NANAKULI — After years of waiting for its own team, Word of Life didn't wait much longer for the program's first win.

The Firebrands scored two touchdowns in their first quarter debut, en route to a 26-8 win over Nanakuli in a preseason football opener for both teams last night. It was Word of Life's first varsity football game.

"We've been believing in God to have a varsity team for the last four years," Word of Life coach Joe Onosai said.

Jared Stephenson ran in two touchdowns as Word of Life showed off a quick running game that had an assortment of Firebrands carrying the ball. The team had just one passing attempt, which resulted in a completion.

"We want to shorten the game," Onosai said. "We have two-way players. If we can play a two-hour, 15-minute game, if we play a short, I think we got a chance. If we play three-hour games, I don't think we'll be able to do that. That's why we run the ball."

Stephenson scored the program's first touchdown on a 2-yard run with 7:08 remaining in the first quarter. The touchdown capped off a 10-play, 78-yard drive that put the Firebrands up 6-0.

Jacob DeKneef scored on a 1-yard touchdown run with 14.7 seconds left in the first, and Max Mower's 2-point conversion made it 14-0.

Stephenson's 1-yard run in the third quarter put Word of Life ahead 20-0.

The Golden Hawks scored early in the fourth quarter on Raven Garcia's 12-yard

touchdown pass to Chadez Alvarado-Meyers with 11:02 left. Sean Tau's 2-point conversion cut the deficit to 20-8.

Ryan Alvarado's 4-yard touchdown run for Word of Life made it 26-8 with 3:39 left.

Onosai is taking the win in perspective. He pointed out it is still the preseason and Nanakuli coach John Lopes took over the program just three weeks ago.

Lopes, too, is optimistic.

"There's a lot of positives," Lopes said of his squad. "The negatives can be worked off."

Though it is a new varsity program, Word of Life has built itself with an intermediate program the past three seasons. Last year's team won the Interscholastic League of Honolulu title, and half of this year's 36-member varsity squad is from that team.

"They bring that winning spirit," Onosai said.

The last time there was a new Interscholastic League of Hono-lulu football team was in 1974, when Pac-Five made its debut.

WORD OF LIFE 14 0 6 6—26

NANAKULI 0 0 0 8— 8

WOL — Jared Stephenson 2 run(kick blocked)

WOL — Jacob DeKneef 1 run(Max Mower run)

WOL — Stephenson 1 run(kick failed)

Nan — Chadez Alvarado-Meyers 12 pass from Raven Garcia (Sean Tau run)

WOL — Ryan Alvarado 4 run(run failed)