No. 3 Punahou Buffanblu
Last year: 7-3
Head coach: Kale Ane, 19th season, 132-59
2017 Buffanblu roster
VS.
Moanalua Na Menehune
Last year: 5-7
Head coach: Savai’i Eselu, second season, 5-7
2017 Na Menehune roster
FINAL: Punahou 35, Moanalua 7. In spite of the dozens of penalties called on the Punahou defense, the Buffanblu didn’t allow any points defensively.
10:01: Punahou takes over on downs on Moanalua’s 41 with 3:10 remaining.
9:56: Moanalua takes over from its own 10 after a Punahou punt. 4:40 left.
9:53: Short leash on Adolpho. Hugh Brady now in at QB for the Buffanblu.
9:50: Moanalua is on the board after Nainoa Decorte scoops up a fumble for a 16-yard score. Au’s PAT is good. Punahou’s lead is cut to 28-7 with 7:10 remaining.
9:48: Barber’s day is done, as Nui Adolpho takes over at QB. Punahou’s entire offense seems consist entirely of second stringers at this point.
9:47: Another three and out for Moanalua, as Punahou will take over from its own 48 with 7:41 remaining.
9:42: Barber fires a perfect pass to Cody Paccaro at the back of the end zone. Horn PAT good. 28-0, 9:09 remaining.
9:40: Three-and-out for Moanalua. After a blocked punt, Punahou takes over at the Moanalua 11 with 9:22 remaining.
9:35: Kaufusi finds his way into the end zone with a four-yard rush. It’s his second touchdown of the day. Horn PAT good. Punahou 21, Moanalua 0, 10:47 left in the fourth quarter.
9:32: At the end of the third quarter, Punahou leads 14-0. First down at the Moanalua 23 for the Buffanblu.
9:28: Marist Liufau picks off Au and the Buffanblu take over from their own 39.
9:21: Kaufusi punches it in for a 5-yard rushing touchdown. Horn PAT good. Punahou 14, Moanalua 0, 3:03 left in the third quarter.
9:17: Punahou converts on a fourth down from the Moanalua 39 after Barber takes a draw 23 yards down the field.
9:13: Au’s 23-yard field goal attempt is blocked. Still 7-0, 6:25 in the third.
9:11: Yet another PI call on the Punahou defense. Moanalua now on the on the Punahou 6.
9:09: Much of the same this half. Another pass interference penalty takes Moanalua down to the Punahou 13.
9:05: After a bad snap, Moanalua takes over at the Punahou 20.
9:02: Three-and-out for Moanalua, Na Menehune punts from its own 25 while Punahou takes over on its own 35.
9 p.m.: The second half is underway and Moanalua takes over from its own 20.
8:45 p.m.: Moanalua will receive to start the second half. Both teams must feel like they should be ahead at this point, with missed opportunities on both sides. For Punahou, there were far too many penalties on the defensive side of the ball while Monalua failed to execute in Buffanblu territory multiple times.
8:40 p.m.: Barber gets back to the Moanalua 30 after another strike downfield. Horn’s 47-yard field goal attempt falls short. At the half, Punahou leads 7-0.
8:37 p.m.: Barber appears to scamper for around a 30-yard gain but the play is negated by a chop block penalty. Buffanblu back on their own 45 with 12 seconds left.
8:36 p.m.: Barber is playing much more within himself in the hurry-up offense, leading the Buffanblu to the Moanalua 49 with 24 seconds left in the half. Punahou timeout.
8:30 p.m.: Na Menehune takes a timeout on fourth-and-goal with 1:09 remaining. Au was out for a 23-yard field goal attempt before the timeout. After the timeout, Na Menehune go for it and turn it over on downs after an incomplete pass from Au to Micah Kim. Punahou takes over with 1:05 left in the half up 7-0.
8:27 p.m.: Moanalua goes for it on fourth down from its own 15 and gets rewarded with yet another pass interference call.
8:24 p.m.: Another penalty, another trip to the red zone for Moanalua, now on the Punahou 19. The Buffanblu take a timeout with Na Menehune facing second-and-10. 3:51 left in the half, still 7-0 Punahou.
8:21 p.m.: Moanalua is driving, now on the Punahou 29.
