Posted on: Saturday, November 6, 2004
Punahou spoils Iolani's shot at overall ILH title
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
In the quagmire that was Alexander Field, Punahou found its true colors in the mud, rallying from a 22-6 deficit to defeat No. 4 Iolani, 25-22, yesterday in an Interscholastic League of Honolulu football regular season finale.
The Division I Buffanblu (5-5 overall, 3-4 ILH) spoiled any hope for the Raiders (8-2, 5-2) to play off for the overall ILH championship. Iolani will have to settle for the ILH Division II title and a state tournament berth.
"This is the rival game," Punahou receiver Miah Ostrowski said. "To beat them without spoiling their season is a big thing. But we spoiled their season and we won the rival game."
A downpour before, during and after the game made it hard on ball carriers. The Raiders lost four fumbles, the final one with 5:15 left in the game at the Iolani 25. On first down, sophomore quarterback Brett Kan hit Brian Matsumoto for a 25-yard TD pass to put the Buffanblu ahead, 25-22, for the first time in the game.
The rally started early in the fourth quarter when the Raiders lost a fumble at their 11. A scramble for the loose ball wound up in the end zone, where an unidentified Buffanblu player recovered it for a touchdown to make it 22-12. No one, not even Punahou coach Kale Ane, knew who got the ball.
"Twenty-two guys said they had it," Ane joked.
The Buffanblu struck fast on their next possession with Ostrowski hauling in a 17-yard TD pass from Kan that made it 22-19.
After Punahou's go-ahead TD, the Raiders had the ball twice, but failed to rally against the now-pumped up Punahou defense. Quarterback Kiran Kepo'o was sacked at about the Punahou 40 to end the game.
While the slippery field obviously had an effect on Iolani, Raiders coach Wendell Look said that wasn't an excuse.
"They had to play on it, too," Look said.
For Iolani, it must put this loss behind.
"That's one of their goals, to win the state," Look said of his players. "One goal was to win the ILH. It didn't happen, but we still can play in the states. That would be something to be proud of, if we could pull it off."
The weather showed its effects early. On Punahou's first series of the game, a high snap from center in punt formation sailed over the punter, who was eventually tackled in the end zone for a safety to give the Raiders a 2-0 lead.
Eleven seconds later, Landon Patoc returned the ensuing free kick 54 yards for a touchdown. Milo Kalama's PAT made it 9-0.
After a Raiders fumble, the Buffanblu struck back in the second quarter on a 36-yard TD pass from Kan to Ostrowski. The PAT failed, making it 9-6.
The Raiders scored just before the half after recovering a fumble. Kepo'o threw a 25-yard TD pass to Travis Nishioka to make it 15-6.
Iolani quickly added to its lead in the third quarter when running back Michael Hirokawa navigated through the mud for a 36-yard TD run that made it 21-6. Kalama added the PAT.
It was defining moment for Punahou's future. Kan, a sophomore, completed 15 of 25 for 224 yards.
"It was pretty hard (to grip the ball)," Kan said. "My receivers were awesome today. They made me look good."
It didn't matter that Punahou had nothing to benefit from the game.
"They're our biggest rival and the kids get excited for Iolani," Ane said. "Iolani does a great job. Every game we play with them seems to come down to the wire. This is great high school football."
IOLANI (8-2, 5-2) 9 6 7 0—22 PUNAHOU (5-5, 3-4) 0 6 0 19—25 Iol—Safety, punter tackled in end zone.
Iol—Landon Patoc 54 free kickoff return (Milo Kalama kick)
Pun—Miah Ostrowski 36 pass from Brett Kan (kick failed)
Iol—Travis Nishioka 25 pass from Kiran Kepo'o (run failed)
Iol—Michael Hirokawa 36 run (Milo Kalama kick)
Pun—Fumble recovery in end zone (pass failed)
Pun—Ostrowski 17 pass from Kan (River Kim kick)
Pun—Brian Matsumoto 25 pass from Kan (kick failed)
RUSHING—Iolani: Kepo'o 9-(minus 21), Hirokawa 31-90, Micah Kalama 2-(minus 2). Punahou: Kainoa Johnson 21-65, Team 1-(minus 23), Zac Yamagishi 2-11, Kainoa Carlson 2-2, Steven Dannaway 3-11.
PASSING—Iolani: Kepo'o 8-17-1—182. Punahou: Kan 15-25-1—224.
RECEIVING—Iolani: Micah Kalama 2-49, Nishioka 3-88, Hirokawa 2-27, Kekai Kealoha 1-18. Punahou: Matsumoto 6-81, Ostrowski 8-130, Branden Lee 1-13.
The Crusaders got touchdown runs from Kevin Sullivan, Andrew Shriver and Stanley Nihipali and a punt return for a score by Zachary Santos in an ILH game at Kamehameha's Kunuiakea Athletic Stadium.
Damien (3-6-1, 1-5-1) 0 0 0 0— 0 Saint Louis (7-3, 5-2) 7 7 13 0—27 StL—Stanley Nihipali 1 run (Jeremy Shea kick)
StL—Andrew Shriver 37 run (Shea kick)
StL—Kevin Sullivan 19 run (pass failed)
StL—Zachary Santos 48 punt return (Kenton Chun kick)
RUSHING—Damien: Fuava'a Faualo 13-30, Timo Gasolo 1-1, George Martin 3-(minus 2), Kealoha Pilares 2-46, Zachary Shimizu 5-(minus 7), Brandon Baguio 1-4, Rein Ota 1-0. Saint Louis: Sullivan 11-83, Shriver 8-85, Nihipali 8-7, Aaron Bain 1-(minus 1), Devan Essner 1-3, Lene Auelua Jr. 3-9, Cameron Higgins 1-(minus 3).
PASSING—Damien: Shimizu 3-7-2—27, Martin 2-2-0—10. Saint Louis: Nihipali 3-11-0—88, Higgins 0-1-0—0.
RECEIVING—Damien: Faualo 2-10; Eddie Williams 1-13; Baguio 1-5; Kris Herauf 1-9. Saint Louis: Zachary DeSilva 1-45, Bain 1-29, Shaun Kauleinamoku 3-14.
pac-Five (3-7-1, 0-6-1) 0 0 0 0— 0 kamehameha (8-2, 6-1) 7 7 7 0—21 Kam—Jayson Rego 6 run (Kapo Gaison kick)
Kam—Waika Spencer 25 pass from Parker Bode (Gaison kick)
Kam—Rego 2 run (Gaison kick)
RUSHING—Pac-Five: Kawika Searle 8-(minus 28), Brashton Satele 9-27, Brent Umehira 2-0, Royce Alvarado 2-10, Team 1-(minus 5). Kamehameha: Rego 34-190, Bode 5-(minus 6), Ikaika Hardie 1-10, Tyson Fujimoto 5-10, Ryan Montez 1-7, Bryson Vivas 1-(minus 5).
PASSING—Pac-Five: Searle 5-21-1—19, Alvarado 1-1-0—18. Kamehameha: Bode 2-4-0—36.
RECEIVING—Pac-Five: Kaimana Komine 2-18, Satele 2-13, Umehira 1-2, Cody Walker 1-4. Kamehameha: Hardie 1-11, Spencer 1-25.
Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8042.
SAINT LOUIS 27, DAMIEN 0
KAMEHAMEHA 21, PAC-FIVE 0
