It has been a September to remember for University of Hawaii pass-rusher Ka‘eo Akana.

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It has been a September to remember for University of Hawaii pass-rusher Ka‘eo Akana.

After a walk-through practice last Thursday afternoon, Akana was told his girlfriend Keila Kamoku was experiencing increased contractions. They checked into Kapiolani Medical Center for Women &Children.

Kamoku was calm and focused.

“I was a little nervous,” Akana recalled. “More excited than nervous.”

On Friday morning, Kamoku went into labor.

“I tried to be helpful,” Akana said. “I was like, ‘C’mon, you got this,’ one of those type of things.”

After 30 minutes of labor, Kamoku gave birth to the couple’s daughter.

“It was an unbelievable feeling,” Akana said of holding La‘iekawai. “It brought tears to my eyes. I didn’t know I was going to start tearing up.”

On Saturday, Akana joined teammates at a Waikiki hotel, where they finalized plans for that afternoon’s game against UNLV at the Ching complex.

Jordan Pu‘u-Robinson, who coaches UH’s defensive ends, told Akana he had been selected as one of the Warriors’ game captains. Soon after, head coach Timmy Chang confirmed the choice during a team meeting.

“It was unexpected,” Akana said. “What an honor it was to be a team captain. … I was more excited to play the game. Being a team captain got me really excited. There’s no better feeling than playing in front of your family. I didn’t want to let anybody down.”

Akana also was named the starting rush end in place of Lester Lagafuaina, who has been dealing with shoulder issues.

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“Lester is our leader and most experienced (D-end),” Pu‘u-Robinson said. “Everybody else behind him, two through eight, contributes on this football team.”

Pu‘u-Robinson said 6-foot-3, 245-pound Akana provides “athleticism and speed” off the edge.

“He can really affect the passes when he gets the opportunity,” Pu‘u-Robinson added.

With 2 seconds left in the first half, UNLV called timeout to set up a fourth-down Hail Mary from the UH 48. Akana overpowered an offensive tackle, knocking him into quarterback Jackson Arnold, who fell to the turf.

“I pushed my way through and got the sack,” Akana said.

It was the Warriors’ only sack in 35 pass plays this season.

“He played the best game of his career,” Pu‘u-Robinson said of Akana, who transferred in January 2005 after three years at Utah. “He played extremely hard with very little sleep. He really stepped up in Lester’s absence.”

After the game, Akana rejoined his other team.

Akana and Kamoku — whose brothers Blaze Kamoku and Diezel Kamoku are UH slotbacks — met at the Punahou Carnival when they were high school freshmen. Kamoku was a standout in softball at Kamehameha; Akana was a multi-sport athlete for Saint Francis School.

After Saint Francis closed, Akana attended Roosevelt High School. Akana’s junior season was canceled because of the pandemic. But in 18 games as a Rough Rider sophomore and senior, Akana amassed 35 sacks. Of his 40.5 tackles as a senior, 25 were for losses, including 13 sacks.

Kamoku went on to play softball at BYU. After attending Utah, Akana entered the transfer portal following the 2024 season. After first committing to UCLA, Akana changed his mind, then signed with the Warriors on the first day of the 2025 spring semester.

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Now Akana and Kamoku are enjoying parenthood.

“Everything’s great,” Akana said.