By Paul Honda
The big blue giant has been awakened.
Defending state champion Punahou awoke from its slumber — three losses in its first four games — to upset No. 1 Saint Louis 23-21 last night at Aloha Stadium.
Punahou improved to 2-1 in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu (2-3 overall) and kept its title hopes alive with the stunning victory over previously unbeaten Saint Louis (4-1, 1-1).
Punahou relied on a new-look ground game — 108 rushing yards on 27 attempts — and two stunning bombs by Kaiana Eldredge. They got key stops from a swarming defense — which faced a new double-slot tight formation by Saint Louis — and a huge scoring catch and run by linebacker/wide receiver Jeremy Ioane.
“I didn’t want to go down,” said Ioane, who also had a sack. Last week, he dropped what would’ve been a sure touchdown against Kamehameha. “I wanted to make up for last week and do whatever it took to get in the end zone.”
Punahou led most of the way, but Saint Louis was always within striking distance. The Saints trailed 23-15 with 6 minutes left before embarking on an 11-play, 64-yard touchdown drive. Jeremy Higgins’ 4-yard keeper after a fake to fullback Vonn Feao brought the Saints within 23-21 with 2:51 left.
The ensuing 2-point conversion failed, however, when Higgins’ pass missed wide receiver Jordan Fukumoto. Punahou cornerback Jordan Honjiyo won the battle of Jordans by jamming Fukumoto at the line of scrimmage.
“I played him inside out,” Honjiyo said. “Can’t let him get the slant, and the D-line did a good job closing the passing lanes.”
Punahou ate time off the clock before punting back to Saint Louis with 58 seconds left. The Saints, however, were out of bullets and their drive stalled at the Punahou 42 as time expired.
Higgins passed for 256 yards, but had just one touchdown pass and was under severe pressure from a Punahou line that got two sacks from Jonathan Sani Fuimaono and two batted passes by Deforest Buckner.
Both teams alternated quarterbacks for portions of the first half. Saint Louis had speedy backup Marcus Mariota on the field for a few snaps, but Higgins did most of the directing in a drive that culminated with Jesse Correa’s 21-yard field goal with 6:51 left in the first quarter.
While Punahou’s first two series ended in interceptions tossed by Eldredge and Liloa Travis, Saint Louis didn’t generate a sustained drive against a front seven led by Fuimaono. Saint Louis drove and stalled twice in the first half, settling for field goals of 21 yards (Correa) and Aaron Goo (25 yards).
Punahou’s offense answered right back. Caires and Steven Lakalaka did all the leg work as the Buffanblu went 68 yards without a pass. A personal foul call on Saint Louis was followed by Lakalaka’s 13-yard burst up the middle for the game’s first touchdown. Punahou led 7-6 with 3:23 to go in the half.
Saint Louis followed that with a 70-yard bomb from Higgins to Duke Bukoski and took a 12-7 lead with 2:55 remaining in the second quarter.
Punahou bounced right back with an 80-yard bomb from Eldredge to Forrest Kim for a 13-12 lead with 2:01 to go in the half.
The Buffanblu struck on their first series of the second half. A 45-yard pass from Eldredge to Ioane on a corner route, plus Kaimi Fairbairn’s PAT kick, gave Punahou a 20-12 lead with 9:30 remaining in the third quarter. It was almost identical to a play during Punahou’s loss to Kamehameha last week, when Ioane dropped a pass that would’ve been a touchdown. This time, he made the catch, eluded three tacklers and skipped past the pylon for the score.
Saint Louis continued to alternate Higgins and Mariota and settled for a 30-yard field goal by Goo to cut the lead to 20-15.
The Crusaders gambled on their next series, going for it on fourth and 1 from their 15-yard line. The run by Feao was stuffed by Ioane and Geoffrey Miller, setting up a 40-yard field goal by Fairbairn. Punahou led 23-15 with 6:27 remaining.
At Aloha Stadium
Saint Louis (4-1, 1-1) 3 9 3 6 — 21
Punahou (2-3, 2-1) 0 13 7 3 — 23
StL—FG Jesse Correa 21
StL—FG Aaron Goo 25
Pun—Steven Lakalaka 13 run (Kaimi Fairbairn kick)
StL—Duke Bukoski 70 pass from Jeremy Higgins (kick blocked)
Pun—Forrest Kim 80 pass from Kaiana Eldredge (pass failed)
Pun—Jeremy Ioane 45 pass from Eldredge (Fairbairn kick)
StL—FG Goo 30
Pun—FG Fairbairn 40
StL—Higgins 4 run (pass failed)
RUSHING—Saint Louis: Vonn Feao 7-34, Higgins 7-28, Marcus Mariota 4-23, Derek Nakasato 4-10, Sean Valente 5-9, Emmett McShane 2-2, TEAM 1-(-3). Punahou: Stabren Caires 14-86, Steven Lakalaka 4-28, Liloa Travis 2-3, Alaka‘i Aglipay 1-0, Eldredge 5-(-4), Matthew Parrish 1-(-5).
