Iolani upsets Saint Louis, 36-31
By Kyle Sakamoto
Advertiser Staff Writer
The Iolani football team ended exactly 11 years of frustration against Saint Louis last night at Aloha Stadium.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser
In between their last victory over the Crusaders — on Oct. 16, 1993 at Aloha Stadium — and last night, the Raiders had suffered many lopsided losses in the series.
Long-time Iolani coach Wendell Look celebrates his team's victory.
Iolani (6-1 overall, 3-1 ILH), ranked No. 7 in The Advertiser's Top 10 poll, forced five second-half turnovers and Kiran Kepo'o completed 20 of 33 passes for 261 yards in the 36-31 victory last night over the Crusaders (5-2, 3-1).
Iolani coach Wendell Look was well aware of the 27-26 victory over Saint Louis in 1993.
Look has been Iolani coach for 14 seasons.
"I think it was when (quarterback) Brian Ah Yat, them were juniors. I would say '92, '93, I think."
A couple of years ago, Saint Louis was placed in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I along with Kamehameha and Punahou. Iolani was placed in Division II.
"For our program it's huge,"
Look said. "We haven't beaten them in a long time. The kids
have worked hard for this. We always tell them to believe in what we're doing, believe in themselves."
Saint Louis, ranked No. 2, committed 13 penalties for 106 yards last night, but most were in critical situations.
"Just mental errors," Saint Louis coach Delbert Tengan said. "We let some things in the game affect us and we didn't play up to our standards."
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser
Iolani took the lead for good on its first possession of the second half on a 34-yard pass from Kepo'o to Michael Hirokawa and a two-point conversion pass from Kepo'o to Blayne Yama, which made it 29-22. Two plays earlier, Iolani had a fourth-and-10 from the Saint Louis 43, but the Crusaders were called for roughing the kicker.
The Iolani Red Raiders took their celebration into the Aloha Stadium locker room after their first victory over Saint Louis in 11 years.
Saint Louis committed turnovers on its first three possessions of the second half with backup Cameron Higgins in at quarterback. Stanley Nihipali played most of the first half, but didn't play in the second.
"He banged up his shoulder on a play and our doctors said he couldn't go," Tengan said. "But we just have to move on to the next guy."
The Raiders extended their lead to 36-22 on a 6-yard run by Hirokawa with 1:41 remaining in the third quarter. The drive was set up by an interception by defensive back Marcus Choy, who returned the ball to the Saint Louis 35.
Saint Louis closed to 36-29 three minutes into the fourth quarter on a 1-yard run by Kevin Sullivan, but the Crusaders fumbled the ball away on their final two possessions.
"You can't say enough about the effort defensively they put in tonight," Look said. "We knew we were undersized going in and they just kept fighting and fighting."
On the game's first play from scrimmage, Nihipali connected with Shane Perry on a 65-yard touchdown pass.
"They gave up that first big play and it never fazed them," Look said. "They kept playing hard and that's been our thing all along, we play smart football."
Saint Louis went up 13-0 on a 1-yard plunge up the middle with 6:57 left in the first quarter.
The Raiders then scored touchdowns on their next three possessions to take a 21-13 lead with 5:08 remaining before halftime.
Reach Kyle Sakamoto at ksakamoto@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8041.
SAINT LOUIS (5-2, 3-1) 13 9 0 9 — 31
IOLANI (6-1, 3-1) 7 14 15 0 — 36
StL—Shane Perry 65 pass from Stanley Nihipali (Jeremy Shea kick)
StL—Kevin Sullivan 1 run (conversion failed)
Iol—Kiran Kepo'o 2 run (Milo Kalama kick)
Iol—Kepo'o 1 run (Kalama kick)
Iol—Michael Hirokawa 12 run (Kalama kick)
StL—Perry 28 pass from Nihipali (pass failed)
StL—FG Shea 20
Iol—Hirokawa 34 pass from Kepo'o (Blayne Yama from Kepo'o)
Iol—Hirokawa 6 run (Kalama kick)
StL—Sullivan 1 run (Shea kick)
StL—quarterback ran out of back of end zone
RUSHING—Saint Louis: Sullivan 23-210, Nihipali 4-41, Andrew Shriver 7-39, Cameron Higgins 5-8, Cody Wells 4-55. Iolani: Hirokawa 15-(minus 7), (12) Kepo'o 8-21, Travis Nishioka 1-(minus 1), Kai Iwasaki 1-4.
PASSING—Saint Louis: Nihipali 8-17-1—203, Higgins 3-7-2—48. Iolani: Kepo'o 20-33-0—261.
RECEIVING—Saint Louis: Perry 5-155, Ryan Brilhante 1-6, Cameron Bayne 3-54, Aaron Bain 1-24, Preston Lynch 1-12. Iolani: Nishioka 6-90, Hirokawa 5-77, Kekai Kealoha 6-61, Micah Kalama 3-33.
DAMIEN 26, PAC-FIVE 14
Va'a Faualo rushed for 117 yards and one touchdown on 27 carries and also kicked field goals of 25 and 22 yards to lead the Monarchs past the Wolfpack at Aloha Stadium.
Faualo's field goals each came after the Wolfpack fumbled deep in their own territory in the first quarter. George Martin's 27-yard touchdown pass to Bronson Sonico helped the Monarchs take a 13-0 lead with 1:04 remaining in the quarter.
Faualo's 58-yard touchdown scamper made it 19-0 with 3:14 left in the half.
Pac-Five's starting quarterback, Bryson Beirne, suffered a hyperextended knee early in the second half and did not return.
PAC-FIVE (3-4-1, 0-3-1) 0 0 7 7 — 14
DAMIEN (3-3-1, 1-2-1) 13 6 0 7 — 26
Dam—FG 25 Va'a Faualo
Dam—FG 22 Faualo
Dam—Bronson Sonico 27 pass from George Martin (Faualo kick)
Dam—Faualo 58 run (pass failed)
Pac—Kawika Searle 4 pass from Nathan Alvarado (Brent Umehira kick)
Dam—Kealoha Pilares 36 interception return (Faualo kick)
Pac—Kamalu Kealoha 13 pass from Alvarado (Umehira kick)
RUSHING—Pac-Five: Bryson Beirne 15-22, Royce Alvarado 3-30, Gilbert Gonzales 1-(minus-3), Nathan Alvarado 2-(minus-10), Umehira 1-(minus-5); Damien: Faualo 27-117, Martin 2-3, Rein Ota 3-14, Timo Gasolo 6-21.
PASSING—Pac-Five: Beirne 6-16-2—71, Nathan Alvarado 15-27-1—140, Gonzales 0-1-0—0; Damien: Martin 8-12-0—47.
RECEIVING—Pac-Five: Searle 4-68, Cody Walker 8-89, Gonzales 7-35, Royce Alvarado 1-16, Kealoha 1-3; Damien: Sonico 2-36, Kaimana Balanon 1-6, Ota 2-3, Faualo 3-2.
Kamehameha vs. Punahou
The game between the Warriors and Buffanblu ended after the deadline for this edition of The Advertiser.
