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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, November 9, 2008

Punahou loses QB, still tops Kamehameha, 21-14

Photo gallery: Kamehameha vs Punahou football

By Kalani Takase
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Punahou's Dalton Hilliard hauls in a TD pass in front of Kamehameha's Walter Calistro. Punahou will play Saint Louis for the ILH Division I title.

REBECCA BREYER | The Honolulu Advertiser

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Top-ranked Punahou — minus starting quarterback Cayman Shutter — survived a scare from No. 8 Kamehameha, 21-14, in an Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I football game at Aloha Stadium last night.

Behind backup Kimo Makaula, the Buffanblu (9-1 overall, 6-1 ILH) held off the upset-minded Warriors (7-5, 4-4) to set up a winner-take-all meeting against Saint Louis on Friday.

The winner of Friday's game claims the ILH Division I title and seizes the league's lone state tournament berth.

Last night, Shutter, a 6-foot-1, 189-pound senior, was lost after Punahou's first offensive play after he was hit while releasing a pass.

"Cayman's been a stalwart for us all season," said Buffanblu coach Kale Ane, who did not know the condition of Shutter after the game. "It was a little nerve-wracking because you never know what's going to happen."

Backup quarterback Kimo Makaula took over the offensive reins and led Punahou downfield on a seven-play, 68-yard drive. The drive was capped by an 11-yard touchdown pass from Makaula to Dalton Hilliard.

Makaula, who gave a verbal commitment to play at UH next season, lofted a pass short of the end zone and Hilliard — who was lined up at receiver — went up and stole it from a pair of Kamehameha defenders. Robert Izuta's extra point made it 7-0 with 7:22 left in the first quarter.

Kamehameha evened the score midway through the second quarter. Defensive back Michael Tokunaga stepped in front of a Makaula pass, followed a line of blockers along the right sideline into the end zone on the 37-yard return. The extra point by Kevin Doo tied it with 8:08 left in the second quarter.

Punahou missed a scoring opportunity just before halftime after Micah Marter recovered a fumbled punt return at the Warriors' 19-yard line. After three incompletions, Doo's 36-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Anthony Tokunaga and the teams went into the half tied at 7.

Hilliard made it 14-7 after he scored on a 6-yard run with 5:52 left in the third quarter. As he followed the block of fullback Alaka'i Aglipay, Hilliard turned the left corner, leapt for the end zone and crossed the goal line in mid-air. He finished with 24 carries for 100 yards.

On the Warriors' next possession, quarterback Edmund Kamano Jr. was stripped of the ball and Punahou's Jeremy Ioane scooped it up and took it 34 yards the other way to put his team up 21-7.

Kamehameha was able to pull within a score after Kamano found the end zone on an 8-yard quarterback keeper with 7:38 left.

The Warriors got the ball back, but could get no closer than the Buffanblu 23-yard line before turning it over on downs.

PUNAHOU (8-1, 5-1) 7 0 14 0—21

KAMEHAMEHA (7-4, 4-3) 0 7 0 7—14

Pun — Dalton Hilliard 11 pass from Kimo Makaula (Robert Izuta kick).

KS — Michael Tokunaga 37 interception return (Kevin Doo kick).

Pun — Hilliard 6 run (Izuta kick).

Pun — Jeremy Ioane 34 fumble return (Izuta kick).

KS — Edmund Kamano Jr. 8 run (Doo kick).

RUSHING — Punahou: Hilliard 24-100, Manti Te'o 4-10, Makaula 4-(minus 5), Stabren Caires 1-0, team 1-(minus 2). Kamehameha: Kamano Jr 9-36, Ryan Ho 1-1, Blaise Cuban 1-3, Kupono Park 10-32, Pono Haitsuka 1-(minus 2), team 1-(minus 1).

PASSING — Punahou: Shutter 0-1-0—0, Makaula 14-30-1—158. Kamehameha: Kamano Jr. 11-26-0—120.

RECEIVING — Punahou: Robert Toma 7-100, Hilliard 1-11, Mark Silverstein 4-36, Caires 2-11. Kamehameha: Rylee Urasaki 1-6, Haitsuka 1-3, Maika Mataele 2-21, Liko Oliveira 2-24, Kepoo Noa 1-8, Pi'i Minns 3-50, Shawn Bode 1-8.

Reach Kalani Takase at ktakase@honoluluadvertiser.com.