Defending state champion Crusaders rout Baldwin, 48-6

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Showing no mercy, Saint Louis flexed its muscle in dominating Baldwin, 48-6, last night in a semifinal of the First Hawaiian Bank Division I State Football Championships at Aloha Stadium.

The defending state champion Crusaders (9-1) will play top-ranked Kahuku (13-0) in next Friday's championship. It is the fourth time in the five-year history of the tournament that the two teams will meet in the final. The series is even at 2. The second-ranked Crusaders are the only team in the state to reach the final every year.

A crowd of 6,882 watched the semifinals, including Kahuku's 35-7 win against Farrington.

Saint Louis did it with its defense, which got four interceptions, including a 58-yard TD return by linebacker Dayne Nohara, and constant pressure on quarterback Roy Antolin.

"We played awesome defense," Saint Louis senior linebacker Dylan Moss said.

"Saint Louis is the real deal," Baldwin coach Chad Kauhaahaa said. "I can't say enough about what his (Saint Louis coach Darnell Arceneaux) coaches did. I wish Darnell the best of luck."

On offense, the Crusaders mixed their plays well, keeping the Bears off-balanced all night. Quarterback Keali'i Perbera completed 17 of 27 passes for 290 yards and three TDs, two to Johnny Gentry and a 55-yarder to Desmond Hanohano to start the scoring onslaught.

The Crusaders took a 22-6 lead into the third quarter, when they seized control of the second half with a 19-point third quarter that initiated the 35-point differential mercy rule. B.J. Batts' 1-yard TD run made it 41-6 with 4:06 left in the period.

Saint Louis opened the second half with Batts taking the opening kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown.

"That second-half kickoff really caught us off-guard," Kauhaahaa said. "We came out flat and that's all coaching-wise. We have to get the kids motivated, especially after a draining first half."

Batts also scored on runs of 11 and 1 yards.

"I gotta say this," Kauhaahaa said. "Our kids played their hearts out. We played the best we could."

But Baldwin's best wasn't enough to cover all of Saint Louis' weapons, from Hanohano to receiver Shaun Kauleinamoku (8 catches for 73 yards) to Batts (92 yards rushing).

Although the Crusaders are the defending state champions, they are considered underdogs against the unbeaten Red Raiders, who won titles in 2000 and 2001.

"It feels good because we will play Kahuku and they're No. 1 in the state," Perbera said. "It's going to be a tough game, no matter if you're the underdog or not."

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8042.