De’Zhaun Stribling‘s hat trick against Kamehameha on Friday night put him in elite company at Kapolei High school.
Stribling, who scored on a 23-yard run and a 39-yard pass from quarterback Noa Bailey, also threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Dycen Coyaso in a 27-3 victory over the Warriors, marking the first time in the 17-year history of Kapolei football that the Hurricanes beat Kamehameha of the ILH.
It was not, however, the first time a Hurricanes player scored touchdowns passing, rushing and receiving in the same game.
Back in 2003, future Navy quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada pulled off the feat in a 40-20 win over Waialua.
Kaheaku-Enhada threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Pieper in the second quarter and then scored on a 20-yard run in the third quarter to give the Hurricanes a 20-13 lead.
John Medeiros took over at quarterback later in the game and Kaheaku-Enhada hauled in a 59-yard touchdown to put the game away.
Kaheaku-Enhada finished with 167 yards passing, a team-high 89 yards receiving on four catches and 73 rushing yards in the game.
The Hurricanes, playing in Division II, won their first nine games of the 2003 season before losing to Aiea in the OIA championship game and then to Damien in the first round of the state tournament.
It remains the best start to a season in school history and is one of two trips the Hurricanes have made to the state tournament. Kapolei also advanced to states in the Open Division in 2016 and beat Punahou in the first round with sophomore Taulia Tagovailoa at quarterback.
Kapolei improved to 4-5 this season overall with the win over Kamehameha but is out of the four-team OIA Open Division playoff race. The Hurricanes are one game behind Farrington with one regular-season game left, but lost to the Govs 22-8 on Sept. 6 to lose out on a tiebreaker.
Stribling, who holds offers from San Diego State and Hawaii, is a leader for the Hurricanes.
“(He) is strong, tall, fast and a great leader,” Hernandez said after the game. “The kids look up to him.”
This kid needs a Poly Bowl invite!