PASSING—Saint Louis: Higgins 21-39-0-256, Mariota 1-3-0-6. Punahou: Eldredge 2-4-0-125, Travis 2-7-1-5.
RECEIVING—Saint Louis: Jordan Fukumoto 7-64, Shaun Ahlo 6-55, Kaeo Aliviado 4-36, Nakasato 2-20, Joshua Tupua 2-17, Bukoski 1-70. Punahou: Kim 2-86, Ioane 1-45, Deforest Buckner 1-0.
No. 2 Kahuku 68, McKinley 0
Viliami Pasi ran for 113 yards and scored three touchdowns as the Red Raiders shut out the Tigers.
Kahuku’s running backs combined for 284 yards on the ground with seven touchdowns.
The defense held McKinley to 31 offensive yards.
At Kahuku
Kahuku (5-0, 3-0) 14 37 10 7 — 68
McKinley (2-3, 1-2) 0 0 0 0 — 0
Kah—Johnny Tupola 20 run (Cameron Mercado kick)
Kah—Tupola 24 run (Mercado kick)
Kah—Viliami Pasi 2 run (Mercado kick)
Kah—Pololu Silva 10 run (Mercado kick)
Kah—Punga Vea 16 pass from Sage Kaka (Mercado kick)
Kah—Pasi 10 run (Mercado kick)
Kah—Hauoli Jamora 5 fumble return (Mercado kick)
Kah—Pasi 20 run (Mercado kick)
Kah—FG Mercado 15
Kah—Fonoivasa Mataafa 23 run (Mercado kick)
RUSHING—McKinley: Roy Aliksa 11-24, Joash Togiai 2-16, Dylan Misiluti 3-7, Habram Fermin 1-6, Solomon Dixon 2-(-1), Luis Diaz 2-(-27), Iosefatu Fiso 8-(-32). Kahuku: Pasi 12-113, Silva 10-72, Tupola 3-50, Joseph Nozawa 5-26, Mataafa 2-23.
PASSING—McKinley: Leo Maiava 4-18-3-38. Kahuku: Evan Moe 2-4-1-22, Kaka 2-2-0-23.
RECEIVING—McKinley: Dixon 1-12, Aliksa 1-4, Jordan Yoon 2-22. Kahuku: Mataafa 2-22, Vea 2-23.
Junior varsity—Kahuku 57, McKinley 0
No. 6 Waianae 42, Nanakuli 0
Seariders quarterback Puletua Wilson accounted for 237 yards and four touchdowns as the Seariders routed the Golden Hawks.
His 75-yard run to paydirt in the first quarter set the tone early as Waianae put 35 on the scoreboard before intermission.
Waianae’s defense frustrated the winless Golden Hawks as they held Nanakuli to 61 total yards.
At Waianae
Waianae (3-2, 3-0) 14 21 7 0 — 42
Nanakuli (0-5, 0-3) 0 0 0 0 — 0
Wain—Puletua Wilson 75 run (Terrence Akao kick)
Wain—Akao 30 pass from Wilson (Akao kick)
Wain—Wilson 15 run (Akao kick)
Wain—Keoni Napierala-Rose 43 run (Akao kick)
Wain—Kalin Sandobal 17 pass from Wilson (Akao kick)
Wain—Bryson Panui 5 run (Akao kick)
RUSHING—Nanakuli: Kaimana Hokoana 14-41, Samson Kama 4-9, Ryan Talo 7-8, Ryan Graves 2-1, Team 1-(-5). Waianae: Wilson 4-104, Napierala-Rose 3-59, Kanekapila Hussey 3-42, James Wilson 3-29, Bronson Barbosa 5-20, Panui 6-18, Kelii Ah-van 3-5, Henry Medeiros 1-2, Eldridge Kulee 2-1.
PASSING—Nanakuli: Ryan Talo 1-8-1-7. Waianae: Wilson 6-8-0-133.
RECEIVING—Nanakuli: Graves 1-7. Waianae: Tyrell Kaahaaina 1-45, Akao 1-30, Wilson 1-24, Sandobal 1-17, Hookena Kamana 1-14, Napieraka-Rose 1-3.
