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Saturday, September 16, 2000
St. Louis Everybody thought Punahou was going into its game against St. Louis last night with little more than a single wing and a prayer.
survives scare
from Punahou
Buffanblu go up 21-0 in the
first quarter, but the Crusaders
storm back to win, 49-28Waianae stuffs Mililani in OIA Red clash
By Dave Reardon
Star-BulletinThe Buffanblu hadn't beaten the Crusaders since 1995 -- and it didn't appear they could come close with a James Dean-era offense.
But this was not your grandfather's game plan that 4,672 watched unfold at Aloha Stadium. Punahou's single wing flew high for a quarter, putting a scare into St. Louis before the Crusaders clamped down hard to win, 49-28.
Bobby George fired four second-half touchdown passes as the defending state champion and top-ranked Crusaders improved to 3-0 in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu. The Buffanblu fell to 2-1.
Kamehameha beat Damien, 55-8, to keep pace with St. Louis.
Yesterday's prep football scores
ILH
Kamehameha 55, Damien 8
OIA
BIIF
KIF
Punahou played St. Louis-style ball to take a 21-0 first-quarter lead, but the Crusaders stole the momentum before halftime and dominated the fourth quarter.
A 65-yard scoring pass from Kelika Higa to Jason Rivers on the last play of the half tied the game, 21-all and took the buff out of the Buffanblu.
"That set the tone for everyone, the defense, too," said St. Louis defensive end Andre Liufau, who was in Punahou's backfield the rest of the game and had three key sacks. "We kept up our intensity, we didn't put our heads down. We scored on their errors."
But for a quarter, Punahou was perfect.
Todd LaFountaine completed 9 of his 12 first-quarter passes, including scores to Kenneth Patton (12 yards) and Nainoa Kuna (49 yards), after his own 3-yard TD run eight plays into the game.
Even more shocking was the Punahou defense, which didn't allow a first down until under two minutes in the first quarter.
"They came out fired up," St. Louis coach Cal Lee said.
Lee said the Crusaders were surprised the Buffanblu threw so much in the early going.
"They were running the ball awfully well the first two (ILH) games," he said.
But St. Louis adjusted, and Punahou became human.
Special teams sparked the Crusaders, as T.J. Moe blocked a punt, and Joseph Lobendahn chased it down in the end zone 10:03 before intermission.
Then Higa directed a 59-yard drive that ended in a 1-foot TD run by Pesefea Fiaseu. Davin Nakasato made a clutch fourth-down catch within the Punahou 1-yard line.
Rivers' catch-and-run was huge on the scoreboard and emotionally for both teams.
"The guys came in at halftime a little down after that," LaFountaine said. "It was just a few bad plays, and then their depth took a toll on us."
Eight St. Louis players scored. And George sparked the Crusaders with accuracy and savvy rare for a sophomore.
The defenses took control at the outset of the second half, until St. Louis grabbed its first lead, 28-21, on George's 36-yard pass to Sanoe Mokuahi at 0:47.
Kuna then returned a kick 96 yards for an apparent TD, but Punahou was called for a penalty at midfield. The Buffanblu never recovered.
Several players for both teams got banged up, and St. Louis was better prepared for a battle of attrition. And George riddled a tired Punahou secondary with three more scoring passes.
Linebacker Ikaika Curnan led St. Louis with 11 tackles and added five hurries, three knockdowns and three sacks.
"They were very aggressive and strong, and because they're well-coached they made adjustments," Punahou coach Kale Ane said. "We're small, so it was tough for us in the fourth quarter. We made a couple mistakes. A foot here and there can make a big difference."
Punahou (2-1, 2-2) 21 0 0 7--28 St. Louis (3-0, 5-0) 0 21 7 21--49 Scoring summary
Pun--Todd LaFountaine 3 run (Tamatoa Hackney kick)
Pun--Kenneth Patton 12 pass from LaFountaine (Hackney kick)
Pun--Nainoa Kuna 49 pass from LaFountaine (Hackney kick)
StL--Joseph Lobendahn recovered blocked punt in end zone
StL--Pesefea Fiaseu 1 run (Ha'a Bento kick)
StL--Jason Rivers 65 pass from Kelika Higa (Bento kick)
StL--Sanoe Mokuahi 36 pass from Bobby George (Bento kick)
StL--Kainoa Fernandez 59 pass from George (Bento kick)
StL--Gino Gosiaco 20 pass from George (Bento kick)
StL--Ross Dickerson 20 pass from George (Bento kick)
Pun--Hackney 6 pass from Jason Sakata (Hackney kick)Individual statistics
Rushing--Pun: LaFountaine 18-25, Jonathan Kim 1-0, Sean Fitzsimmons 1-(-5), Sakata 3-(-5), Team 2-(-33). StL: Fiaseu 14-74, Higa 5-(-9), Beaver 1-23, Sokugawa 1-(-1), Team 1-(-9).
