Wind provides lift in Pearl City’s win over Kalaheo

With the wind at the back of his offense, Pearl City coach Robin Kami let junior quarterback Makana Canyon loose.

The Chargers called passing plays on their first 14 offensive snaps and Canyon responded with five touchdown passes in his second career start to lead Pearl City over Kalaheo 47-6 on Friday night at Alex Kane Stadium.

Canyon finished 11-for-23 for 225 yards and Christian Tielu added a sixth touchdown pass for the Chargers (4-2, 4-0 OIA Division II), who had only had a quarterback throw for more than 100 yards in a game once this season before Canyon’s performance.

“We normally don’t do that, but we tried to take advantage of the wind in the first quarter,” Kami said. “Makana did a great job tonight. He read (the defenses) really good.”

Canyon surpassed the 100-yard passing mark midway through the first quarter and was replaced by Tielu to start the second half.

Pearl City failed to score on its next two drives and allowed a 19-yard touchdown pass from Kalaheo quarterback Noa Lapera to Jordan Neufeldt, forcing Canyon to re-enter the game.

He finished his performance with a 59-yard screen pass to Po’okela Moses-Espanto that put the Chargers up 40-6 on the first play of the fourth quarter.

“We tried to get everyone the ball tonight,” Canyon said. “I’m feeling confident. I trust all of my receivers.”

Senior Thomas King caught a touchdown pass for the fourth straight game and finished with six receptions for 110 yards and two scores.

“Makana’s doing really good,” King said. “He gets the ball out to his receivers and we’re just working on the trust we have with each other.”

King caught a 50-yard touchdown pass down the middle on Pearl City’s third play from scrimmage and Canyon found Stanton Hong on a 22-yard score for a 13-0 lead.

King added his second touchdown reception on an 11-yarder from Canyon, who threw for four scores in the first half alone.

“(King) has good hands and his route-running is amazing and I trust him with that height,” Canyon said of his 6-foot-1 receiver. “I trust everybody.”

Senior Micah Quillopo-Jamile caught a 1-yard TD pass from Tielu and then scored on a 7-yard pass from Canyon for a 32-0 halftime lead.

The Chargers held a 32-point lead despite being outgained in the first half. Kalaheo had 221 total yards but committed four turnovers and gave the ball up two other times after failing to convert on fourth down.

Pearl City’s Sione Siulangapo had two first-half sacks, including one with 15 seconds left inside the Chargers’ 2-yard line to help prevent a score.

“The defense gave us some opportunities and we finally took advantage of the situation,” Kami said.

Kalaheo (2-4 overall) dropped to 2-2 in league play and is still in contention for one of the four OIA D-II playoff berths.

Neufeldt finished with five catches for 49 yards and Lapera rushed for 57 yards and finished 12-for-33 passing for 120 yards with the touchdown.

GAME SUMMARY

Pearl City 47, Kalaheo 6
at Kailua

>> Pearl City (4-2, 4-0) 20 12 0 15 — 47
>> Kalaheo (2-4, 2-2) 0 0 6 0 — 6

Pearl City — Thomas King 50 pass from Makana Canyon (kick blocked)

Pearl City — Stanton Hong 22 pass from Canyon (King kick)

Pearl City — King 11 pass from Canyon (King kick)

Pearl City — Micah Quillopo-Jamile 1 pass from Christian Tielu (kick failed)

Pearl City — Quillopo-Jamile 7 pass from Canyon (kick failed)

Kalaheo —Jordan Neufeldt 19 pass from Noa Lapera (kick failed)

Pearl City — Po’okela Moses-Espanto 59 pass from Canyon (Herbert Hallers pass from Shayden McMoore)

Pearl City — Mikey Ortiz-Ma’ae 1 run (King kick)

RUSHING — Pearl City: Hallers 5-63, Tex Kang 6-25, Ortiz-Ma’ae 6-24, Tielu 3-23, Moses-Espanto 2-17, McMoore 1-3, team 3-(minus 3), Quillopo-Jamile 1-(minus 6), Canyon 2-(minus 17). Kalaheo: Carl Addy 15-73, Noa Lapera 6-57, Jaden Amasiu 4-17, Bryson Johnson 2-12, Isaiah Akiu 1-2, Sheldon Mejia 1-0, Kekoa Alana 1-(minus 1), team 1-(minus 12).

PASSING — Pearl City: Canyon 11-23-1-225, Tielu 3-7-1-23. Kalaheo: Lapera 12-33-1-120, Akiu 1-2-0-4, Amasiu 0-1-0-0.

RECEIVING — Pearl City: King 6-110, Quillopo-Jamile 3-17, Moses-Espanto 1-59, Hong 1-22, Hallers 1-19, Dallas Ching 1-17, Adam Puchert 1-4. Kalaheo: Neufeldt 5-49, Johnson 4-16, Alana 2-55, Akiu 1-4, Mejia 1-0.