In its final game against Division II competition this season, Punahou racked up 346 yards in total offense and scored six touchdowns in the first quarter as the top-ranked Buffanblu rolled to a 68-0 rout of Pac-Five on Friday at Aloha Stadium.
Punahou’s offense was on the field for just 21 plays in a nearly hour-long opening period. That was enough time for Wayne Taulapapa to run for three touchdowns, while Kanawai Noa caught two scoring passes from Ephraim Tuliloa and the Buffanblu took a 40-0 lead while improving to 5-0 heading into next week’s regular-season finale against Kamehameha with the ILH playoffs to follow.
"We tried to emphasize being balanced and we give our hats off to the (offensive) line especially and all the work they do," Taulapapa said.
Taulapapa picked up 118 yards on 10 carries, while Noa caught seven passes for 175. Tuliloa completed 10 of 15 passes for 240 yards and threw three touchdowns before going to the bench on Punahou’s second drive of the second quarter.
Punahou’s defense fed the first quarter onslaught with three interceptions and the Buffanblu led 61-0 at halftime. The second half was played with a running clock, which didn’t stop for scores and timeouts.
On its final drive, Punahou moved to the Pac-Five 4, then had backup quarterback Nicholas Kapule — who also threw for a touchdown and ran for another — take a knee for the next three plays.
"We have a lot of respect for their team. We knew they had a lot of guys injured and they were hurting from the week before," Punahou coach Kale Ane said. "We were happy to get a lot of kids in the game in a competitive situation."
Ane said at halftime, "We talked about playing hard and being respectful. You can still compete and go hard but be respectful as well."
Punahou’s first six scoring drives were four plays or fewer. The Buffanblu’s longest possession went seven plays and ended up being their only drive that came up empty, ending with an interception by Pac-Five’s Milton Monico in the end zone.
Punahou next faces Kamehameha in only its second game against Division I competition so far this season.
"We know they’re a great team and we’re going to do our best to prepare the best we can," Taulapapa said.
Punahou opened the scoring with a 36-yard touchdown pass from Tuliloa to Heisman Hosoda. Taulapapa went 58 yards on his second carry of the game to set up his first touchdown.
Tuliloa connected with Noa on a 52-yard completion on Punahou’s next possession and again on an 8-yard score to give the Buffanblu a 19-0 lead less than five minutes into the game.
| At Aloha Stadium |
| Punahou (5-0, 5-0) |
40 |
21 |
7 |
0 |
— |
68 |
| Pac-Five (1-4, 2-4) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
— |
0 |
Pun–Heisman Hosoda 37 pass from Ephraim Tuliloa (kick failed)
Pun–Wayne Taulapapa 5 run (run failed)
Pun–Kanawai Noa 8 pass from Tuliloa (John Toner kick)
Pun–Noa 26 pass from Tuliloa (Toner kick)
Pun–Taulapapa 2 run (Toner kick)
Pun–Taulapapa 20 run (Toner kick)
Pun–Taulapapa 1 run (Toner kick)
Pun–Ke’ala Martinson 13 pass from Nicholas Kapule (Toner kick)
Pun–John LeClaire 1 run (Toner kick)
Pun–Kapule 11 run (Toner kick)
RUSHING–Punahou: Taulapapa 10-118, Jackson Faringer 3-25, Steven Falatea 3-22, Chris Agluba 3-18, Tuliloa 2-20, Kapule 5-18, Cade Brittain 1-17, LeClaire 3-13, Team 6-(minus 11). Pac-Five: Tsubasa Brennan 3-20, Jarrod Infante 2-4, Christian Vasconcellos 3-4, Ryan Johnson 5-(minus 27).
PASSING–Punahou: Tuliloa 10-15-1-240, Kapule 8-9-0-107. Pac-Five: Ryan Johnson 15-37-4-117, Brennan 0-4-0-0.
RECEIVING–Punahou: Noa 7-175, Hosoda 2-52, Judd Cockett 1-22, Jack-Eli Thompson-Tufono 1-15, Brandon Yahiro 1-14, Johnny Richardson 1-14, Martinson 1-13, Taulapapa 1-13, Ethan Takeyama 1-13, Eamon Brady 1-10, Kamana Hobbs 1-6. Pac-Five: Brennan 9-85, Infante 4-7, Grey Ihu 1-13, Sean Kinel 1-12.
Saint Louis 54, Damien 34
Saint Louis sophomore Tua Tagovailoa threw for five touchdowns and ran for another, and the Crusaders (5-1 ILH, 5-3) pulled away from the Monarchs (1-4, 2-4) in their regular-season finale at Aloha Stadium.
Tagovailoa led Saint Louis to touchdowns on seven of the eight possessions he played as the Crusaders scored 33 unanswered points after falling behind 20-14 early in the second quarter and won their fifth straight.
Damien quarterback Dallas Labanon threw for four TDs, two to 6-foot-5 receiver Kapiinaokala King, who finished with five receptions for 106 yards.
Jimmy Nunuha caught three passes for 80 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown, for Saint Louis.
| At Aloha Stadium |
| Damien (1-4, 2-4) |
14 |
6 |
0 |
14 |
— |
34 |
| Saint Louis (5-1, 5-3) |
14 |
27 |
6 |
7 |
— |
54 |
Dam–Kapiinaokala King 4 pass from Dallas Labanon (kick failed)
StL–Riccardo Sallas 3 pass from Tua Tagovailoa (Noah Alejado kick)
Dam–Ian Lundberg 8 pass from Labanon (King pass from Labanon)
StL–Drew Kobayashi 33 pass from Tagovailoa (Alejado kick)
Dam–Kanai Picanco 19 pass from Labanon (kick failed)
StL–Allan Cui 50 pass from Tagovailoa (Alejado kick)
StL–Jahred Silofau 1 run (Alejado kick)
StL–Jimmy Nunuha 45 pass from Tagovailoa (Alejado kick)
StL–Tagovailoa 6 run (kick failed)
StL–Jordan Goo 19 pass from Tagovailoa (kick failed)
Dam–King 11 pass from Labanon (Samson Low run)
StL–Jonathan Manalo 3 run (Alejado kick)
Dam–Kepono Kawaakoa 1 run (kick failed)
RUSHING–Damien: Low 19-81, Kawaakoa 15-74, Labanon 10-(-12), Team 1-(-2). Saint Louis: Silofau 7-20, Manalo 6-69, Tagovailoa 6-47, Ronson Young 5-16, Ryder Kuhns 2-(-17), Jimmy Gonsalves 3-22, Team 1-(-1).
PASSING–Damien: Labanon 15-31-2-189. Saint Louis: Tagovailoa 10-16-0-222, Ryder Kuhns 9-10-1-66.
RECEIVING–Damien: Kawaakoa 1-1, King 5-106, Lundberg 3-13, Low 2-4, Picanco 2-31, Elijah Brown 1-(-3), Kaeo Arakaki 1-37. Saint Louis: Nunuha 3-80, Cui 2-59, Sallas 2-8, Kobayashi 1-33, Keanu Souza 1-23, Goo 1-19, Leelan Oasay 2-13, Colton Nascimento 5-49, Spencer Johnson 1-6, Bryson Shimomura 1-(-2).
