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There’s no time for a slow start in ILH Division II play.
With only four league games in the regular season, every game is critical, including the league opener on Friday night between St. Francis and Damien.
The Monarchs took advantage of a sloppy first three quarters by the Saints to roll up 21 points before holding on for a 21-16 victory at Aloha Stadium.
Marcus Faufata-Pedrina threw for a touchdown and ran for another, but didn’t put the game away until completing a play-action pass for 11 yards on third down with a minute remaining to secure the victory for the defending league champions.
“Our offense made its share of mistakes here and there, but that’s where I have to come in and pull things together,” Faufata-Pedrina said. “The defense kept us in the game.”
Damien, which won the ILH last season despite losing 21-6 to the Saints in their last meeting, held St. Francis to 46 rushing yards on 24 carries.
Destin Pakele put the Saints on the board with a 72-yard interception return for a touchdown with 8:42 remaining in the game.
Wembley Mailei capped the Saints’ best offensive drive of the game with a 1-yard touchdown run with 2:40 remaining, and ran in the 2-point conversion to make it 21-16.
St. Francis kicked off to the Damien 30 and had the Monarchs in a third-and-6 situation when Faufata-Pedrina faked the handoff and hit Justice White for 11 yards and the clinching first down.
“We did some stuff which we shouldn’t have done and we’ve got to be more careful with the ball on offense,” Damien coach Eddie Klaneski said. “We were anticipating them running it a little bit more, but they didn’t do it and we were fine with it.”
The Saints rotated sophomore Bubba Akana and senior Jake Smotherman, a transfer from ‘Iolani, at quarterback in the first half but couldn’t generate much in the passing game.
Akana was 8-for-25 for 43 yards and Smotherman was 2-for-5 for 11 yards with a combined four picks.
Damien defensive back JT White intercepted three passes and also blocked a punt.
“I was in the right area at the right time,” White said.
Damien finished with only 157 total yards but took advantage of key St. Francis errors early in the game.
On the opening kickoff, Micah Kalei caught the ball near the sideline and tried to pitch it back to a teammate before falling out of bounds. Damien recovered the loose ball on the Saints’ 29-yard line.
Justice White rumbled for 19 yards on the Monarchs’ first play but fumbled near the 10. The ball went directly into the arms of offensive lineman Rush Asing, who ran it in for the score.
Shaun Apiki, Damien’s leading receiver, caught his fifth touchdown pass of the season on a 17-yard strike from Faufata-Pedrina after the first of two blocked punts gave the Monarchs excellent field position.
Faufata-Pedrina made it 21-0 with a 1-yard TD run after White’s second interception of the game.
Damien’s three touchdowns came on drives with an average starting field position at the St. Francis 20.
Faufata-Pedrina left the game in the fourth quarter after taking a hit to his back but came in for the final drive.
“I got a little banged up there, but it happens — it’s football,” Faufata-Pedrina said. “I had to get back in there.”
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