Junior varsity—Waianae 50, Nanakuli 7
Kapolei 28, Waipahu 21 OT
In the ever-so-tough OIA Red West, the Hurricanes held on for an overtime victory against a pesky Mauraders squad.
Waipahu forced overtime after Mark Bumanglag’s 8-yard rushing touchdown knotted the score at 21.
Kapolei quarterback Noah Pascua threw for 135 yards and his lone touchdown pass in overtime to Christian Estabillo put the Hurricanes ahead. The Kapolei defense sealed the win after recovering a forced fumble on third down.
At Waipahu
Waipahu (3-3, 1-3) 0 7 6 8 0 — 21
Kapolei (3-3, 2-2) 0 7 14 0 7 — 28
Waip—Brysen Kaseli 75 pass from Micah Beate (Neil Guiang kick)
Kapo—Noah Pascua 1 run (Eric Morales kick)
Kapo—Tuu Lolohea 2 run (Morales kick)
Waip—Victor Moananu 50 run (kick blocked)
Kapo—Kainoa Pakele 80 kickoff return (Morales kick)
Waip—Mark Bumanglag 8 run (Moanano run)
Kapo—Christian Estabillo 20 pass from Pascua (Morales kick)
RUSHING—Kapolei: Onosai Faumuina 10-50, Clinton Wise 6-26, Pakele 3-25, Pascua 13-22, Donnie King 2-14, Keaka Fernandez 4-9, Elijah Tagura 3-5, Lolohea 2-5, Pouesi Togiailua 1-2. Waipahu: Moanano 20-132, Bumanglag 7-31, Jonathan Casamina 2-22, Christian Kaopua 3-3, Micah Beate 1-(-3) Joshua Lacar 5-(-5).
PASSING—Kapolei: Pascua 8-16-0-135. Waipahu: Beate 1-1-0-75, Bumanglag 1-2-1-17, Lacar 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING—Kapolei: King 4-55, Seth Roman 2-43, Estebilo 1-20, Tegura 1-17. Waipahu: Kaseli 2-92.
Junior varsity— Kapolei 21, Waipahu 7
Kaimuki 17, Roosevelt 16, OT
Johnnie Tuitele scored a touchdown in overtime and Kaleo Maurico made the extra point to lead the Bulldogs over the Rough Riders.
Roosevelt scored on its first possession of the extra period when Asten Koki caught a pass from Matthew Lono-Holani, but the kicker missed the extra point.
Both teams were limited to a field goal in the first half.
Roosevelt (2-4, 1-3) 0 3 7 0 6 — 16
Kaimuki (1-4, 1-2) 0 3 0 7 7 — 17
Kaim—FG Kaleo Mauricio 46
Roos—FG Brad Pena 32
Roos—Drayson Ito 14 pass from Matthew Lono-Holani (Pena kick)
Kaim—Chester Sua 7 pass from Eddie Char (Mauricio kick)
Roos—Asten Koki 12 pass from Lono-Holani (kick failed)
Kaim—Johnnie Tuitele 21 pass from Char (Mauricio kick)
RUSHING—Roosevelt: Ese Tago 1-29, Tyler Jake Kila 6-4, Lono-Holani 7-(-21). Kaimuki: Sua 8-43, Char 12-29, Tre Paderes 7-7, Mason Kuali’i Moe 1-6, Siale Taetakua 1-1, Tuitele 1(-4).
PASSING—Roosevelt: Lono-Holani 19-52-3-141. Kaimuki: Char 11-23-1-125, Mauricio 1-1-0-11.
RECEIVING—Roosevelt: Ito 9-57, Tago 4-22, Kuali’i-Moe 2-42, Koki 1-12, Kaipo Pale 1-8, Cozia Chapman 1-3, Lemisio Afuola 1-(-3). Kaimuki: Tuitele 4-44, Sua 4-42, Jeffson Aikau 2-39, Wiseman Dimei 2-5, Laau Kent 1-8.
Junior varsity—Roosevelt 24, Kaimuki 17
Aiea 27, Kaiser 24
Na Alii withstood an early onslaught by the Cougars on their way to a victory in a OIA White match-up.
Freddy Taliulu led the Aiea attack going 10-for-18 passing with 130 yards. Vaa Anae punched in two touchdown runs along with his 56 yards to help improve Na Alii to 5-1.
