Running back Alex Green scored on a 14-yard pass, and Hawai‘i made two big sacks to hold off a frenetic Navy comeback attempt for a 24-17 victory tonight in Aloha Stadium.

Green’s touchdown, on a swing pass, gave the Warriors a 24-17 lead with 37 seconds left in the third quarter.
Then, late in the fourth quarter, the Warriors drove to the Navy 16, where they faced a fourth-and-1. They opted to go for the first down, and with the play clock ticking down to a second, Green took the handoff but was stopped for no gain.
Navy then drove toward midfield. But linebackers Corey Paredes and Blaze Soares had consecutive sacks, the last on fourth down with a second left, to seal the Warriors’ fourth consecutive victory.
The Warriors, now 6-6, need to win next week’s regular-season finale against Wisconsin to clinch a berth in the Dec. 24 Sheraton Hawai‘i Bowl.
Hawai‘i quarterback Bryant Moniz, who sat out last week’s game because of bruised ribs, completed 32 of 44 passes for 366 yards and three touchdowns.
Wideout Kealoha Pilares caught two scoring passes, finishing with eight catches for 102 yards. Slotback Greg Salas had 10 receptions for 147 yards. Running back Leon Wright-Jackson had five carries for 47 yards.
Quarterback Ricky Dobbs completed 5 of 9 passes for 88 yards, and rushed 25 times for 127 yards and one touchdown for the Midshipmen (8-4). Fullback Vince Murray contributed 88 yards and one touchdown on 10 carries.
Pilares, the forgotten receiver the past five games, caught two scoring passes to help the Warriors tie it at 17 with six seconds remaining in the first half.
Through the first six games, as the starting right slotback, Pilares caught 41 passes. But against Idaho, left wideout Rodney Bradley suffered a broken left fibula and tibia.
The next game, Pilares moved to Bradley’s position at left wideout and Jon Medeiros was promoted to No. 1 right slotback. Since then, Pilares was used largely as a decoy, opening the way for Medeiros and Salas.
In the first five games as the starting left wideout, Pilares, a junior from Damien Memorial, caught 14 passes.
But in last night’s game, the Warriors decided to go early and often to Pilares. In the first half, Pilares was the primary target six times. He caught five first-half passes for 61 yards.
The Warriors took a 7-0 lead on their final possession of the first quarter. With the ball on the Navy 24, Moniz took the shotgun snap and lofted a perfect pass to Pilares, who caught the ball in the end zone in full stride. It was the first catch Pilares made on a streak pattern this season.
But the Midshipmen quickly tied it up when Dobbs kept the ball on a belly option. He broke free from the grasp of defensive end Fetaiagogo Fonoti at midfield, then raced untouched the rest of the way to complete the 53-yard scoring sprint.
It was Dobbs’ 23rd touchdown of the season, tying Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow’s NCAA single-season record. It also was the longest scoring run allowed by the Warriors this season.
But the Warriors came back to take the lead on their ensuing possession. Scott Enos, who has struggled in recent weeks, booted a 34-yard field goal to make it 10-7.
Then Navy answered with Joe Buckley’s 28-yard field goal. The drive was set up when Dobbs completed a 41-yard, play-action pass to slotback Bobby Doyle. It was only Doyle’s fifth reception of the season.
Later, a short punt gave Navy possession in UH territory.
The Midshipmen drove to the 18. From there, Murray, who had been a decoy most of the half, took the handoff and ran up the middle on a dive play to make it 17-10 with 1:07 left before intermission.
Jovonte Taylor bobbled the ensuing kickoff, then raced around the left side for a 55-yard return.
The Warriors, in their hurry-up offense, drove to the 17.
Moniz scrambled for 10 yards, to the 7. He then spiked the ball, freezing the clock at 10 seconds.
On the next play, Moniz found Pilares at the end of a post route to tie it at 17.

SCORING SUMMARY

FIRST QUARTER
UH—Kealoha Pilares 24 pass from Bryant Moniz (Scott Enos kick), 1:20. Big plays: Moniz passes of 31, 35 yards to Greg Salas to Navy 24. 5 plays, 90 yards, 2:06 elapsed time. Score: HAWAI‘I 7, NAVY 0
Navy—Ricky Dobbs 52 run (Joe Buckley kick), 0:00. Big play: Bo Snelson returns kickoff to Navy 37. 3 plays, 63 yards, 1:20 elapsed time. Score: HAWAI‘I 7, NAVY 7
SECOND QUARTER
UH—Enos FG 34, 8:52. Big plays: Salas 12 pass and 19 pass from Moniz. Jovonte Taylor 14 pass from Moniz to Navy 25 on 4th and 13. 11 plays, 59 yards, 6:04 elapsed time. Score: HAWAI‘I 10, NAVY 7
Navy—Buckley FG 28, 4:58. Big plays: Dobbs 41 pass from Bobby Doyle to UH 31. 7 plays, 61 yards, 3:45 elapsed time. Score: HAWAI‘I 10, NAVY 10
Navy—Vince Murray 18 run (Buckley kick), 1:07. Big play: Doyle 19 pass from Dobbs. 6 plays, 48 yards, 2:57 elapsed time. Score: NAVY 17, HAWAI‘I 10
UH—Pilares 7 pass from Moniz (Enos kick), :06. Big plays: Moniz completes 4 of 5 to move from Navy 44 to Navy 17. Moniz 10 run. 9 plays, 44 yards, 51 seconds elapsed time. Score: HAWAI‘I 17, NAVY 17
THIRD QUARTER
UH—Alex Green 14 pass from Moniz (Enos kick), :27. Big plays: Pilares 25 pass from Moniz. Salas 7 pass from Moniz on 3rd and 3 at 50. Moniz 11 run. 9 plays, 82 yards, 4:32 elapsed time. Score: HAWAI‘I 24, NAVY 17