Titan Lacaden hauled in three touchdown passes and came up with two second-half interceptions as No. 5 Saint Louis rallied for a 38-21 win over No. 8 Kamehameha on Friday night at Skippa Diaz Stadium.
Saint Louis, which trailed 21-14 at halftime, improved to 2-1 in ILH Open Division play (4-4 overall) and kept its title hopes alive. Kamehameha dropped to 0-3 in league action (4-4 overall).
“We had to come out stronger and get together as a team. I thank this guy right here,” Crusaders quarterback Kaunao‘a Kamakawiwo‘ole said, pointing to Lacaden. “He made everything happen.”
“It comes natural and I just thank God for my abilities,” said Lacaden, who finished with eight receptions for 93 yards.
For one half, it was a bit of magic for Kamehameha’s emergency quarterback, Kailer Chow-Agor, and H-back Taimane Purcell. Chow-Agor was a QB last year, but after starter Pono Kahaulelio suffered an injury early in the game, the Warriors turned to Chow-Agor, third on the depth chart. Chow-Agor, now wearing jersey No. 41 as a running back, said their backup QB was also injured.
After missing his first three pass attempts, he found the 6-foot-3 sophomore, Purcell, on five completions, two for touchdowns, as Kamehameha opened a seven-point lead at halftime.
“He’s a running back now, but after our Mission Viejo game, we started working him back in. He came out tonight and he really showed up,” Purcell said.
Chow-Agor wasn’t sure what to think when his number was called.
“I was a quarterback last season,” he said. “I thought, ‘Oh shoot!’’
Saint Louis needed an adjustment to stop Kamehameha’s connection.
“We needed to be more disciplined. Called the guys out second half. They weren’t really doing the game plan. They responded. They took note of the message and I think they really wanted the second half,” Crusaders defensive coordinator Keoni Batoon said.
The win means Saint Louis’ game with Punahou next week is a final chance to force a tie and an ensuing tiebreaker for the league title.
The Warriors opened the game with a decisive six-play, 80-yard scoring drive. A 39-yard completion from wide receiver Eisen Pirga to Ty Perkins set up a 5-yard touchdown run by Moe Passi.
On the next possession, Kahaulelio suffered an injury while scrambling for a first down.
Saint Louis scored on its second series with a shovel pass from Kamakawiwo‘ole to Lacaden for a 10-yard TD to tie the game with 3:07 left in the opening quarter.
Despite the loss of Kahaulelelio, Kamehameha regained the lead. Chow-Agor found Purcell over the middle for 15-yard TD to give the Warriors a 14-7 lead with 8:29 to go in the first half.
Kamakawiwo‘ole launched a 29-yard strike to Roxten Papa-Hernandez as the Crusaders drove to tie the game. Keola Apduhan took a big hit but managed to score on a 1-yard blast with 2:37 before halftime.
By the ensuing Warriors’ series, the Chow-Agor-to-Purcell connection was unstoppable. Purcell had three more receptions, including a 5-yard TD with 11 seconds left in the first half, as Kamehameha regained the lead.
In the third quarter, a muffed punt return by Kamehameha, recovered by Aycen Fernandez, gave the Crusaders the ball at the Warriors’ 16-yard line. On the next snap, Apduhan barreled in for the TD, tying the game with 9:40 to go.
A Roy Ma’afala sack stifled Kamehameha’s next drive. Kamakawiwo‘ole found Lacaden on a 6-yard TD pass to the left corner of the end zone for the Crusaders’ first lead of the game, 28-21, with 4:43 left in the third stanza.
After another Kamehameha three-and-out, Lacaden struck again. He hauled in a short pass on a crossing route and juked past two defenders for a 37-yard TD, opening the Crusaders’ lead to 35-21 with 25 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Makani Markle-Kane added a 28-yard field goal with three minutes left.
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At Skippa Diaz Stadium
KS (4-4, 0-3) 7 14 0 0 — 21
Saint Louis (4-4 2-1) 7 7 21 3 —38
KS—Moe Passi 5 run (Brady Akau kick)
STL—Titan Lacaden 10 pass from Kaunao’a Kamakawiwo’ole (Maken Kauai kick)
KS—Taimane Purcell 15 pass from Kailer Chow-Agor (Akau kick)
STL—Keola Apduhan 1 run (Kauai kick)
KS—Purcell 5 pass from Chow-Agor (Akau kick)
STL—Keola Apduhan 16 run (Kauai kick)
STL—Lacaden 6 pass from Kamakawiwoole (Kauai kick)
STL—Lacaden 37 pass from Kamakawiwoole (Kauai kick)
STL—Makani Markle-Kane FG 28
RUSHING—Kamehameha: Moe Passi 11-50, Pono Kahauleleio 1-19, Chow-Agor 7-10, Dreyton Stone 4-26, Eisen Pirga 1-(-7). STL: Kamakawiwoole 7-13, Apduhan 13-40, Billy Duarte 2-2, Jonnah Walace Gora-Aina 1-(-2), Avery Morano 2-6.
PASSING—Kamehameha: Kahaulelio 3-4-0-18, Pirga 1-1-0-39, Chow-Agor 10-16-2-97. STL: Kamakawiwoole 18-27-1-229.
RECEIVING—Kamehameha: Kala‘i Bradley 3-18, Ty Perkins 4-53, Nicson Alapai 1-9, Taimane Purcell 5-73, Raiden Morris 1-1. STL: Sytyn Lasconia 3-22, Lacaden 8-93, Roxten Papa-Hernandez 2-47, Brock Amorin 1-6, Josiah Fetui 1-12, Apduhan 2-48, Duarte 1-1.
