Ferreira guides Pac-Five to comeback win

Kainoa Ferreira passed for 273 yards and four touchdowns, including a 24-yard, go-ahead strike to Sean Kinel in the fourth quarter, as Pac-Five rallied past St. Francis 26-21 in the ILH opener for both teams. 

St. Francis (2-1) had the ball twice in the final nine minutes, but fumbled away the first possession. The second drive came to an end at the Pac-Five 15-yard line as Kawika Ulufale scrambled and was stopped near the sideline as time expired. 

Tsubasa Brennan was Ferreira’s go-to man for most of the night and finished with 11 receptions for 144 yards and two touchdowns for the Wolfpack (2-0). 

St. Francis rushed for 207 yards on 42 carries, getting 91 yards from Leighton Rosa.

The Saints went to an up-tempo, quick-passing attack in the second half. Ulufale passed for 158 yards and two touchdowns. 

Coming off a huge performance — 515 passing yards in a 54-37 win at King Kekaulike — Ferreira came out slinging. He hit his first three passes, capping a 33-yard drive with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Brennan. 

On the Wolfpack’s next drive, however, Ferreira was picked off for the first time this season by Janson Kupau. The Saints drove 67 yards in nine plays, scoring on Ulufale’s fourth-and-goal pass to Micah Kalei from 9 yards out. That tied it a 7 with 10:56 left in the first half. 

The Saints went ahead on a 12-yard touchdown strike from Ulufale to Pono Luis-Mateo with 3:34 to go in the half. 

Pac-Five answered with a five-play, 61-yard drive. Ferreira completed three more passes, all to Brennan.

A 31-yard bomb from Ferreira to Brennan tied the score at 14 with 2:18 before intermission. 

Missed communication between Ferreira and Brennan made for an easy interception by Kalei, playing both ways. His 18-yard return set up the next Saints score.

Micah Teal bolted up the middle for a 4-yard touchdown to give St. Francis a 21-14 lead with 9:22 to go in the third quarter. 

Pac–Tsubasa Brennan 17 pass from Kainoa Ferreira (Riley Asuncion kick)

StF–Micah Kalei 9 pass from Kawika Ulufale (Chenoa Johnston kick)

StF–Pono Luis-Mateo 12 pass from Ulufale (Johnston kick)

Pac–Brennan 31 pass from Ferreira (Asuncion kick)

StF–Micah Teal 5 run (Johnston kick)

Pac–Sean Kinel 6 pass from Ferreira (kick failed)

Pac–Kinel 24 pass from Ferreira (pass failed)

RUSHING–St. Francis: Leighton Rosa 19-91, Teal 6-48, Ulufale 12-45, Kalei 3-19, Pono Luis-Mateo 1-3, Gavin Quelnan 1-1. Pac-Five: Trevor Yee 5-11, Jarrod Infante 2-0, Brennan 4-(minus-22).

PASSING–St. Francis: Ulufale 17-28-0-158. Pac-Five: Ferreira 22-34-2-273.

RECEIVING–St. Francis: Kalei 8-98, Keli’i Macalino 3-18, Luis-Mateo 2-19, Teal 2-8, Royce Angelo 1-10, Rosa 1-5. Pac-Five: Brennan 11-144, Kinel 5-85, Infante 5-41, Yee 1-3.