Posted on: Saturday, December 11, 2004
West is best at HUB Classic, 31-17
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
Mililani receiver Jon Santos hauled in three touchdown passes to lead the West over the East, 31-17, last night in the 14th HUB Goodwill Football Classic.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser "It was nice to get in there and get the ball," Santos said. "It was good to learn to play with new people. The quarterbacks in this game are really good."
Santos led all receivers with six receptions for 198 yards.
His Mililani teammate, quarterback Maka Kahoano, got the scoring rolling with an 11-yard TD pass to Campbell's Isaac Laupola. Campbell quarterback Shaye Asoau hit Santos on TD passes of 55 and 45 yards. The second strike actually was on a halfback option pass. Santos' first TD reception was from Waipahu's Austen Benito.
All of the West's TDs came in the first half as it built a 28-3 lead at the intermission. The East's only score to that point was a 36-yard field goal by Castle's Ethan Gonsalves.
The East finally scored a TD in the third quarter when Castle's Victor Clore caught a two-yard pass from Roosevelt's Rudy Artuyo to make it 28-10.
But Pearl City's Steven King booted a 26-yard field goal to increase the West's lead to 31-10.
The East wrapped up the scoring with a seven-yard TD pass from Saint Louis' Stanley Nihipali to Kaiser's Matt Ching.
As expected, Santos was named the West's offensive most valuable player, while 'Aiea lineman Rocky Savaiigaea was named the West's defensive MVP.
The East's MVPs both were from Saint Louis. Quarterback Nihipali was for the offense and lineman Tyson Alualu was for the defense.
Nihipali completed 14 of 39 passes with one interception (by Leilehua's B.J. Fruean) for 243 yards for the East.
Asoau was 4 of 6 for 138 yards for the West.
Farrington offensive lineman Shaun Laovau left after halftime to leave for an official recruiting trip to California-Berkeley.
• • •
WEST 7 21 3 0—31 West—Isaac Laupola 11 pass from Maka Kahano (Steven King kick)
East—FG Ethan Gonsalves 36
West—Jon Santos 11 pass from Austen Benito (King kick)
West—Santos 55 pass from Shaye Asoau (King kick)
West—Santos 45 option pass from Asoau (King kick)
East—Victor Clore 2 pass from Rudy Artuyo (Gonsalves kick)
West—FG King 26
East—Matt Ching 7 pass from Stanley Nihipali (Gonsalves kick)
RUSHING—West: Krypton Taito 6-41, Donny Mapusaga 5-8, Va'a Faualo 3-(minus 7), Benito 2-11, Santos 1-17, Jayson Rego 7-22, Asoau 3-24, Sene Ma'afala 1-1, Ikaika Tan 1-2. East: Shannon Wise 6-41, Kevin Sullivan 6-42, Kekoa Sua 3-3, Damien Torres 5-18, Tyson Alualu 1-4, Artuyo 3-7, Nihipall 1-8.
PASSING—West: Benito 4-8-0—50, Asoau 4-6-0—138, Kahoano 3-4-0—48. East: Nihipali 14-39-1—243, Spencer Hafoka 0-1-0—0, Wise 3-6-0—42, Artuyo 4-7-0—26.
RECEIVING—West: Santos 6-198, Laupola 1-11, Mapusaga 1-10, Stephen Baughn 1-11, Brian Matsumoto 1-6, Alex Distajo 1-0. East: Shaun Kauleinamoku 4-25, Chris Quicho 3-54, Alex Mendoza 1-38, Sua 1-16, Louis Mansanas Jr. 2-30, Tui Richter 2-43, Hafoka 3-37, Matt Ching 3-54, Victor Clore 1-2, Sullivan 1-12.
Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8042.
An Aloha Stadium gathering of 2,951 watched the highest scoring game since the East beat the West, 27-19, in 2001. It was the West's second consecutive win, but it still trails in the series, 3-9-2.
West wide receiver Jon Santos, back, catches a touchdown pass with the East's Kaimana Komine defending in the second quarter. Santos had three touchdown catches in the game at Aloha Stadium.
EAST 3 0 7 7—17
