GAME NIGHT 8/24: Punahou/Kapolei

No. 3 Punahou 44, No. 8 Kapolei 13, FINAL

Sophomore Ian Eveleth at QB for Punahou and showing plenty of poise. His 36-yard pass to Noa Takeyama makes it first and goal at the 1. With less than a minute left, the Buffanblu take a knee and that’s the game.

Reserve WR Haleola Thomas makes some noise here with three consecutive receptions from Bailey, including a crisp post route for a 15-yard TD. Nice. PUNAHOU 44, KAPOLEI 13, 3:43, Q4.

DB Jonah Henry with a 27-yard pick-six as the Buffanblu send the game into mercy-rule territory. Punahou whistled for unsportsmanlike conduct on the celebration. PUNAHOU 44, KAPOLEI 6, 7:10, Q4.

Both teams still airing it out quite a bit in these last minutes. Punahou stalls and punts for the first time tonight.

The third quarter ends with Punahou leading Kapolei 37-6. Punahou’s defense has been consistently excellent through 15 quarters. Kapolei has 159 yards of total offense so far.

Sagapolutele with the quick-pass game that Eldredge turns into a 27-yard gain down the left sideline, breaking several tackles. Terrell finds the end zone again on a 10-yard burst. Bad snap on the PAT, Eldredge stopped on his run attempt. PUNAHOU 37, KAPOLEI 6, 2:36, Q3.

Sagapolutele and his protectors go to work immediately. Completions of 26 and minus-2 yards to Dancil-Evans, then a perfect bullet in the seam to Paige for a 30-yard TD pass. That’s 54 yards in three plays, 1 minute and 9 seconds total. The ‘Canes could use a Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa tonight. PUNAHOU 31, KAPOLEI 6, 7:25, Q3.

The touchback on the missed field goal try by Punahou gives Kapolei the ball at its 20. Third and 3, a quick pass is blown up by Matautia for a loss. 29-yard punt downed at the Punahou 46, 8:34 left in the third.

Punahou LB Dillon Lundberg recovers Kapolei’s on-side kick try. Punahou’s 50-yard FG try is wide left and short. Indication is the holder juggled the snap. Kapolei sat back and didn’t rush heavy on that one. ‘Canes ball with 10:05 left in the third quarter.

HALFTIME BOXSCORE
At Kapolei
Punahou 10 14 x x — xx
Kapolei 0 6 x x — xx
PUN—Quinn Maretzki FG 30
PUN—Vincent Terrell 3 run (Maretzki kick)
PUN—Alaka‘i Gilman 49 interception return (Maretzki kick)
PUN—Raydan Kiaaina-Caires 9 pass from John-Keawe Sagapolutele (Maretzki kick)
KPO—Jayven Reyes 5 run (kick failed)
JV—Kapolei 21, Punahou 12.

RUSHING—
Punahou:
#19 Terrell 7-21,
#8 Nathaniel Kia 2-9,

Kapolei:
#8 Reyes 10-47,
#10 Noa Bailey 4-(-14),
#11 Mason Gomez 1-2,
#13 Dycen Coyaso 1-0,

PASSING—
Punahou:
#16 Sagapolutele 10-17-2-135,

Kapolei:
#10 Bailey 9-23-2-73,
#7 De’Zhaun Stribling 1-1-0-19,

RECEIVING—
Punahou:
#25 Rayden Kiaaina-Caires 3-33,
#6 Moku Dancil-Evans 4-51,
#22 Koa Eldredge 2-38,
#19 Terrell 1-13,

Kapolei:
#8 Reyes 1-9,
#6 Jason Camarillo 1-(-2),
#9 Bula White 3-67,
#7 Stribling 2-19,
#17 Chanzyn Dupont 2-10,
#16 Ashton-Noah Reyes 1-(-2)

Hurricane offense feels different now. A lot of empty-backfield sets. Punahou still doing a job on Kapolei standout WR De’Zhaun Stribling. They’ve limited him to one catch for seven yards so far, and when he almost snuck away on this drive, they grabbed him and took the holding penalty. Kapoi’s 47-yard FG try is partially blocked, fielded by Gilman at the Punahou 1. They have this set up with a caravan and Gilman noodles his way up the left sideline before finally being tackled at the Kapolei 15 as time runs out.

