When Kapolei football coach Darren Hernandez called upon his standout linebacker/safety Shaydon Akuna to make his first-career start at quarterback Friday, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound senior responded admirably.

Akuna played on both sides of the ball — about 75 percent of the snaps, according to Hernandez — in leading the Hurricanes to an upset over previously unbeaten Mililani.

With starting quarterback Noah Pascua and back-up Elijah Tagura hampered with lingering injuries, Hernandez went with Akuna, whose only game-time experience at the position came in mop-up duty against Nanakuli last season.

"He got in for five or six plays, but it was more or less garbage time, so this was his first real game playing quarterback," Hernandez said. "We were really thin at the position last week and he's been taking some repetitions off and on in practice, but we've never really used him. He proved to be everything we thought he could be."

Akuna accounted for four touchdowns — three on rushes and another on a 4-yard pick-six late in the third quarter. He accounted for 85 yards on offense and finished with 42 rushing yards on 11 carries, drawing a comparison from his coach to another sizeable, but mobile, signal-caller.

"He looked like Tim Tebow out there," said Hernandez, who noted Akuna can bench press 400 pounds. "He is the only player I've ever coached in my career that can play every single position on the field. He can punt, he can kick, he can play nose tackle if he had to — even center — he can play it all."

Hernandez was quick to point out that Pascua is still the team's top option at quarterback.

"Shaydon's not going to be our starter and play the whole game at QB — we do need him on defense," Hernandez said. "Noah Pascua will still play a considerable amount at QB, Shaydon had the hot hand (against Mililani), so we stayed with him."

Akuna, who missed the first four games this season because of hip and hamstring injuries, is rated among the state's top recruits at safety. With Kapolei having a bye week, Hernandez said Akuna — along with linebackers Dustin Elisara and Tu'u Lolohea — will make their first official recruiting visit this weekend to Oregon State.

Kapolei completed the regular season with a 5-3 record, 4-2 in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red West. The Hurricanes are in fourth place in the seven-team division and have clinched a berth in the OIA tournament.