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POSTED: Friday, October 31, 2008

Damien quarterback Stanton Pilialoha didn't expect to get many chances to throw the ball.

But when he did, he made them count.

Pilialoha only threw six passes all game, but two of them went for touchdowns to Makana Kaanoi and the Monarchs held off a fourth-quarter comeback by Pac-Five to beat the Wolfpack 20-14 last night at Aloha Stadium.

“;We know Pac-Five likes to pass, and our plan was to take time off the clock by running the ball,”; Pilialoha said. “;I knew we weren't going to throw the ball much, but when we did I had to execute on those plays.”;

Damien (6-5, 3-5 ILH) piled up 252 yards on the ground as three different backs had at least 50 rushing yards. Ikaika Mokiao led the way with 86 yards on 19 carries and Josh Asuncion rushed 15 times for 70 yards.

But the big plays came on the arm of Pilialoha. The junior hit Kaanoi on a perfect 40-yard strike for the only touchdown of the first half, and found him again from 29 yards out in the third quarter to give Damien a 13-0 lead.

“;We were watching their safeties and their corners,”; Damien coach Wally Aina said. “;When we saw them moving closer and closer up, we tried to catch them at the right time with the pass. We guessed right.”;

Pac-Five (3-8, 2-6) controlled field position for most of the half, but came away with no points. Brendan Sagucio missed two field goals and Dylan Carvalho intercepted a PJ Minaya pass at the 1-yard line to kill a Wolfpack drive late in the half.

After Kaanoi's second touchdown catch put Damien up 14-0, Pac-Five marched down the field and into Damien's red zone.

The normally sure-handed Darin Kamealoha got behind the Monarchs defense, but dropped a would-be TD. Damien's Nick Sakamoto sacked Minaya on the very next play and Pac-Five eventually came up empty again, turning the ball over on downs.

“;We tried everything we could to keep them out of the end zone,”; Aina said.

Pac-Five made it close in the fourth quarter as Minaya found London Amorin for a 37-yard touchdown pass on fourth down to pull to 20-7 with 10 minutes remaining.

After Damien turned the ball over on four downs, Minaya quickly led the Wolfpack down the field again. He completed five passes to three different receivers before Scotty Awaya's 1-yard scoring run made it 20-14 with less than 2 minutes remaining.

Pac-Five forced Damien to punt with less than a minute remaining, but the kick bounced off a Wolfpack player and was recovered by the Monarchs to ice the game.

Minaya finished 26-for-49 for 278 yards and a touchdown and Amorin made 11 catches for 135 yards.

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At Aloha Stadium

                                                                                                                                           

Damien (6-5, 3-5)	0	7	13	0	—	20
Pac-Five (3-8, 2-6)	0	0	0	14	—	14

Dam—Makana Kaanoi 40 pass from Stanton Pilialoha (Kaanoi kick)
Dam—Kaanoi 29 pass from Pilialoha (Kaanoi kick)
Dam—Andrew Morgan 5 run (kick failed)
Pac—London Amorin 37 pass from PJ Minaya (Brendan Sagucio kick)
Pac—Scotty Awaya 1 run (Sagucio kick)

  RUSHING—Damien: Ikaika Mokiao 19-86, Josh Asuncion 15-70, Darius Demello 5-51, Jeremiah Matautia 9-34, Austin Dawson 2-13, Morgan 1-5, Pilialoha 4-(minus-7). Pac-Five: Darin Kamealoha 2-15, Awaya 1-1, Minaya 6-(minus-16).

PASSING—Damien: Pilialoha 4-6-0-99. Pac-Five: Minaya 26-49-1-278.

RECEIVING—Damien: Kaanoi 2-69, Asuncion 1-21, Mokiao 1-9. Pac-Five: Amorin 11-135, Kamealoha 9-62, Jordan Doi 4-31, Dylan Gomez 2-50.