Kam gets defensive in beating Punahou

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Kamehameha's defense stepped up its game to stop Punahou, 24-6, in Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I football last night at Aloha Stadium.

St. Louis' Jason Rivers catches a pass from Bobby George in the second quarter against Pac-Five. The Crusaders won 35-3 at Aloha Stadium Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

The No. 10 Buffanblu (1-4, 3-4) lost more than just a game. LaFountaine suffered a knee injury in the first half and did not return. Punahou coach Kale Ane said he is not sure of LaFountaine's status for the rest of the season.

"He's our go-to guy," Ane said of LaFountaine, an elusive running quarterback. "He's our spiritual leader, so it's tough when that kind of guy goes down."

LaFountaine rushed for 27 of the Buffanblu's 51 yards during their only scoring drive. He finished with 44 yards rushing in 13 carries.

Kamehameha defensive lineman Abu Ma'afala said LaFountaine confused the Warriors' defense early. He knows the loss of LaFountaine hurt the Buffanblu.

"He's their offense," Ma'afala said. "He's so versatile."

Drew Monahan spelled LaFountaine the rest of the game, completing 6 of 17 passes for 36 yards and rushing for 32 yards on 18 carries.

While the Warriors' defense took care of business, so did their offense. They struck quickly, when quarterback Caleb Spencer hit Keoni Ruth for a 47-yard touchdown pass on Kamehameha's first play from scrimmage.

After LaFountaine's touchdown run tied the score at 6, Spencer went deep again, hitting Josh Vierra on a 51-yard TD pass. Spencer connected with Ruth on two-point conversion to give the Warriors a 14-6 lead after one quarter.

Kekoa Smith's 20-yard field goal with 34 seconds left made it 17-6.

With the defense in control, all the Warriors had to do in the second half was run down the clock by running the ball. Running back Kelena Ho'okano took care of that by rushing for 116 yards on 24 carries, including a 7-yard TD run with 3:39 left in the third quarter.

The Buffanblu had their moments. Jason Sakata's 42-yard kickoff return after Kamehameha scored its first touchdown allowed Punahou to start its scoring drive from its 49.

PUNAHOU (1-4, 3-4) 6 0 0 0— 6
KAMEHAMEHA (4-0-1, 7-0-1) 14 3 7 0—24

Kam—Keoni Ruth 47 pass from Caleb Spencer (kick failed)
Pun—Todd LaFountaine 3 run (pass failed)
Kam—Josh Vierra 51 pass from Spencer (Ruth pass from Spencer)
Kam—FG Kekoa Smith 20
Kam—Kelena Ho'okano 7 run (Smith kick)

RUSHING—Punahou: LaFountaine 13-44, Tamatoa Hackney 3-0, Jason Sakata 5-39, Drew Monahan 18-32. Kamehameha: Spencer 2-0, Ho'okano 24-116, Keano Noa 2-(minus 1), Chase Ka'anoi 1-(minus 5)..

PASSING—Punahou: LaFountaine 0-1-0—0, Monahan 6-17-1—36, Sakata 0-1-0—0. Kamehameha: Spencer 7-15-1—161.

RECEIVING—Punahou: David Dowsett 1-2, Chad Tamashiro 1-8, Hackney 1-6, Sakata 1-12, Michael Tanuvasa 1-5, Alex Chock 1-3. Kamehameha: Ruth 2-55, Vierra 2-80, Asti Merino 2-22, Noah Peterson 1-4.

• NO. 2 ST. LOUIS 35, PAC-FIVE 3: Quarterback Bobby George passed for 240 yards and three touchdowns to lead the second-ranked Crusaders in an ILH interdivision game at Aloha Stadium.

George completed 17 of 26 passes. He could have had a fourth TD pass, but receiver Tito Sallas fumbled at the 1 after a 13-yard reception. Sallas recovered the ball in the end zone for St. Louis' final score.

Pac-Five receiver Matthew Friedman, the ILH's leading receiver, had eight catches for 113 yards from quarterback Ryan Leong, who is spelling the injured McShane Dator.

St. Louis linebacker Kawai Curnan had a career-high 10 tackles.

ST. LOUIS (4-0-1, 6-0-1) 7 21 7 0—35
PAC-FIVE (1-4, 2-6) 3 0 0 0— 3

Pac—FG Darci Hata 27
StL—Jon Amano 15 pass from Bobby George (Michael Houar kick)
StL—Prince Brown 1 run (Houar kick)
StL—Ross Dickerson 12 pass from George (Houar kick)
StL—Jason Rivers 78 pass from George (Houar kick)
StL—Tito Sallas fumble recovery in end zone (Kaeo Adams kick)

RUSHING—St. Louis: Prince Brown 6-51, Justin Cabansag 5-30, Andy Kubic 1-1, B.J. Batts 6-31, Marcus Higa 2-1. Pac-Five: Ryan Leong 16-16, Cheyne Abbey-Chong 3-5, Alika Durington 1-0, Shane Lawrence 6-38, Chad Rayno 4-37, Michael Yamauchi-Yamate 11-17, Ryan Urabe 1-1.

PASSING—St. Louis: George 17-26-1—240, Kubic 1-3-1—9, Chris Sokugawa 0-1-0—0. Pac-Five: 10-21-2—127, Jordan Tani 1-2-0—5.

RECEIVING—St. Louis: Daniel Rodrigues 1-6, Ross Dickerson 5-33, Keahua Bowman 1-26, Jon Amano 1-15, Jason Rivers 3-104, Kainoa Fernandez 3-23, Tito Sallas 3-33, Travis Gonzaga 1-9. Pac-Five: Matthew Friedman 8-113, Abbey-Chong 1-5, Urabe 1-13, Yamauchi-Yamate 1-1.