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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, August 25, 2002

Damien rolls to rare victory

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

The Damien High School football team won its first game in nearly two years yesterday, rolling past Kaimuki, 42-15, in the opening game of the 39th Annual Father Bray Classic at Aloha Stadium.

Damien running back Ranson DeCosta eluded the Kaimukii defense and found some running room during yesterday's game.

Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

The Monarchs' previous victory — 11 games ago — was a 7-6 win over Pac-Five on Oct. 21, 2000.

Damien's Ranson DeCosta scored touchdowns on a 10-yard run and 93-yard kickoff return, and teammate Andrew Canoy found the end zone on a 79-yard run and 82-yard kickoff return. The Monarchs also scored on Daniel Chaves' 36-yard interception return for a touchdown.

"We had a bunch of big plays, and everybody fulfilled their role nicely," said Damien co-coach Dean Nakagawa. "Our special teams were special; actually all of our teams put it together. That's what we're trying to develop here — a team concept. We want everybody to believe in themselves."

Nakagawa, a former Iolani standout and University of Hawai'i cornerback, was the Monarchs' defensive coordinator last year. He and co-coach Rudy Alejo took over the program after former head coach Chris Bisho resigned earlier this summer.

Damien lost only 11 players to graduation, and even this year's team has only nine seniors.

"We're still very young," Alejo said. "But the veterans have responded well and the rookies have carried their load. Even the coaches all pulled together. We've been behind the rest of the league for awhile, but we feel the kids are focusing on what's at hand and not on the past."

DeCosta's touchdown run and Chaves' interception gave the Monarchs a 14-0 first-quarter lead, but Kaimuki's Sheldon Sarcedo cut it to 14-6 with his 67-yard touchdown run. The extra point attempt was blocked.

Canoy's touchdown run helped give Damien a 21-6 lead in the second quarter. Kaimuki's Ji Min Kim connected on a 31-yard field goal to make it 21-9, but Canoy returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown to help give the Monarchs a 28-9 halftime advantage.

In the third quarter, Sarcedo returned a fumble 63 yards for a touchdown to make it 28-15, but DeCosta answered with a 93-yard kickoff return to help put Damien up 35-15.

In addition to his two touchdowns, DeCosta also converted five extra points, played safety and punted. He played quarterback as a sophomore on last year's team.

"We're going to use his athletic ability as much as we can," Alejo said.

Nakagawa and Alejo said the Monarchs also received strong performances from quarterback Tevita Williams, defensive lineman Soane Sevelo, offensive lineman Chris Meheula, center Garyk Ontai and linebacker Brennan Delacruz.

• • •

Farrington 28, Pac-Five 7

Quarterback Royce Machado passed for two touchdowns, and Matt Bell and Samson Milo each scored on touchdown runs as the Governors scored 28 unanswered points against the Wolfpack.

Pac-Five took a 7-0 second-quarter lead after McShane Dator's 19-yard touchdown pass to Travis Tyler. Alwin Faumui caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Machado to make it 7-6 just before halftime. The extra point attempt failed.

Bell's third-quarter touchdown run from three yards out helped Farrington take a 13-7 lead, and Dionte Noma'aea caught a 26-yard touchdown pass from Machado to help the Govs go up, 21-7, with 9:12 remaining in the game. Milo's 2-yard touchdown run sealed it later in the fourth quarter.

The game marked the coaching debut of Farrington's Randall Okimoto, a former standout for the Governors and letterman at UH.

• • •

Iolani 48, Radford 20

Raynold Stowers rushed for 184 yards and three touchdowns on 13 carries, and Kelly Teramoto ran for 129 yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries to lead the Raiders past the Rams.

Stowers and Teramoto, both juniors, combined for five first-half touchdowns as Iolani led 27-0 after one quarter and 34-0 at intermission. Stowers scored on runs of 2, 35 and 66 yards and Teramoto scored on runs of 4, 1 and 40 yards.

The Raiders' defense, led by linebacker Kala Ka'aihue, limited Radford to 69 total yards in the first half. Rams quarterback Stephen Bauglin finished with 11 completions in 20 attempts for 150 yards and one touchdown.