Pac-Five impresses in opener

Cody Kim may have started a quarterback controversy for Pac-Five.

Kim finished 13-for-22 for 203 yards and three touchdowns to help Pac-Five defeat Waipahu 26-13 in the first game of the Father Bray Classic at Aloha Stadium on Saturday night.

Pac-Five won its 10th consecutive season opener with Kim playing in place of starter Reece Alvarado.

Defensive back Nicholas Kwon, who had a 62-yard interception return for a touchdown, credited Kim for the win.

"The thing I’m stoked about is our starting quarterback," Kwon said "He stepped in for our starting quarterback and did a great job. Props go to him."

Kim was quick to deflect the praise off of him to his teammates.

"Nah, it was a team effort," Kim said. "Our defense was holding it down and my receivers were catching the ball and the offensive line was helping protect me."

Keoni Tom-Millare had four catches for 45 yards and two touchdowns to help the Wolfpack beat the Marauders, who advanced to the Division II state final last season.

Pac-Five had two touchdowns taken off the board in the first 14 minutes due to penalties.

Vance Fuchigami appeared to score on a 98-yard return off a blocked field goal that was called back due to a personal foul.

On Waipahu’s first drive of the second quarter, Kwon intercepted a pass by Kai Mercado-Aiona and returned it for a score, but that was called back due to a roughing-the-passer penalty.

Pac-Five finally had a touchdown count when Tom-Millare caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Kim.

Kwon doubled Pac-Five’s lead to 12-0 in the final minute of the half when his 62-yard interception return for a score held up after a taunting penalty was called after the play.

"I was trying to make as many (touchdowns) as I could get," Kwon said.

Mercado-Aiona, a sophomore, started at quarterback for Waipahu and completed just one of his first seven passes. The Marauders were held to 77 total yards in the first half.

Pac-Five defensive end Titus Failauga was a big reason why, recording a sack and two tackles for loss.

Waipahu climbed back into the game with a touchdown by backup quarterback Kaimi Paredes, a transfer from Pearl City.

Paredes carried the ball eight times on a 13-play drive, scoring from 18 yards out to cut the Pac-Five lead to 19-6 with 10:42 remaining.

The Wolfpack iced the game with a 13-play drive to answer. After a personal foul on fourth down extended the drive, Kim hooked up with Tom-Millare for the second time in the game to push Pac-Five’s lead back up to 20.

"That was a bad drive for me because I thought I made a lot of mental errors," Kim said. "But on (the touchdown) I tried to tell myself it’s just another play and again, it was a team effort."

Waipahu closed out the scoring with a 42-yard touchdown pass from Paredes to Mataio Fualema, who finished with four catches for 94 yards.