Passing--Pun: LaFontaine 13-28-1 for 211 yards, Fitzsimmons 0-1-1 for 0 yards, Sakata 5-6-0 for 59 yards. StL: Higa 16-23-0 for 195 yards, George 11-16-0 for 190 yards.
Receiving--Pun: Hackney 1-6, Kuna 8-163, Kim 3-24, Patton 4-51, Brian Sanders 2-26. StL: J. Rivers 4-73, Fernandez 3-74, Frank Rivers 5-45, Mokuahi 4-84, Davin Nakasato 2-10, R. Dickerson 6-68, Daniel Inferrera 1-11, Gosiaco 1-20.
No. 3 Kamehameha 55, Damien 8
The Warriors rushed for 249 yards at Iolani. Kamehameha averaged more than 9 yards per carry.
Kamehameha (3-0, 4-0) 28 14 7 6--55 Damien (0-3, 0-4) 0 0 0 8-- 8 Scoring summary
Kam--James Yates 10 pass from Jon Fo (Bronson Sardinha kick)
Kam--Tyler Perkins 45 punt return (Sardinha kick)
Kam--Yates 35 pass from Fo (Sardinha kick)
Kam--Kelena Hookano 8 run (Sardinha kick)
Kam--Nainoa Spencer 36 pass from Fo (Sardinha kick)
Kam--Robert Aiwohi 35 interception return (Lehua Wood kick)
Kam--Spencer 35 pass from Fo (Wood kick)
Dam--Jared Chun 19 pass from Destin Alameida (Jonah Pascua pass from Alameida)
Kam--Dane Montez 60 run (kick failed)Individual statistics
Rushing--Kam: Hookano 10-78, Kaley Loo 2-23, Shane Briones 5-21, Keola Marks 3-19, Dane Montez 3-74, Jason Fong-Aiu 4-34. Dam: Jarin Garma 4-19, Chainton Saldebar 8-42.
Passing--Kam: Fo 7-12-0 for 155 yards, Caleb Spencer 0-5-0 for 0 yards. Dam: Joshua DeLaura 4-20-3 for 14 yards, Alameida 6-13-0 for 84 yards.
Receiving--Kam: Yates 4-81, N. Spencer 3-74. Dam: Mike Lay 4-31, Chun 2-27, Eleneke Benevides 4-40.
Iolani 49, Pac-Five 6
Teo Bennett rushed for 146 yards and four TDs in less than one half.
Iolani (1-2, 2-3) 14 28 7 0--49 Pac-Five (0-3, 0-5) 0 0 0 6-- 6 Scoring summary
Iol--Teo Bennett 10 run (kick failed)
Iol--Ikaika Goo 28 pass from Kila Ka'aihue (Goo pass from Ka'aihue)
Iol--Goo 19 pass from Kaaihue (Duke Hashimoto kick)
Iol--Bennett 26 run (kick failed)
Iol--Bennett 9 run (Bennett run)
Iol--Bennett 15 run (Hashimoto kick)
Iol--Royce Yokono 3 pass from Robert Mageo (Hashimoto kick)
Pac--Brandon Matano 11 pass from McShane Dator (kick failed)Individual statistics
Rushing--Iol: Bennett 13-146, Blake Wong 12-60, Ka'aihue 1-5, Mageo 2-8. Pac: Matthew Inouye 6-10, Chayson Seneca 11-43, Kenny Torres 1-0, Dator 5-(-21), Team 1-(-25).
Passing--Iol: Ka'aihue 5-10-0 for 95 yards; Mageo 3-3-0 for 11 yards. Pac: Inouye 0-5-0 for 0 yards; Dator 7-16-0 for 70 yards.
Receiving--Iol: Goo 3-61, Jay Marcouiller 1-7, Mageo 1-27, Yokono 2-6, Anthony Suetsugu 1-5. Pac: Grant Sumida 1-26, Inouye 1-8, Brian Wilkinson 2-19, Matthew Freidman 1-7, Matano 1-11, Seneca 1-(-1).