Posted on: Saturday, October 16, 2004

Kaiser defeats Kalaheo, 41-28

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

The Kaiser High School football team earned its first playoff berth since 1997 last night after holding off visiting Kalaheo, 41-28.

The Cougars, who improved to 4-4 overall and 4-3 in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association's White Conference, will be the No. 4 seed in the four-team White playoffs that begin Oct. 30. Kalaheo's season ends at 3-5, 3-4.

Kaiser will play No. 1 seed Waipahu in the first round.

The Cougars jumped out to a 27-7 halftime lead last night, but suffered a major loss along the way when offensive/defensive lineman Rusty LaBoy left the game with an undisclosed injury to his right leg. He did not return.

With LaBoy out, the Mustangs rallied in the second half and closed the score to 27-22 with 8:05 remaining in the game after David Pershin's 18-yard touchdown pass to Toli Ilaoa and Willie Haile's two-point conversion run.

But Kaiser answered 77 seconds later with Shannon Wise's 25-yard TD pass to Matt Ching. Kalaheo fumbled away the ensuing kickoff, and the Cougars cashed in three plays later on Isaac Saffery's 1-yard touchdown plunge. Steele Legros' extra point made it 41-22 with 6:20 left.

The Mustangs again fumbled away the ensuing kickoff, and Kaiser could not capitalize but downed a punt on the Kalaheo 3-yard line.

The Mustangs marched 97 yards in 15 plays, but by the time they scored on Pershin's 13-yard touchdown pass to Ilaoa, only 25 seconds remained.

Both quarterbacks had outstanding all-around performances. Wise completed 17 of 26 passes without an interception for 224 yards and one touchdown, rushed for 86 yards and three touchdowns on 12 carries and played the entire game at defensive end, with one sack.

Pershin completed 25 of 42 passes with one interception for 269 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 60 yards on 20 carries.

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

Kalaheo (3-5, 3-4) 0 7 7 14—28

Kaiser (4-4, 4-3) 13 14 0 14—41

Kai — Shannon Wise 9 run (Steele Legros kick)

Kai — Isaac Saffery 5 run (run failed)

Kai — Wise 5 run (Legros kick)

Kala — Ebony Johnson 5 run (Jacob Purdy kick)

Kai — Wise 2 run (Legros kick)

Kala — Johnson 3 run (Purdy kick)

Kala — Toli Ilaoa 18 pass from David Pershin (Willie Haile run)

Kai — Matt Ching 25 pass from Wise (Legros kick)

Kai — Saffery 16 run (Legros kick)

Kala — Ialoa 13 pass from Pershin (pass failed)

RUSHING — Kala: Pershin 20-60; Jesse Boyd 2-2; Johnson 8-51. Kai: Wise 12-86, Saffery 19-82, Landon Ka'aua 2-2.

PASSING — Kala: Pershin 25-42-1—269. Kai: Wise 17-26-0—224.

RECEIVING — Kala: Ilaoa 6-79, Sean Mulcahy 1-3, Boyd 1-7, Ali'i Baoy 1-5, Koa Siliga 6-76, Nate Shields 6-61, Haile 3-28, Johnson 1-10. Kai: Saffery 2-(minus-4), Ching 7-116, Ka'aua 4-63, Evan Garcia 1-6, Devin Dela Peña 1-14, Nick Yuzawa 1-16, Legros 1-13.

JV score: Kaiser 28, Kalaheo 15

RADFORD 17, WAIALUA 0

Kyle Blair and Kharel Price each ran for one touchdown as the Rams (5-3, 5-2) clinched a playoff berth by defeating the visiting Bulldogs (1-7, 1-6) in a OIA White Conference game.

Blair scored on a 6-yard run and Price added a 1-yard touchdown.

Eric Venglar added a 40-yard field goal for the Rams.

Waialua (1-7, 1-6) 0 0 0 0— 0

Radford (5-3, 5-2) 3 14 0 0—17

Rad—FG Eric Venglar 40

Rad—Kyle Blair 6 run (Venglar kick)

Rad—Kharel Price 1 run (Venglar kick)

RUSHING—Waialua: Alvin Foster 7-25, Adam Foster 2-(minus 11), Brandon Repollo 2-(minus 6), Jerrold McNulty 7-0, Caleb Fore 5-(minus 24). Radford: Alex Daniels 9-32, Russell Wantowski 6-41, Price 1-1, Blair 3-18, Stephen Baughn 6-(minus 29), Trevor Maldon 8-42, Vasa Kuresa 3-10, Mark Failauga 1-(minus 7), Troy Limos 1-4, Marvin Fitchett 1-2.

PASSING—Waialua: McNulty 3-14-1—57, Fore 3-10-0—19. Radford: Baughn 4-9-0—15.

RECEIVING—Waialua: Adam Foster 3-52, Chris Ballesteros 1-8, Kekai Souza 1-11, Alvin Foster 1-5. Radford: Blair 1-10, Venglar 1-5, Failauga 1-2, Daniels 1-(minus 2).

JV score—Radford 22, Waialua 20.

Reported by David Lane

WAIPAHU 22, MOANALUA 15

Austen Benito's 43-yard touchdown run broke a 15-all tie in the fourth quarter and sparked the visiting Marauders (6-2, 6-1) past the Menehunes (4-4, 3-4) in a OIA White Conference game.

Benito also threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Winfree. Joe Batangan added a 35-yard touchdown run for Waipahu.

Waipahu (6-2, 6-1) 0 8 7 7—22

Moanalua (4-4, 3-4) 0 7 0 8—15

Moan—Stanford Leti 2 run (Zach Gayagas kick)

Wai—Ryan Winfree 15 pass from Austen Benito (Benito conversion)

Wai—Joe Batangan 35 run (Benito kick)

Moan—John Estores 1 run (Jarvis Maulolo run)

Wai—Benito 43 run (Benito kick)

RUSHING—Waipahu: Krypton Taito 11-55, Benito 8-50, Stan Abasial 2-30, Ben Ameperosa 1-3, Batangan 1-35. Moanalua: Estores 9-55, Noel Tadeo 11-59, Ben Crippen 2-1, Brandon Taniyama 5-44, Maulolo 7-75, Leti 16-119.

PASSING—Waipahu: Benito 5-9-0—99. Moanalua: Leti 3-9-0—42.

RECEIVING—Waipahu: Winfree 2-32, Abasial 1-4, Ricky Noble 2-63. Moanalua: Shannon McMillan 2-41, Estores 1-1.

Reported by Leilani Colon