8:17 p.m.: Au fires a 13-yard completion to Ezra Grace for a first down at the Punahou 41. He is outperforming Barber thus far and looks more poised. The score is still 7-0 with 5:53 left in the half after a timeout.
8:15 p.m.: Penalties galore for the Punahou defense early. A pass interference call has Na Menehune moving up to its own 49.
8:10 p.m.: Timothy Horn boots one to the Moanalua 15. The junior has displayed a good leg with a couple of touchbacks on kickoffs as well. 9:16 left in the second quarter, still 7-0 Punahou.
8:09 p.m.: Barber takes another deep shot downfield to no avail. Punahou punting from its own 41.
8:07 p.m.: Moanalua timeout with 9:49 left in the second quarter, with Punahou facing third-and-1 from its own 44. A false start takes them to third-and-6.
8:05 p.m.: Sitiveni Kaufusi breaks off a 25-yard run, dragging a couple of defenders along with him for the last five.
8:03 p.m.: Kaulana Makaula picks off Au on third down and the Buffanblu will take over from their own 10.
8:01 p.m.: After a couple of defensive penalties for Punahou, Moanalua is in the red zone. First-and-10 from the Punahou 20.
7:59 p.m.: Punahou’s Deston Watanabe is shaken up and has to get helped off the field.
7:56 p.m.: Maninoa Tufono looks absolutely menacing at the middle linebacker spot for the Buffanblu. Already with a couple of hard hits, the 6-foot-3, 220 pound junior looks every bit of the four-star rating that multiple publications have projected him to be.
7:55 p.m.: After one quarter, Punahou leads 7-0. Moanalua faces third-and-long to start the second quarter.
7:52 p.m.: Au completes a strike to Javon Monico, and Na Menehune are in Punahou territory for the first time this game. First-and-10 from the Buffanblu 39.
7:49 p.m.: Barber takes another deep shot to Andrei Iosivas, around 50 yards downfield, but another incompletion. If both of these quarterbacks have the jitters, it’s not showing in the way both are airing it out.
7:47 p.m.: Au takes a couple of shots down the field, but overshoots his receivers both times. After a shanked punt, Punahou takes over on its own 41. 4:11 left in the first.
7:45 p.m.: Moanalua has a bit of a drive going, and Au looks poised in the pocket. On their own 45, but a couple of first downs from Idris “E” Thomas.
7:38 p.m.: Moanalua starts its next drive on its own 20 after a touchback.
7:36 p.m.: Antonio Cortez Feria takes a handoff into the end zone for the first score of the game, extra point is good. Punahou 7, Moanalua 0, 7:30 left in the first quarter.
7:33 p.m.: Nick Au completes two passes to Ezra Grace early, but fumbles on his own 19. Punahou takes over in the red zone after a Kennedy Freeman fumble recovery.
7:31 p.m.: Only one first down for the Buffanblu on that drive, as they punt into the Moanalua 19.
7:29 p.m.: Barber showing his skill early. On fourth-and-1 from his own 49, he keeps a read option for an 11-yard gain. He then takes two shots downfield, both incomplete, but the arm strength is certainly visible.
7:27 p.m.: Tanner Ono takes the kickoff and returns it to his own 29.
7:20 p.m.: Here we go. Punahou wins the toss and will receive. We’re headed for an earlier kickoff than expected. But first, the national anthem, alma maters for both schools and Hawaii Ponoi.
7:15 p.m.: It will be interesting to see the quarterback play for both teams, as each is tasked with replacing their senior signal-callers from last year. Nick Kapule was a third team all-state selection last year for the Buffanblu, while Na Menehune’s Alakai Yuen received some votes as well. Stephen Barber, a senior with offers from Hawaii, Air Force and Navy, is the unquestioned leader for Punahou behind center this year. Let’s see who Moanalua trots out there.
7 p.m.: Both teams are around 10 minutes into their pre-game warm ups with kickoff coming in about half an hour. Punahou won the JV game 16-3.
Punahou coach Kale Ane opens his 19th season in charge of the Buffanblu against Moanalua in a game at Radford. The two teams have played only once in the Prep Bowl and state championship eras with the Buffanblu shutting out Na Menehune 10-0 in 2010.
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