ILH FOOTBALL: Saint Louis outguns 'Iolani, 68-39

By Wes Nakama
HHSAA

In the fourth-highest scoring Hawai'i prep football game of all time, Saint Louis scored 34 straight points after trailing 24-21 late in the first half Saturday night en route to a wild 68-39 victory over 'Iolani.

The win at Aloha Stadium's Hawaiian Airlines Field improved the Crusaders to 2-2 overall after their Interscholastic League of Honolulu opener. The Raiders fell to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in the ILH.

Toward the end of an action-packed, back-and-forth first half, 'Iolani took a surprising 24-21 lead after a 14-yard touchdown pass from Reece Foy to Yuuya Kato and Jordan Genovia's extra point. But Saint Louis answered just four plays later with sophomore Ryder Kuhns' 42-yard TD pass to Jeremy Tabuyo.

The Raiders appeared on the verge of taking the lead back on their ensuing possession, but on fourth-and-3 from the Crusaders' 22-yard line, Foy was sacked and lost the football. Jaron Hall-Moniz scooped it up at the 28 and rambled 71 yards before a diving tackle by Foy.

Allan Cui punched it in from there, helping Saint Louis take a 35-24 lead just seven seconds before halftime.

The second half began similarly, with Foy being tackled just short of the first down marker on fourth-and-6 from the Crusaders' 40, and Saint Louis capitalized five plays later on Kuhns' 44-yard touchdown pass to Tabuyo. Ihaka Johnson's PAT made it 42-24.

Three plays into 'Iolani's next series, Tanner Oshiro intercepted a Foy pass near midfield, and the Crusaders cashed in again three plays later on Noga's 35-yard scamper into the end zone. Another extra point by Johnson extended the lead to 49-24 with 3:53 remaining in the third quarter.

The Raiders' problems continued on the next play from scrimmage, when Foy was sacked and fumbled again, allowing Colton Goeas to return the loose ball 26 yards for a score to make it 55-24.

'Iolani finally put it all together on its next drive, marching 74 yards in 10 plays, culminating in Foy's 6-yard TD pass to Tanner Nishioka. Genovia's PAT made it 55-31 eight seconds before the third quarter ended.

After forcing Saint Louis into a three-and-out following the kickoff, the Raiders hit paydirt again as Foy found the end zone on a 17-yard touchdown throw to Chad Hanaoka. The pair connected again on the two-point conversion to make it 55-39 with 7:35 remaining in the game.

But the Crusaders struck again, marching 63 yards in seven plays, capped by Noga's 1-yard plunge.

On 'Iolani's next possession, Foy tried to scramble but was chased and tackled by Kamalei Correa for a 33-yard loss, giving Saint Louis the ball on the 'Iolani 16. Kaulana Vinoya then sealed the victory with a 16-yard TD run to help make it 68-39 with 2:06 left.

Kuhns, stepping in for injured senior quarterback Kawai Mook-Garcia (leg injury), finished with 16 completions in 22 attempts for 256 yards and three touchdowns, without an interception. Tabuyo caught five passes for 123 yards and three touchdowns, plus a fumble recovery in the end zone for a TD on the game's opening drive.

After just 40 yards on nine carries in the first half, Noga ended up with 147 yards rushing on 20 carries, including three touchdowns.

Foy started hot -- completing his first eight pass attempts for 137 yards and two TDs -- and finished with 22 completions in 32 attempts for 273 yards and five TDs. Nishioka was his leading target, with seven catches for 106 yards.

 
SAINT LOUIS (2-2, 1-0) 14 21 20 13 -- 68
'IOLANI (4-1, 1-1) 10 14 7 8 -- 39

SL -- Jeremy Tabuyo fumble recovery in end zone (Ihaka Johnson kick)
'Iol -- Yuuya Kato 38 pass from Reece Foy (Marc Ma pass from Max Look)
SL -- Tabuyo 15 pass from Ryder Kuhns (Johnson kick)
'Iol -- Safety, Saint Louis snap out of end zone
'Iol -- Chad Hanaoka 15 pass from Foy (Jordan Genovia kick)
SL -- Adam Noga 2 run (Johnson kick)
'Iol -- Kato 14 pass from Foy (Genovia kick)
SL -- Tabuyo 42 pass from Kuhns (Johnson kick)
SL -- Allan Cui 1 run (Johnson kick)
SL -- Tabuyo 44 pass from Kuhns (Johnson kick)
SL -- Noga 35 run (Johnson kick)
SL -- Colton Goeas 26 fumble return (kick failed)
'Iol -- Tanner Nishioka 6 pass from Foy (Genovia kick)
'Iol -- Hanaoka 17 pass from Foy (Hanaoka pass from Foy)
SL -- Noga 1 run (pass failed)
SL -- Kaulana Vinoya 16 run (Johnson kick)

RUSHING -- Saint Louis: Noga 20-147, Cui 7-38, Kuhns 1-(minus-10), Vinoya 3-22, TEAM 1-(minus-12). 'Iolani: Kody Mento 11-45, Foy 10-1, Kato 5-(minus-6), Nishioka 1-2, Max Maneafaiga 5-10.

PASSING -- Saint Louis: Cui 1-1-0--10, Kuhns 16-22-0--256. 'Iolani: Foy 22-32-2--273, Easton Tsubata 0-1-0--0..

RECEIVING -- Saint Louis: Ricky Ahlo-Pinera 3-38, Tabuyo 5-123, Devan Stubblefield 3-37, Kainoa Abreu 2-17, Cui 1-5, Wallen Teo 1-15, Ka'imi Umebayashi 1-11, Jerrick Taboada 1-20. 'Iolani: Hanaoka 7-53, Austin Ohira 2-9, Kato 3-61, Chase Kanekuni 3-44, Nishioka 7-106.