At Kaiser
Kaiser (2-2, 2-1) 7 14 3 0 — 24
Aiea (4-1, 3-1) 0 14 7 6 — 27
Kais—Jourdan Solomon 7 pass from Teli Latu (Dylan Ale kick)
Aiea—Vaa Anae 1 run (Nicholas Hiraoka kick)
Kais—Seth Keolanui 16 pass from Latu (Ale kick)
Aiea—Kekoa Thompson 15 pass from Freddy Taliulu (Hiraoka kick)
Kais—Josh Gonda 64 run (32 kick)
Aiea—Anae 1 run (Hiraoka kick)
Kais—FG Ale 27
Aiea—Thompson 9 pass from Taliulu (kick failed)
RUSHING—Aiea: Otto-Titan Salausa 12-64, Anae 11-56, Matt Faalele 2-10, Phillip Madriaga 2-5, Taliulu 2-(-7) . Kaiser: Gonda 18-122, Jesse Kauhola 3-6, Latu 2-(-16).
PASSING—Aiea: Taliulu 10-18-2-130. Kaiser: Latu17-30-2-195, Gonda 1-1-0-17.
RECEIVING—Aiea: Thomson 3-39, Madriaga 3-37, Bryson Gabriel 1-23, Faalele 1-15, Salausa 1-10, Michael Willaims 1-6. Kaiser: Solomon 10-94, Josh Lopez 4-68, Seth Keolanui 2-25, Kaiwi Ramseyer 1-21, Gonda 1-4.
Junior varsity—Kaiser 20, Aiea 6
Anuenue 27, Pearl City 13
Ikaika Armitage ran for a pair of touchdowns in the first quarter to help Na Koa breeze by the Chargers.
Ray Cooper III ran for a 46-yard touchdown to put Pearl City on the scoreboard in the second quarter, but Keli‘ikoa Aki scored from 4 yards out and Ikaika Gante made the 2-point conversion.
Cooper collected 200 yards on the ground for the Chargers, but Anuenue countered with 328 rushing yards by seven different players. Gante led the way with 86 yards.
At Pearl City
Pearl City(1-4, 1-3) 0 6 0 7 — 13
Anuenue (2-4, 1-4) 12 8 7 0 — 27
Anue—Kanani Armitage 5 run (kick failed)
Anue—Armitage 1 run (conversion failed)
Anue—Keli‘ikoa Aki 4 run (Ikaika Gante run)
PC—Ray Cooper III 46 run (kick failed)
PC—Isaac Shim 2 run (Tyler Yamanouchi kick)
Anue—Kekaimana Fernandez 55 run (Imaikalani Keama kick)
RUSHING—Anuenue: Gante 15-86, Aki 16-83, Armitage 12-60, Fernandez 5-59, Kilauea Lau 1-2, Opunui Nahale‘a 1-2. Pearl City: Cooper 14-200, Jarrick Duvauchelle 1-36, Cyrus Coen 2-21, Dustin Bataya3-(-1), Iokepa Alcantara 1-(-4), Shim 5-(-10).
PASSING—Anuenue: Fernandez 1-2-0-37. Pearl City: Bataya 4-8-0-46, Shim 8-16-2-66, Tylor Llaban 1-1-0-15.
RECEIVING—Anuenue: Lau 1-37. Pearl City: Ikaika Matas 3-28, Kelson Laboy 2-25, Cooper 2-21, Yamanouchi 2-13, Duvauchelle 1-30, Troy Scanlan 1-6, Coen 1-4.
—————
No. 8 Leilehua 29, Campbell 26
Andrew Manley led a second half barrage to lead the Mules to a come-from behind win.
Manley put the team on his back in the second half, scoring three touchdowns and guiding the Leilehua offense to 29 points after the team trailed 20-0 at halftime.
Manley finished with 280 yards on 21-for-36 passing.
At Leilehua
Leilehua (3-2, 2-1) 0 0 14 15 — 29
Campbell (2-4, 1-3) 14 6 6 0 — 26
Camp—Micah Ulufale 1 run (Zach Marquart kick)
Camp—Ulufale 1 run (Marquart kick)
Camp—Christinan Carlos 7 run (kick failed)
Lei—Anu Sapla 44 pass from Andrew Manley (Tyler Boone kick)
Lei—Manley 9 run (Boone kick)
Camp—John Aiwohi17 pass from Ulufale (conversion failed)
Lei—Manley 1 run (Boone kick)
Lei—Carlos Marshall 3 run (Manley to Marshall pass)
RUSHING—Campbell: Carlos 4-83, Samson Anguay11-25, Sy Delico 5-20, Nilo Omalea-Agbayani 2-7, Ulufale 5-(-1). Leilehua: Marshall 13-74, Austin Schmitt 4-29, Manley 8-15, Team 2-(-1).
