With 13:09 left in the second quarter, junior running back Cam Barfield finally had his moment.
Lining up in the backfield, Barfield swung out on a checkdown route, where junior quarterback Luke Weaver found him in stride. Barfield does the rest, running 16 yards to the endzone. The Clarence T.C. Ching Sports Complex erupted as Barfield celebrated, scoring touchdown number one as a Rainbow Warrior.
Barfield would score another touchdown on the night, helping the Rainbow Warriors cruise to a 23-3 win over the Vikings on homecoming, improving to 3-1 on the season.
“It took a while, but I think it was a good one,” Barfield said.
The last time Barfield scored was in 2022, back when he was in high school at national powerhouse Bishop Gorman. Emotions were high after his long awaited first score. So high, that Barfield accidentally headbutted redshirt freshman quarterback Micah Alejado. Alejado who wasn’t dressed for the game and lacked a helmet, still took the hit in stride.
“I knew this question was gonna come up,” Barfield said, chuckling. “That’s my dog. He was the first to celebrate with me.”
The offense took some time to score its first touchdown of the game, but the defense set the tone from the opening whistle, holding Portland State (0-4) to 230 total yards of offense, and forcing a turnover.
“Yeah, the defense was awesome,” Head Coach Timmy Chang said.
A tone setter came late in the first quarter. On second down at the Hawaiʻi 25 with 2:14 left in the first quarter, Vikings sophomore quarterback John-Keawe Sagapolutele looked towards his slot receiver on a short route. Hawaiʻi junior defensive back Elijah Palmer read it perfectly, and jumped in front of it for an interception, halting a drive where Portland State started on their own 17.
“We are a defense that strives for perfection, and we’re gonna chase that every single time,” Palmer said.
The defense kept the pressure going, coming up with two fourth down stops, including a massive goal-line stand. With 5:25 left in the second quarter, Portland State handed off to sophomore running back Deion Thompson in hopes of a score, but the Warrior defense stuffed them at the line, forcing a turnover on downs.
The Vikings were 0-for-3 on fourth down, a statement for Hawaiʻi’s defense.
Special teams came through for the second straight week. Senior kicker Kansei Matsuzawa, affectionately called the Tokyo Toe, put on a show at the Ching Sports Complex, kicking career-long field goals of 44 and 47 yards, remaining a perfect 11-for-11 on the year.
“Kansei continues to be consistent,” Chang said. “He forgets about everything that he has done, and just stays in the moment.”
Hawaiʻi ends its three-game home slate against rival Fresno State to begin conference play. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. this Saturday at the Clarence T.C Ching Sports Complex.