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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Saturday, October 4, 2003

Lave runs Wai'anae past Pearl City, 30-22

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

WAI'ANAE — The Wai'anae High School football team returned to its glorious past last night, rushing for 272 yards and five touchdowns in staving off resurgent Pearl City, 30-22, at Raymond Torii Stadium.

The Seariders improved to 3-3 overall and 3-2 in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association's Red Conference West Division, but more importantly stayed in the hunt for one of the division's four playoff berths. Pearl City fell to 5-2, 4-2.

Wai'anae won 17 OIA championships from 1966-97 and has beaten the Chargers in all 20 meetings between the schools since the series began in 1973. But Pearl City entered last night's game ranked No. 10 in The Advertiser's statewide Top 10 poll of media and coaches.

The Seariders, however, had home field and tradition on their side and appropriately were led by senior running back Chris Lave's 226 yards and four touchdowns on 30 carries. Lave is the latest in a long line of Wai'anae players from the same family.

"My brother Sautia and my cousins Matt, Taulia and Brian," said Chris, rattling off the names of past Searider Laves. "Our coaches put tradition on top of us and stuck it in our heads. We just started practicing harder, and playing at home puts more pressure on us, too, so we play harder."

After spotting the Chargers a 7-0 first-quarter lead, the Seariders scored five straight touchdowns on Lave's runs of 2, 10, 7 and 4 yards, and Clayton Francisco's 12-yard run in building a 30-6 lead with 11:51 left to play.

"Our offensive line is starting to jell, and Chris is a fighter," Seariders coach Danny Matsumoto said. "He's been practicing hard."

The hard work paid off, especially after Pearl City rallied with touchdown passes from Dale Valledor to Nathaniel Nasca (34 yards) and Jensen Cabanero (21 yards) to close it to 30-22 with 8:57 left.

The Chargers reached the Wai'anae 40 yard line on their final drive, but lost the ball on downs with 1:39 remaining.

"The breaks went back and forth, but we just ran out of time," Pearl City coach Onosai Tanuvasa said.

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2456.