Moses-Sanchez, Farrington — Caught eight passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Campbell

Jaykob Nakaahiki-Young, Kauai — Rushed for 152 yards with a touchdown on 18 carries in a loss to Saint Francis

Henry Nakamura-McCoy, Castle — Rushed for 103 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries in a win over Radford

Kurt Napoleon, Kapaa — Threw a touchdown pass and rushed for another score in a win over Lahainaluna

Stokes Nihipali-Botelho, Kahuku — Scored on a 94-yard kickoff return in a win over Leilehua

Patrick Nunez, Pearl City — Caught nine passes for 144 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Kalani

Daniel Nguyen, Kaimuki — Caught six passes for 102 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Waialua

Sam Okamoto, Aiea — Caught eight passes for 106 yards and a touchdown in a win over Nanakuli

Chavis Paia, Roosevelt — Rushed for two touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass in a win over McKinley

Royce Pao, Kahuku — Rushed for a touchdown and caught a touchdown pass in a win over Leilehua

Bishop Rapoza, Farrington — Passed for 137 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Campbell

Sheldon Rosa, Kamehameha — Caught two touchdown passes in a win over Baldwin

Rico Rosario, Waianae — Rushed for 117 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries and caught a touchdown pass in a win over Kapolei

Leighton Russell, Kailua — Had 1 1/2 sacks, forced a fumble, recovered a fumble and broke up a pass in a win over Kailua

Jaymin Sarono, Kapolei — Caught 11 passes for 85 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to Waianae

Codie Sauvao, Kahuku — Made five tackles, including one for loss, forced a fumble and broke up a pass in a win over Leilehua

Neremiah Sauvao, Moanalua — Had three tackles, including two sacks, in a loss to Kailua

Kekainalu Simon, Pearl City — Threw for 165 yards with two touchdowns and rushed for another score in a win over Kalani

Makana Smith, Castle — Threw for 126 yards and two touchdowns on 12-of-14 passing and rushed for 105 yards on nine carries with two other scores in a win over Radford

Jonah Soakai, Radford — Scored on a 74-yard punt return in a loss to Castle

Taulia Tagovailoa, Kapolei — Threw for 233 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to Waianae

Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, Kapolei — Had two tackles for loss, one sack and a fumble recovery in a loss to Waianae

Cody Taniguchi, Waimea — Rushed for 165 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries in a win over Waiakea

Isaiah Taumua, Farrington — Intercepted two passes in a win over Campbell

Alika Teramoto, Kailua — Recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown in a win over Moanalua

Seth Tina-Sobarano, Kalani — Threw for 224 yards with a touchdown and rushed for two other scores in a loss to Pearl City

Andriess Toussaint, Kaimuki — Caught seven passes for 107 yards in a win over Waialua

Justin Uahinui, Farrington — Threw two touchdown passes in a win over Campbell

Donavon Ugalino, Leilehua — Made a game-high seven tackles, including two sacks, and broke up a pass in a loss to Kahuku

Kawika Ulufale, Campbell — Rushed for two touchdowns in a loss to Farrington

Thomas Yam, Kamehameha — Threw for 101 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Baldwin

Isaac Yamashita, Waipahu — Caught four passes for 120 yards in a win over Kalaheo

Justice Young, Kamehameha — Threw for 122 yards with a touchdown and rushed for another score in a win over Baldwin

Alakai Yuen, Moanalua — Passed for 109 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to Kailua