Photo Gallery: Kamehameha vs. St. Francis
The scoreboard at Kunuiakea Stadium had the home team as a decisive winner, but the mood of both teams afterward made it seem the opposite.
No. 2 Kamehameha scored four touchdowns in the first quarter to beat St. Francis 61-26. But the Saints broke the plane three times against Kamehameha’s reserves, the first time in the program’s history they scored more than two touchdowns against an ILH team.
"Kamehameha showed a lot of class," St. Francis coach Mike Ulufale said. "They sent out their dogs in the second and third quarter and allowed us to compete and finish the game strong. The kids played well and it was awesome."
Kamehameha put up four quick touchdowns before St. Francis knew what hit it. The Warriors defense moved St. Francis back 25 yards inside its own 10 — thanks largely to a bad snap by the underdogs — and running back Kainoa Simao scored from 8 yards out on Kamehameha’s first offensive play.
Simao then sped through the defense for a 36-yard touchdown after another three and out by the Saints, and Tayvier-Stone Martin forced a fumble on the ensuing kickoff that Chad Farias returned for another score. Simao added another touchdown from 3 yards out to make the score 34-6 and closed the game with a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. St. Francis avoided kicking the ball deep until then.
"I was hungry because I didn’t play since the second quarter, so when they kicked it deep I was hoping it wouldn’t go out of bounds," Simao said. "(On the first touchdown) coach said ‘house call first play, get in and get out.’ I was like it has to be one play and done, I had to get into the end zone."
Simao finished with 134 yards on 10 carries with running back Brandon Kahookele sitting out. Simao has 336 yards in his past two games.
The Warriors needed only 100 yards passing in the win, with Noah Sua-Godinet going 3-for-6 for 43 yards in the first half and backup Mahonri Latu going 1-for-3 for 57 yards. Kamehameha totaled 234 yards on the ground, but execution from some of the reserves was lacking.
"You are always happy when you win," Kamehameha coach Doug Cosbie said. "A lot of people got a chance to play, so that part’s good. I just wish we would have executed better. Some of the backups did well with the extra reps; some of them got a good learning experience."
St. Francis quarterback Ranan Mamiya taught Kamehameha’s defense a lesson about wrapping up, ruling garbage time for 186 yards on 30 carries. He added 100 yards passing on 17-for-25 efficiency, but most of those were screens he flicked into the flats like completing a groundout to second base.
"He’s not a quarterback, that’s why," Ulufale said. "He’s a baseball player, but he is our best athlete and I put him out there and he is doing the best he can. To me he’s the best running back in the state who is playing quarterback."
St. Francis lost its fifth game in a row and plays Saint Louis next week before the playoffs begin. The Saints have allowed 46 points per game in ILH play. They were down to 20 players on Saturday, having lost three starters to ACL injuries early in the season, as well as starting quarterback Blaze Umiamaka, who suffered a broken collarbone after playing one game. The future looks bright, though, as the school’s intermediate team is undefeated after going winless last season.
"We’re just trying to build something," Ulufale said. "We are not saying we are going to come out there and make miracles, but we can compete. We can build from the bottom and hopefully put together a program for our kids."
Kamehameha won its second game in a row after taking apart Pac-Five the previous week 41-7 and closes the regular season next week against Damien.
At Kamehameha
St. Francis (1-6, 0-5) 0 12 0 14 — 26
KS (7-1, 4-1) 28 13 14 6 — 61
KS–Kainoa Simao 8 rush (TJ Fitzsimmons kick)
KS–Simao 36 rush (Fitzsimmons kick)
KS–Chad Farias 25 fumble return (Fitzsimmons kick)
KS–William Young 28 pass from Noah Sua-Godinet (Fitzsimmons kick)
St.F–Keola Kealoha 2 pass from Ranan Mamiya (run failed)
KS–Simao 3 rush (kick blocked)
St.F–Mamiya 48 rush (run failed)
KS–Noah Sua-Godinet 3 rush (Noah Crabbe kick)
KS–Kalen Lyman-Risso fumble recover in end zone (Crabbe kick)
KS–Alika Kahaulelio 57 pass from Mahonri Latu (Crabbe kick)
St.F–Lachoneus Tautuiaki 1 rush (run failed)
St.F–Maika Teal 23 pass from Mamiya (Kahale Ibuos rush)
KS–Simao 95 kick return (kick failed)
RUSHING–St. Francis, Ranan Minami 30-186, George Pakele 5-10, Lachoneus Tautuiaki 2-1, Taylor Wong 1-(minus-1), Maika Teal 1-(Minus-15), Team 2-(minus-51). Kamehameha, Kainoa Simao 10-134, Kayson Nakatsu 4-56, Noah Sua-Godinet 2-16, Makoa Freitas 4-14, Jordan Vargas 1-7, Michael Mahuka 1-5, Maximillian Roe 1-2.
PASSING–St. Francis, Ranan Mamiya 17-25-0-100, Maika Teal 0-1-0-0. Kamehameha, Noah Sua-Godinet 3-6-1-43, Mahonri Latu 1-3-0-57.
RECEIVING–St. Francis, Maika Teal 5-47, Kealii Macalino 2-27, Keola Kealoha 4-21, George Pakele 2-7, Taylor Wong- Monette 4-(minus-2). Kamehameha, Alika Kahaulelio 1-57, William Young 1-28, Kayson Smith-Bejgrowicz 1-10, Numoku Noa 1-5.
OIA White
Waialua 37, Anuenue 8
Taleon Lele threw two touchdown passes as the Bulldogs beat Na Koa at Kaiser High School.
Waialua led 31-0 at halftime. Anuenue scored in the game’s closing seconds on Kona Kelekolio’s touchdown pass to A.J. Grace-Kekawa.
At Kaiser
Waialua 7 24 6 0 — 37
Anuenue 0 0 0 8 — 8
Wail–Taleon Lele 2 pass to Xavier Repollo (Thomas Pule kick)
Wail–Jacob Casey 6 run (Pule kick)
Wail–Tala Talauega 6 fumble recovery (Pule kick)
Wail–Pule FG
Wail–Repollo 4 run (Pule kick)
Wail–Lele 1 run (kick failed)
Anue–Kona Kelekolio 35 pass to A.J. Grace-Kekawa (Kaleo Lindsey run)
RUSHING–Wail– not reported. Anue,
Ikaika Benjamin 5-4, Kainoa Keli-Nahaku 9-98, Kaimalino Bobiles 3-26, Keanu Rodriguez 5-14, Kaimiloa Tasaka 2-11, Grace-Kekawa 8-26.
PASSING–Wail, Lele 3-8-0-42. Anue, Kelekolio 1-4-0-35, Kimo Romena 2-3-0-22, Pineki Silva 0-2-0-0.
RECEIVING–Wail, Mila Lele 1-20, Pule 1-20, Repollo 1-2. Anue, Grace-Kekawa 1-35, Benjamin 1-17, Kamanao Dureg 1-5,
