Pearl City undefeated in OIA White division

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Kaleo Cambonga-Meyer deflected a two-point conversion pass with 1 minute, 16 seconds left to preserve host Pearl City's 14-13 win against newcomer Kapolei in an O'ahu Interscholastic Association White football game last night at Bino Neves Stadium.

Iolani's Raynold Stowers looks for an opening in the Damien defense. Stowers ran for 213 yards in a 16-0 win. Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser

"Unbelievable," Pearl City first-year coach Onosai Tanuvasa said. "Unbelievable."

Pearl City held a 14-7 lead late in the game, only to see Kapolei capitalize on a Pearl City fumble that was recovered by Kapolei's Drake Kula at the Hurricanes' 32 with 5:04 left. Eight plays later, Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada hit Brandon Pieper on a 23-yard TD pass to pull Kapolei within one. Pieper made a diving catch with his back to the ground as he kept his focus on the ball.

The Hurricanes elected to go for the two-point conversion. Backup quarterback John Medeiros came in for Kaheaku-Enhada, who was stricken by hyperventilation, Kapolei coach Darren Hernandez said. Medeiros rolled right aiming for Pieper in the right flat. But Cambonga-Meyer raced between the ball and Pieper to break up the pass.

"I kind of read it," Cambonga-Meyer said. "I should've picked it and gone all the way."

Hernandez said his teams will not play for ties.

"But you have to credit that team (Pearl City)," Hernandez said. "They deserved to win."

Pearl City took a 7-0 lead into the half on a 10-yard TD pass from Jensen Cabanero to Lee Paleafei with 11:44 left in the second quarter. Despite two interceptions by safety Richard Shinn, the Chargers failed to capitalize before the half.

Kapolei's first touchdown was set up after Roland Mason blocked a 49-yard field-goal attempt by Chris Kaaukuu early in the third quarter. The Hurricanes need four plays from the Pearl City 48, scoring on running back Ikaika Tan's 26-yard run up the middle on third-and-1. Kerisiano Tauniga's PAT tied the score at 7 with 3:20 left in the third quarter.

Pearl City fumbled on its next series at its 22, but its defense allowed eight yards, stopping the Hurricanes at the 13. The Chargers responded with eight consecutive running plays, the last a two-yard leap into the end zone by running back Michael Yamauchi-Yamate with 9:07 to play. Yamauchi-Yamate led all rushers with 115 yards on 17 carries.

Pearl City's second fumble, on a center-quarterback snap exchange, set up Kapolei's last score. But the first-year varsity program's quest to remain unbeaten was knocked down by Cambonga-Meyer.

It was a big win for the Chargers, who have struggled in recent years.

"It's just that the kids have a feeling that they can do anything," Tanuvasa said. "It's not just winning. It's about not giving up.

KAPOLEI (2-1) 0 0 7 6—13
PEARL CITY (3-0) 0 7 0 7—14

PC—Lee Paleafei 10 pass from Jensen Cabanero (Chris Kaaukuu kick)

Kapo—Ikaika Tan 26 run (Kerisiano Tuaniga kick)

PC—Michael Yamauchi-Yamate 2 run (Kaaukuu kick)

Kapo—Brandon Pieper 23 pass from Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada (pass failed).

RUSHING--Kap: John Medeiros 4-13, John Delarama 12-60, Andre Meekins 2-8, Chaves Gamboa 1-2, Charles Recamara 1-(minus 6), Kaheaku-Enhada 8-42, Tan 10-69, Brandon Pieper 1-5. PC: Jensen Cabanero 6-(minus 23), Hoku Yahiku 8-76, Yamauchi-Yamate 17-115, Paleafei 5-16, Michael Tanuvasa 3-10.

PASSING--Kapo: Medeiros 0-2-0--0, Kaheaku-Enhada 3-7-2--67. PC: Cabanero 2-7-0--21.

RECEIVING--Kapo: Gamboa 1-4, Recamara 1-40, Pieper 1-23. PC: Paleafei 1-10, Yamauchi-Yamate 1-11.

