The Damien Monarchs took back the ILH Division I crown in dramatic fashion, beating ‘Iolani 42-37 on a final goal-line stand on Friday night at John E. Velasco Stadium.
“They’ve been running this division for so long,” Damien coach Anthony Tuitele said. “Respect to them, respect to coach Wendell (Look). Our boys knew what was at stake. We just believed. That’s what we did. We just believed and we fought and did our thing today.”
Damien qualified for the state tournament for the first time since 2017.
Junior running back Sylas Alaimalo overcame early adversity, leading the Monarchs with a game-high 228 yards on 20 carries after three early fumbles.
“This game pretty much described his life. He struggled in the beginning, he faced a lot af adversity. But he brushed it off and did his thing,” Tuitele said. “We all knew that we could fight through that adversity.”
Sophomore quarterback AJ Tuifua completed 11 of 21 passes for 232 yards and four touchdowns. Nalu Chinen-Zablan finished with 86 yards on four catches with two touchdowns, while Dayton Savea caught four balls for 78 yards and a touchdown. Ian Sera caught a 55-yard touchdown pass.
‘Iolani was led by quarterback CJ Villanueva’s 369 yards on 32-for-55 passing. He threw four touchdown passes. Kekama Kane was his top receiver with 192 yards on 14 catches with two touchdowns.
The ups and downs of being a star running back were on display early. Alaimalo fumbled the ball on the first offensive play of the game, then more than made up for it with a 91-yard touchdown run on his next carry to make it 7-0.
‘Iolani answered with a seven-play scoring drive. Villanueva found Kane for a 5-yard touchdown pass to tie the score.
The Monarchs got back on the scoreboard with another explosive play. Tuifua connected with Sera for a 55-yard score to cap a five-play drive and make it 14-7.
The next two drives ended with turnovers. The Raiders turned the ball over on downs after a nine-play drive, then Alaimalo lost his second fumble one play later.
Starting at the Damien 8, ‘Iolani needed four plays to tie it at 14. Kane took the ball on an end-around and scored a 3-yard touchdown. Alaimalo fumbled the ball for the third time, and the Raiders doubled up on the scoreboard with Villanueva’s 12-yard quarterback keeper for their first lead at 21-14.
Tuifua righted the ship for Damien with a 63-yard touchdown pass to Savea that tied it. After an ‘Iolani turnover-on-downs, the Monarchs retook the lead at 28-21 on Alaimalo’s 54-yard touchdown run.
The first-half scoring barrage rolled on. ‘Iolani tied the game on Villanueva’s 16-yard touchdown pass to Kane after an eight-play drive, and Damien answered with an 11-play drive. Tuifua connected with Chinen-Zablan for the 17-yard score that gave the Monarchs a 35-28 halftime lead.
After Villanueva’s 15-yard touchdown pass to Jadon Anzai on the first drive of the third quarter tied the score at 35, the game turned into a surprising defensive showdown. The next six drives of the game failed to reach the end zone — two turnovers on downs, followed by four punts.
Damien finally broke the deadlock with 4:25 to play. Tuifua and Chinen-Zablan connected for a 48-yard score to give the Monarchs a 42-35 lead.
“When I called that timeout, I told them this was going to decide our game. Let’s roll the dice. I told the offense, games are going to come down to them,” Tuitele said.
With one last chance to tie, ‘Iolani drove 72 yards on 15 plays down to the Damien 1-yard line. But the last-ditch effort fell just short, as the Raiders turned it over on downs on the goal line with a second left. Damien then took an intentional safety on the game’s final play.
LH D-I CHAMPIONSHIP
DAMIEN 42, ‘IOLANI 37
At John E. Velasco Stadium
‘Iolani(7-4) 7 21 7 2—37
Damien (7-2) 14 21 0 7—42
DMS—Sylas Alaimalo 91 run (Samuel Kawakami kick)
IOL—Kekama Kane 5 pass from CJ Villan- ueva (Marcos King kick)
DMS—Ian Sera 55 pass from AJ Tuifua (Kawakami kick)
IOL—Kane 3 run (King kick) IOL—Villanueva 12 run (King kick) DMS—Dayton Savea 63 pass from Tuifua (Kawakami kick)
DMS—Alaimalo 54 run (Kawakami kick) IOL—Kane 16 pass from Villanueva (King kick)
DMS—Nalu Chinen-Zablan 17 pass from Tuifua (Kawakami kick)
IOL—Jadon Anzai 15 pass from Villanueva (King kick)
DMS—Chinen-Zablan 48 pass from Tuifua (Kawakami kick)
IOL—safety
RUSHING—‘Iolani: Ronin Fanelli 14-64, Anzai 5-15, Keon Preusser 1-7, Kane 1-3, Kumen Kurihara 1-(minus 1), Villanueva 5-(Minus 13). Damien: Alaimalo 20-228, Tuifua 4-38, Chinen-Zablan 1-0. PASSING—‘Iolani: Villanueva 32-56-0- 369. Damien: Tuifua 11-21-0-232. RECEIVING—‘Iolani: Kane 14-192, Pre- usser 7-72, Jaeden Park 3-44, Hyrum Hor- ita 3-38, Anzai 2-14, Fanelli 2-9, Taniela Taliauli 1-0. Damien: Chinen-Zablan 4-86, Savea 4-78, Sera 1-55, Alaimalo 1-9, Jor- dan DeCenzo 1-4.
