[ HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ]
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Iolani's Kekai Kealoha scored as Damien's Fehi Sevelo looked on yesterday afternoon at Aloha Stadium. The Raiders won 21-6.
Kepoo pilots Iolani’s
21-6 victory over Damien
Iolani put the ball into the hands of sophomore quarterback Kiran Kepoo and he threw three scoring strikes in the Raiders' 21-6 victory over Damien last night.
In front of a sparse Aloha Stadium crowd, Iolani took control in Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division II football. The Raiders (4-2, 2-0) moved one game ahead of the Monarchs (1-2, 1-1) in the race that determines a berth in the state's inaugural D-II tournament.
Kepoo, who finished 10-for-23 for 184 yards, completed two TD passes to Kekai Kealoha and one to Paul Bennett. Kepoo's accurate scoring tosses proved to be the key ingredient because the Damien defense held the Iolani running game to 33 yards.
"I thought our defense played a tremendous game," Raiders coach Wendell Look said. "And Kiran gave us a little more production. He's tall (6-foot) and was able to throw down the middle, and that's something we weren't able to do before."
Kepoo took over for 5-8 senior Peter Heimerdinger, who was moved to running back.
Damien was without starting running back Ranson DeCosta in the first quarter. The team's leading ground gainer served a team discipline penalty and returned in the second quarter. He finished with just 39 yards on 13 carries.
Iolani took a 14-0 halftime lead on a 63-yard TD over-the-middle catch and run by Kealoha and a 28-yard post-pattern grab by Bennett.
"We blew coverage on their first touchdown and we didn't make a play on the second one," Monarchs coach Dean Nakagawa said. "On the third one (early in the third quarter), our DB was looking back at the quarterback."
Led by the run-stopping work of defensive lineman Keone Nakoa, Iolani didn't allow Damien near its goal line until the final minute. The closest the Monarchs got -- before finally scoring on the game's last play -- was the Iolani 27. Shawn Agustin's interception and Trevor Manu's fumble recovery also dealt a blow to Damien's offensive chances.
The Monarchs sacked Kepoo five times, including four by Soane Sevelo and one by his brother, Fehi Sevelo. Soane Sevelo also dropped Heimerdinger for a 5-yard loss on a running play.
"I don't care (about the sacks)," Soane Sevelo said. "We lost. It was more of a mental (breakdown) thing than anything else."
At Aloha Stadium
Iol -- Kekai Kealoha 63 pass from Kiran Kepoo (kick failed)
Iolani (4-2, 2-0) 6 8 7 0 -- 21 Damien (1-2, 1-1) 0 0 0 6 -- 6
Iol -- Paul Bennett 28 pass from Kepoo (Mike Hirokawa run)
Iol -- Kealoha 25 pass from Kepoo (Nick Wong kick)
Dam -- Elwin Gapuz 4 pass from Tevita Williams (kick failed)
RUSHING -- Iolani: Hirokawa 11-27, Peter Heimerdinger 8-8, Kepoo 9-(-2). Damien: Williams 10-48, Ranson DeCosta 13-39, Faualo Va'a 7-7.
PASSING -- Iolani: Kepoo 10-23-0-184. Damien: Williams 16-37-1-151.
RECEIVING -- Iolani: Kealoha 2-88, Bennett 2-38, Travis Nishioka 1-21, Karl Motoyama 2-20, Blayne Yama 2-15, Kai Iwasaki 1-2. Damien: DeCosta 5-53, Andrew Canoy 3-42, Va'a 2-18, Gapuz 3-17, David Tuiasosopo 1-13, Landen Dela Cruz 2-8.