JV—Pearl City 13, Kapolei 0

• WAI'ANAE 23, 'AIEA 7: Jerome Mendez returned an interception 65 yards for a score and Chad Rodrigues scored on a 61-yard run to lead Wai'anae.

WAI'ANAE (2-1) 9 14 0 0—23
'AIEA (0-2) 0 0 7 0— 7

Waian—Jerome Mendez 65 interception return (Kalani Hoopii kick)

Waian—Safety, ball fumbled out of endzone

Waian—Sautia Lave 2 run (Hoopii kick)

Waian—Chad Rodrigues 61 run (Hoopii kick)

'Aiea—Ben Ah Mook Sang 66 pass from Dustin Grace (Melvin Jungblut kick)

RUSHING—Waian: S. Lave 13-50, Uilau Faliuga 3-5, Rodrigues 7-67, Chris Lave 2-(minus 5), Roman I 2-5, Addison Popa 3-15, Charles Wills-Aldeguer 2-2, Jared Laa 10. 'Aiea: Jordan Moniz 8-22, Grace 6-1, Jonathan Burgos 3-24, Richard Rodrigues 1-5, Jungblut 1-1.

PASSING—Waian: Faliuga 7-13-0—45, Popa 1-4-0—8. 'Aiea: Grace 20-44-2—249.

RECEIVING—Waian: C. Lave 1-9, Rodrigues 1-10, I 2-8, Hoopii 2-15, James Robinson 1-8, Daniel Keaulii 1-3. 'Aiea: Jeremy Yuen 5-41, Ah Mook Sang 7-126, Yeoland Tamapua 3-25, Rodrigues 5-57.

JV—Wai'anae 14, 'Aiea 7

Reported by Wade Hirata

• IOLANI 16, DAMIEN 0: It had been three weeks since Damien played, but it was Iolani that performed as it was in dry dock for that long.

After a scoreless first half, the Raiders scored on their first series of the second half en route to winning their Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division II season opener yesterday at Punahou's Alexander Field.

Iolani (1-0 ILH, 3-0 overall), ranked fifth in The Advertiser Top 10, had just come off a 34-20 win against Edison (Huntington Beach, Calif.) last week, while Damien (0-1, 1-1) had not played since an Aug. 24 non-league win against Kaimuki.

"We looked liked the team that hadn't played in three weeks," Iolani coach Wendell Look said.

It wasn't as if the Raiders could not move against the Monarchs. Iolani running back Raynold Stowers rushed for 213 yards on 24 carries, but the bulk came between the 10-yard lines. Twice Iolani missed field goals and once Stowers fumbled in the end zone for a touchback.

A 19-yard TD pass from Robert Mageo to Tony Suetsugu ended the scoreless battle with 9 minutes, 50 seconds left in the third quarter. A 26-yard field goal by Jason Keanini made it 10-0.

Iolani linebacker Blake Wong jarred the ball loose from Damien quarterback Tevita Williams and returned the ball 20 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

IOLANI (1-0) 0 0 10 6—16
DAMIEN (0-1) 0 0 0 0— 0

Iol—Tony Suetsugu 19 pass from Robert Mageo (Jason Keanini kick)

Iol—FG Keanini 26

Iol—Blake Wong 20 fumble return (kick failed)

RUSHING—Iolani: Raynold Stowers 24-213, Kelly Teramoto 8-35, Robert Mageo 8-(minus 15), Peter Heimerdinger 2-(minus 2). Damien: Ranson DeCosta 4-11, Cory Mullen 13-38, Tevita Williams 4-15, Fuavaa Faualo 3-0, Fehi Sevelo 2-28, Daniel Chaves 2-5, Zachary Shimizu 1-(minus 12).

PASSING—Iolani: Heimerdinger 1-4-0—13, Mageo 10-22-0—117. Damien: Williams 7-19-0—61, Shimizu 0-3-0—0.

RECEIVING—Iolani: Lee Korenaga 3-59, Suetsugu 5-44, Kai Iwasaki 1-12, Matt Choy 1-11, Stowers 1-4. Damien: Christopher Gaylord 2-18, Faualo 1-5, Micah Komine 1-11, Keoni Steinhoff 3-27.