By Garin Turner
Air Force and Hawaii traded blows all night, but the Rainbow Warriors had the final say in a 44-35 shootout on Saturday. The loss drops the Falcons to 1-3 on the season, while Hawaii improves to 4-2.
How It Happened
It was clear from the start that this game would be decided by offense. Hawaii struck first and carried a 14-7 lead out of the opening quarter after Air Force quarterback Liam Szarka connected with Bruin Fleischmann for a 5-yard touchdown.
A second-quarter field goal gave the Rainbow Warriors a 17-7 halftime edge, with Hawaii racking up 232 passing yards on 19-of-25 completions and two scores in the opening half. Air Force, meanwhile, showed flashes of its run-heavy attack, posting 119 yards on 14 carries, but stalled on the scoreboard.
The Falcons clawed back in the third quarter when Kade Frew powered in from 11 yards out, cutting the deficit to three. Hawaii answered again to make it 24-14 heading into the fourth.
The final frame turned into a track meet. Szarka found Cade Harris for a 73-yard strike, then later connected with Quin Smith for a 34-yard score. Kemper Hodges added a two-yard rushing touchdown as the Falcons tallied 21 points in the quarter. Still, Hawaii’s balanced attack matched every punch, sealing the win with 20 points of its own in the fourth.
Team Leaders
• Passing: Liam Szarka — 10 of 12, 278 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT
• Rushing: Liam Szarka — 17 carries, 139 yards
• Receiving: Cade Harris — 3 catches, 116 yards, 1 TD
• Receiving: Quin Smith — 3 catches, 110 yards, 1 TD
What’s Next
Air Force now turns its attention to service academy rival Navy on October 4, a matchup that always carries extra weight in the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy race.
