MĀNOA — With barely any knowledge about how to speak English or how to kick a football, Japan native Kansei Matsuzawa moved to the United States when he was 21 years old with aspirations of becoming a college kicker.
While on a trip to the continental United States, Matsuzawa watched an NFL game and knew he wanted to play the sport himself. Matsuzawa, who played soccer for Makuhari Sogo High School in Chiba, Japan, taught himself how to kick footballs via YouTube. Other YouTube videos aided in learning the language. While paying for Hocking College, a junior college in Ohio, Matsuzawa was so low on personal funds that he learned how to cut his own hair.
Matsuzawa, now 26 and in his second year as the starting kicker for the University of Hawai‘i football team, was one of the heroes of the team's 23-20 season-opening win over Stanford on Saturday afternoon at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex. He made all three of his field goal attempts, including a 38-yarder as time expired. He also made both of his extra point attempts on Saturday, making himself a perfect 5-for-5 on kicks for the day.
Of all the things Matsuzawa has taught himself over the years, no tool proved to be more valuable on Saturday than the ability to move on to the next kick.
At the end of one of UH's practices during fall camp, there was a competition that involved splitting the Rainbow Warriors into two teams. Players lined up on the hash marks, barking loudly at each other during some friendly banter. The final competition involved Matsuzawa and backup Sean Olvera-Harle alternating between 50-yard attempts from the right hash. The winner was decided by whoever would make the kick first. Matsuzawa missed three straight attempts, allowing Olvera-Harle to eventually nail the winning kick.
When asked about that practice on Saturday, Matsuzawa said his confidence was never shaken from it.
"All the coaches and the team (were) kind of worried about me, I think," Matsuzawa joked on Saturday. "But I never lose my confidence. It was like, after practice, my legs are already dead. ... But after (those) misses, it is what it is, and just I focused on like the next play, and I execute."
Later on, Matsuzawa was able to prove himself in scrimmages, where it became evident his teammates and coaches "still believe in me, and then I just believe myself," he said.
Hawai‘i ultimately pulled out the victory on Saturday, a scenario that seemed unlikely during the team's putrid start.
Stanford's first drive took more than half of the first quarter. The Cardinal settled for a 22-yard field goal with 7:14 left in the first period. On the ensuing kickoff, Brandon White called a fair catch on a ball that already bounced, and Hawai‘i was forced to start from its own 1. Quarterback Micah Alejado was sacked on the first play for UH and fumbled, which was recovered in the end zone by Stanford's Wilfredo Aybar. Suddenly Stanford was up 10-0 with 7:08 left in the first quarter.
Hawai‘i got on the board with a 3-yard touchdown pass from Alejado to Pofele Ashlock with 2:19 left in the first quarter, which was set up by a 30-yard run by Alejado deep into Stanford territory. Stanford lined up for a 34-yard field goal on its next possession, but it was blocked by UH defensive tackle Luther McCoy.
Although the Rainbow Warriors appeared to settle down, Stanford added to its lead with 3:39 left in the second quarter on an Emmet Kenney field goal. UH took the lead at the end of the first half with a 19-yard touchdown pass from Alejado to Jackson Harris with 48 seconds left in the first half.
On its first possession of the second half, Alejado went down with an ankle injury, staying on the ground for a handful of minutes. The turnstile crowd of 13,368 at a sold-out Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex fell silent, a symbol of the hope having Alejado behind center represents. Backup quarterback Luke Weaver entered for one play, his lone pass attempt batted down by a Stanford defender.
UH held a narrow 17-13 lead through three quarters, as a 40-yard Matsuzawa field goal was the lone score in the third for either team. Alejado continued to play, limping between plays.
Stanford took a 20-17 lead in the fourth quarter with a 20-play drive that took 9:37 off the clock.
Just as the Cardinal appeared prepared to deliver a knockout blow, Kilinahe Mendiola-Jensen intercepted Stanford quarterback Ben Gulbrandon at the UH 31. Hawai‘i drove down the field promptly after that, tying the game on a 37-yard Matsuzawa field goal with 2:01 left.
Hawai‘i's defense continued to have its way with Gulbranson, forcing a three-and-out. After getting the ball back, Alejado calmly led the 'Bows back into field goal range. Stanford called a timeout in an attempt to freeze Matsuzawa, but he stayed composed as teammates nearby told him they were looking forward to exalting him as the game's hero.
In the post-game press conference, Matsuzawa joked he was more nervous speaking to the media than he was lining up to kick Saturday's game-winner.
"I'm kind of nervous right now, more than when I (kicked the) game-winning field goal," he said. "Speaking English is tough, but yeah, I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the moment. And when we gave up the second touchdown to Stanford, then I was like, 'Oh, this is gonna be my game.' And I just prepared for the game-tying field goal and also game-winning field goal. I knew it was going to happen. ... Control what I can control. That's everything I do."
The Rainbow Warriors began Year 4 of the Timmy Chang era on a winning note, notching their first victory over a Power Conference member since 2019. Chang said the team's offseason preparation, from January to kickoff on Saturday, was the best it's been since his time at the helm.
"They put in a lot of work this offseason to (win) these close games," Chang said. "We talk about these close games and being on the other side of them, and how we're going to get on the other side of them. Really early on...10-0, to sit here and say that we came back in a close three-point game, I mean, that's just resilience."
Chang credited the toughness of Alejado, who completed 27 of his 39 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions despite being a compromised version of himself in the second half. Alejado also totaled 36 rushing yards on 10 carries while getting sacked four times.
Alejado, who exclusively hopped on his left leg in order to get to the postgame podium, said there was no question about finishing the game.
"There wasn't really no need to talk my way back in," Alejado said. "I told the team before we came out, I'll die for them, and I know they would die for me. I truly live by that."
Next up for the Rainbow Warriors is a game at Arizona on Aug. 30. The game kicks off at 4:30 p.m. HST and will be televised on TNT.
"I'll be good. I'll be back next week," Alejado said of his injury.
In spite of the victory, the Rainbow Warriors acklowledged they missed opportunities within the game.
"We kind of gave away 10 points there," Alejado said. "I gotta know that and have better ball security, so I take full accountability for that. The way we started off, it was bad on my part. But the defense kept rallying. Offense kept rallying. We had adversity, and we knew we were gonna come and hit adversity, and as a team, we were (better) for it.
"All three phases were great. Special teams, a great blocked field goal, and then the Kansei big clutch field goals. He's a great guy. I love him. You know his underdog story, and he's showing who he is today."
After delivering a lasting memory for UH fans on Saturday, Matsuzawa hopes it wasn't the only one he'll provide throughout the course of his senior season.
"I was really happy," he said. "It was a great moment in my life, but I know it's one of many."
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Christian Shimabuku can be reached at christian@alohastatedaily.com.
