[ HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ]
Passing in the first half. Defense in the second half. OAHU INTERSCHOLASTIC ASSOCIATION —
WHITE CONFERENCEBalanced Chargers beat Bulldogs
By Nick Abramo
nabramo@starbulletin.comThat's how the Pearl City Chargers beat back a challenge from the Waialua Bulldogs last night in an Oahu Interscholastic Association White Division game at Neves Stadium.
Waialua (2-2), long known as an underdog in the OIA, kept it close in the first half, but Pearl City (4-0) pulled away with four turnovers after the break for the 41-6 victory.
Overall, the Chargers forced six turnovers and only gave up one.
Pearl City quarterback Jensen Cabanero went 8-for-13 and two touchdowns in the first half as the Chargers pulled out to a 21-6 lead. He found Keone Peiper and Lee Paleafei for the scores, and Jeremy Cartwright made two long receptions of 38 and 27 yards.
"Our boys were there, but they couldn't react (to the Pearl City passing)," Waialua coach Donald Capello said. "They couldn't make the plays. And then turnovers just killed us, but Pearl City played tough and they came up with blitzes from the outside and we didn't pick it up."
The Bulldogs (2-2) dug themselves into a deep hole early in the game when quarterback Pookela Gasper let go a pass into the flats, but Chargers defensive back Kaleo Cambonga-Meyer stepped in front of it for an interception and a 28-yard touchdown return. That score, which was sandwiched between the two TD passes, made it 14-0
"We have a passing game, even though we haven't shown it before this," Pearl City coach Onosai Tanuvasa said. "And we have so much talent, about four talented receivers, but they and the quarterback are still learning and nowhere near to where they're going to be.
"And we took advantage of Waialua's mistakes. I told the boys to go out there and make it happen and they did the job. They made it happen."
Gasper led Waialua to its only score, a fake handoff and a 10-yard pass to a wide-open Larry Ladao in the end zone. Ladao's 37-yard catch and run off a Gasper screen pass was the key play in the 61-yard drive.
The Chargers came out flying on defense in the second half, as Justin Camara and Richard Shinn intercepted Gasper aerials and Michael Yamauchi-Yamante, Daylan Lii and Hoku Yahiku recovered fumbles to stall the Bulldogs' offense.
Pearl City returned to the running game as Yamauchi-Yamante and Michael Tanuvasa gouged out big gains to keep the ball and the clock moving. Yamauchi-Yamante, Lii and Yakiku all scored rushing TDs to seal the win.
"We're out there striving to play a flawless game," Tanuvasa said. "And sometimes our biggest enemy isn't the opponent, not to take anything away from Waialua. If our boys let their guards down, Waialua, or any other opponent, will just take the game away from us."
Kaiser 27, Moanalua 9: No details were available.
OIA WHITE
W L T PF PA Pearl City 4 0 0 117 34 Kaimuki 3 1 0 90 46 Nanakuli 3 1 0 140 88 Kaiser 2 2 0 92 82 Kapolei 2 2 0 89 49 Waialua 2 2 0 45 111 Kalani 0 4 0 22 110 Moanalua 0 4 0 55 150
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