PASSING—Campbell: Ulufale 16-29-2-172, Anguay 0-1-0-0. Leilehua: Manley 21-36-2-280.
RECEIVING—Campbell: Anguay 4-72, Tim Mriene 4-47, Carlos 3-22, Jordan Scabkowski 3-14, Aiwohni 1-17, Christian Abcede-Abrcgano 1-0. Leilehua: Kamana Akagi 7-123, Sapla 7-93, Blaine Furtado 3-45, C.J. Bailey 3-11, Elijah Bejer-Barro 1-8.
Junior varsity—Campbell 26, Leilehua 20
Damien 37, Word of Life 18
Makana Ka‘anoi made his debut as a starting quarterback a memorable one, passing for three touchdowns and running for three more as the Monarchs posted their first league win.
Ka‘anoi, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound senior, moved from defensive back and overcame an erratic start for Damien (1-4, 1-2 ILH). He misfired on his first six pass attempts and was picked off twice, but completed 14 of his last 16 tries for 227 yards. All three of his scoring tosses went to speedy Shayvis Wilson, who finished with seven catches for 123 yards.
“I told them to hold this feeling for as long as you can. Savor it,” first-year head coach Punahou Aina said after notching his first victory.
Word of Life (0-3, 0-2) ran out of its spread and double-wing sets for a total of 223 yards on 50 attempts, but fumbled the ball away three times. With several personnel changes, Damien could make a run at the D-II league crown.
“If we get healthy, this might be our catalyst,” Aina said.
A botched punt snap by Word of Life gave Damien the ball at the Firebrands’ 39-yard line. Ka‘anoi found Wilson on a rollout pass for a 9-yard touchdown, and Damien led 6-0 with 41 seconds left in the first quarter.
Ka‘anoi added a 2-yard sneak for a touchdown to cap a six-play, 60-yard march, and the Monarchs led 12-0 with 6:30 to go in the second quarter.
Switching from a shotgun set to a double-wing offense, Word of Life went on a 12-play, 61-yard drive for its first score. Richard Landford’s 1-yard plunge brought Word of Life within 12-6 with 1:25 left in the half.
Damien answered with a 31-yard bomb to end the half. Ka‘anoi’s pass to Wilson on a deep post boosted Damien’s lead to 18-6. The scoring play came after the Monarchs drove to the 4-yard line, and then were assessed with a huge holding penalty during a wild scramble by Ka‘anoi.
A fumble recovery by linebacker Nephi Tuitele stopped a Word of Life drive at the Monarchs’ 18-yard line. Seven plays later, Ka‘anoi found Wilson on 28-yard play-action pass to the end zone, and Damien led 24-6 with 7:14 to go in the third.
Ka‘anoi broke off a 62-yard touchdown on a keeper to give his team a 31-6 lead with 3:26 remaining in the third. He added an 18-yard keeper to the end zone with 5:01 left.
At Aloha Stadium
Word of Life (0-3, 0-2) 0 6 0 6 — 18
Damien (1-4, 1-2) 6 12 13 6 — 37
DMS—Shayvis Wilson 9 pass from Makana Ka‘anoi (kick failed)
DMS—Ka‘anoi 2 run (pass failed)
WLA—Richard Landford 1 run (kick failed)
DMS—Wilson 31 pass from Ka‘anoi (pass failed)
DMS—Wilson 28 pass from Ka‘anoi (pass failed)
DMS—Ka‘anoi 62 run (Darius Demello kick)
WLA—Landford 4 run (run failed)
DMS—Ka‘anoi 18 run (kick blocked)
WLA—Cyprus Fesili 5 run (pass failed)
RUSHING—Word of Life: Poggi Awa 16-92, Landford 9-72, Ryan Alvarado 5-31, Cyprus Fesili 7-27, Christian Piimoku 1-12, Cobey Young-Bailey 8-6, Donovan Agaran 1-5, Warren Malaki Jr. 1-3, TEAM 2-(-25). Damien: Ka‘anoi 13-67, Ikaika Mokiau 8-14, Wilson 2-15, Derick Shoda 3-(-2), Dustin Lungay 1-(-3).
PASSING—Word of Life: Young-Bailey 9-17-0-96. Damien: Ka‘anoi 14-22-2-227.
RECEIVING—Word of Life: Awa 5-49, Isaac Iwamoto 2-14, Nathaniel Lim 1-17, Javison Caires 1-16. Damien: Wilson 7-123, Mokiau 4-67, Austin Ching-Manaku 1-14, Shoda 1-13, Dylan Yonamine-Baysa 1-10.
[table “7” not found /]
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