Punahou’s sixth possession (not including the pick-six by Gilman) begins with a run for no gain by Terrell and Kapolei calls time out with 2:11 left in the first half. On the next play, Sagapolutele goes deep and is picked again by Coyaso in a jump-ball tearaway from Punahou WR Christopher Paige. Kapolei ball at its 45 with 2:05 left in the half.

The Hurricanes won’t wilt. Bailey completes three passes in a row, including a 37-yard bomb to White. The ‘Canes cap the drive with a 5-yard TD run by RB Jayven Reyes. Nice bounce-back by Kapolei. PAT is wide right. PUNAHOU 24, KAPOLEI 6, 2:26, Q2.

Repeat of the previous Kapolei series as Punahou DB Kilinahe Mendiola-Jensen picks off a Bailey pass between the hashmarks deep downfield. He returns the ball 10 yards to the Kapolei 25. Three plays later, Sagapolutele fires a dart to slotback Raydan Kiaaina-Caires, who maneuvers his way into the end zone for a 9-yard TD. PUNAHOU 24, KAPOLEI 0, 4:43, Q2.

Kapolei with possession for the fourth time. Bailey’s sideline pass hangs in mid-air, tipped by Punahou DB Alaka‘i Gilman, who bobbles the pigskin, then corrals it near mid-field. He is stopped momentarily by a Hurricane, throws the tackler down, and races down the right sideline for a 49-yard TD return. I’ve seen this before. It was at Waianae last year when he scored two defensive TDs in the span of minute or two. WOW. PUNAHOU 17, KAPOLEI 0, 6:56, Q2.

Punahou with some offensive momentum after a 33-yard pass from Sagapolutele to Koa Eldredge, but Sagapolutle forces the ball into coverage deep down the right sideline and the ball is picked off by Kelekolio Taylor. He returns the ball to the Kapolei 35 with 9:34 left in the second quarter.

Dycen Coyaso’s 63-yard kickoff return gives Kapolei first down at the Punahou 27. Noa Bailey’s 11-yard pass to Bula White closes the opening quarter. 27-yard FG try by Micah Fonoti is nearly blocked by Legend Matautia, and the kick caroms off the offensive line. Matautia may have gotten a piece of that. Punahou ball at its 11-yard line with 11:15 left in the second quarter.

The Buffanblu drive 42 yards in 12 plays, and Terrell sprints around left end for a 3-yard TD. PUNAHOU 10, KAPOLEI 0, :25.8, Q1.

After the fumble recovery, Kapolei stalls and on the punt, the snap bounces to the punter, who runs, has time to punt but decides to chance it. He gains two yards, stopped far short of the first-down marker.

Another three-and-out for Kapolei, punt fair caught at the Kapolei 45. Punahou’s second drive begins with 7:42 to go in the first quarter. Fumble by RB Vincent Terrell is recovered in the trenches by Kaho‘olewa Emmsley at the Kapolei 42.

Kapolei has the opening series, three and out. Punt out at the Hurricanes’ 47. Punahou drives to the Kapolei 11, where Quinn Maretzki kicks a 30-yard field goal cleanly through the uprights. A lot of short passes by freshman quarterback John-Keawe Sagapolutele. PUNAHOU 3, KAPOLEI 0, 9:33, Q1.

6:30 p.m.
JV game is done. Kapolei 21, Punahou 12.

The Kapolei choir/choral group with a very classical rendition of the national anthem and Hawaii Ponoi. For a second or two I thought it was a professional group recording being played on the system.

Temperature is a bearable 82 degrees now with humidity at 62 percent. Trade winds up to 12 mph, but it’s been mostly still this afternoon.
5:20 p.m.
Conditions at Kapolei this afternoon have been classic. Steamy and hot. Temperature has dropped to 84 degrees with humidity at 58 percent. It is cloudy, but only a 10-percent chance of rain. It is still. No trade winds at this moment.

Kapolei leads Punahou 13-12, in the junior-varsity game.

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Series history: Punahou leads 3-1
Punahou roster
Kapolei roster