Damien defensive back Brayden Taum saw a pass float over the middle in the final minute of a close game against Pearl City on Saturday.
He knew it was his time to make the game-sealing play.
Taum broke on the pass and hauled in the interception near the goal line with 47 seconds remaining as visiting Damien rallied past Pearl City 18-14 in a nonleague game. The Monarchs’ Micah Neizmen hit the intended receiver as Taum made the interception.
“Our D-line did a good job containing their quarterback and making him scramble and the receivers did their best to try and get open, but our coaches always tell us to stay disciplined,” said Taum, a junior.
Damien’s Sylas Alaimalo scored on a 2-yard run with 8:41 remaining to put his team up 18-14.
“I want to thank my line for pushing me into the end zone,” said Alaimalo, a sophomore. “I want to thank the coaches for setting up that great game plan. I’m just the outlet. They do everything for me.”
Alaimalo played outside linebacker in the first half. He moved to running back in the second and wound up with eight carries for 50 yards.
Pearl City missed a 41-yard field goal on its next possession, and the Chargers drove to the Monarchs’ 23 on their final possession before Taum’s interception.
“They dug deep. We just came together as a team and we fought,” said Damien coach Anthony Tuitele. “We stuck together and we got the job done.”
Damien got within 14-12 on AJ Tuifua’s 23-yard scoring pass over the middle to Champ Buffett with 3:19 remaining in the third.
Pearl City scored first on a 19-yard touchdown pass over the middle from Trey Dacoscos to Lennon Elder. Marcus Rodriguez’s PAT kick made it 7-0 with 5:10 left in the first quarter. Rodriguez caught a 43-yard pass during the drive that put the ball at the Damien 20.
Damien got within 7-6 on Peyton Dalmacio’s 58-yard touchdown run with 1:04 left in the first quarter.
Dalmacio finished with 15 carries for 98 yards.
Pearl City had 149 yards of total offense in the first half, while Damien had 160.
On the first possession of the second half, Pearl City defensive back Bobby Best jumped a route on the left side and returned the interception 26 yards for a score to extend the Chargers’ lead to 14-6.
Damien’s Tuifua finished 19 of 45 for 203 yards and two interceptions.
“Our QB needed to get comfortable. He’s only a freshman,” Tuitele said. “Hopefully after these two games (Damien beat Kalaheo last week), he can relax now.”
Dacoscos was 20 of 39 for 200 yards and two interceptions for the Chargers.
Saint Louis 49, Kapaa 6
Titan Lacaden returned the opening kickoff of the second half for a touchdown in the Crusaders’ win over the Warriors at Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Complex on Kauai.
Saint Louis led 42-0 at halftime.
The Crusaders, who last played on the Big Island in 2016 and Maui in 2013, made their first trip to Kauai since beating the Red Raiders 41-0 in 1981 at Vidinha Stadium. Running back Duane Silva, who was from Kapaa, rushed for 108 yards and two touchdowns in that game.
Keaau 36, Kalani 21
Diego Pettypool threw three touchdown passes and ran for another to lead the Cougars over the Falcons on the Big Island.
Kynan McCartney threw two touchdowns passes and ran for another in his varsity debut for the Falcons, who played their first game under new head coach Radford Dudoit.
Kalani led 13-8 before giving up 28 consecutive points.
Friday’s late game
Maui 16, Nanakuli 0
Piercen Evans rushed for 63 yards and a touchdown and Charlie Peterson caught a 27-yard TD pass from Joe Cariaga in the second quarter to lead the Sabers over the Golden Hawks at War Memorial Stadium.
The Golden Hawks were held to six first downs and 99 total yards in their first game played off-island since losing to Kamehameha-Hawaii in the Division II state tournament in 2014.
Maui’s defense forced five turnovers.
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DAMIEN 18, PEARL CITY 14
At Pearl City
Damien (2-0) 6 0 6 6 — 18
Pearl City (1-1) 7 0 7 0 — 14
PC—Lennon Elder 19 pass from Trey Dacoscos (Marcus Rodriguez kick)
DMS—Peyton Dalmacio 58 run (kick failed)
PC—Bobby Best 26 interception return (Rodriguez kick)
DMS—Champ Buffett 23 pass from AJ Tuifua (kick failed)
DMS—Sylas Alaimalo 2 run (pass failed)
RUSHING—Damien: Dalmacio 15-98, Alaimalo 8-50, Team 2-(minus 6), Tuifua 6-(minus 8). Pearl City: Dacoscos 11-32, Shaedyn Quemado 12-25, Caleb Kaai 2-2, Elder 0-0, Team 1-(minus 4).
PASSING—Damien: Tuifua 19-45-2-203. Pearl City: Dacoscos 20-39-2-200.
RECEIVING—Damien: Buffett 4-42, Bryse Hopeau-Lampitoc 4-36, Dayton Savea 4-24, Nalu Chinen-Zablan 3-49, Alaimalo 2-28, Ian Sera 2-24. Pearl City: Elder 9-78, Rodriguez 4-59, Bradley Kansou 4-29, Kaai 1-25, Tayvon Ching-Harrell 1-5, Derek Kusano 1-4.
Junior Varsity—Radford 19, Pearl City 19
KEAAU 36, KALANI 21
at Keeau
Kalani (0-1) 7 6 0 8 — 21
Keeau (1-0) 8 14 14 0 — 36
Keeau—Hunter Acia 20 pass from Diego Pettypool (kick failed)
Kaln—Mikala Nishimoto 55 pass from Kynan McCartney (Robert Pruner kick)
Keeau—Shaydon Meek Cannon Ching, safety
Keeau—Jonah Viernes 23 pass from McCartney (kick failed)
Keeau—Dane Bannister 8 run (pass failed)
Keeau—Pettypool 29 run (Rockie Abadilla pass from Pettypool)
Keeau—Josiah Hoohuli 6 pass from Pettypool (Acia pass from Pettypool)
Keeau—Acia 55 pass from Pettypool (pass failed)
Kaln—McCartney 4 run (Jonah Barnhill pass from McCartney)
Also:
Warren (Calif.) 50, Kamehameha I-AA 0
Neighbor Islands
Kauai 56, Baldwin 8
Lahainaluna 28, Hilo 20
Kamehameha-Hawaii 25, Kamehameha-Maui 21
Waimea at Kekaulike
MAUI 16, NANAKULI 0
At War Memorial Stadium
Nanakuli (0-1) 0 0 0 0 — 0
Maui (1-0) 7 9 0 0 — 16
Maui—Piercen Evans 11 run (Sevy Scofienza kick)
Maui—FG Scofienza 33
Maui—Charlie Peterson 27 pass from Joe Cariaga (kick blocked)
RUSHING—Nanakuli: Hansen Salausa-Kaawa 10-36, Christian Asinsin 11-10, Allen Mahoe III 1-7, team 1-7, David Kalili 2-(minus 1). Maui: Evans 12-63, Cariaga 7-43, Antonio Castro 7-34, Devontae Myrick 3-10, Kupono Soberano 2-8, Evan Tarasenko 3-(minus 3), Nathaniel Russell 1-(minus 13).
PASSING—Nanakuli: Salausa-Kaawa 6-13-2-40. Maui: Tarasenko 3-5-0-43, Cariaga 1-3-1-27.
RECEIVING—Nanakuli: Asinsin 1-14, Richard Federico 1-14, Nathan Pele-Tukumoeatu 1-6, Mahoe III 2-5, Blaze Baltazar-Conselva 1-1. Maui: Braden Albrecht 1-39, Peterson 1-27, Evans 1-4, Soberano 1-0.
