Fresh off a come-from-behind victory, No. 1 Saint Louis withstood a furious Kapolei comeback on Friday night to remain unbeaten.
With junior quarterback Jayden de Laura sidelined with a shoulder injury, the Saint Louis defense led the Crusaders to their 20th consecutive win. But they couldn’t celebrate until Jordan Botelho and Stanley McKenzie teamed on a game-ending sack to punctuate a 30-22 victory at Kapolei in an OIA-ILH Division I matchup.
“The competition is great and we all have to play hard and finish it,” said Botelho, a junior linebacker. “We started the game strong and we had to finish it strong.”
Ranked first in the Star-Advertiser Top 10 — No. 10 in the country by MaxPreps and No. 11 in the USA Today Super 25 — the Crusaders (5-0, 4-0 ILH Open) survived a 35-28 duel with Punahou last week, but went into Friday’s game with new leadership behind center.
Sophomore Connor Apo entered the game with three completions in six attempts this season and made his first start at quarterback in place of de Laura, who had thrown for 871 yards with nine touchdowns and six interceptions through four games. De Laura warmed up prior to the game, but spent the night on the sideline, with Apo running the team until late in the fourth quarter.
The Crusaders defense gave Apo three takeaways to set up all of Saint Louis’ first-half scores and Junior Wily’s 20-yard interception return for a touchdown early in the third quarter opened up a 23-0 lead.
Kapolei sophomore quarterback Christian Rapis sparked the Hurricanes off the bench and completions of 57 and 43 yards to De’Zhaun Stribling ignited two scoring drives capped by 10-yard runs by Ezekiel Waiolama.
The Crusaders appeared to snuff the Hurricanes’ upset hopes when Nicholas Herbig, who came up with a strip-sack in the first half, returned an interception 37 yards for Saint Louis’ second defensive score of the night.
But Kapolei, which was coming off a 13-0 loss to Farrington, made one more surge when Rapis connected with Sheldon Mcleod on a 37-yard score with 16 seconds showing. Rapis’ 2-point conversion pass to Stribling brought the Hurricanes within a score of the Crusaders.
The Kapolei stands erupted when Tyger Fa’avi recovered the onside kick at the Saint Louis 45. But after an incomplete pass, Botelho and McKenzie sacked Rapis to end the game and preserve the win for the Crusaders.
“We gave up two pick-6s that was the difference in the game,” Kapolei coach Darren Hernandez said. “The defense did a great job, they played well.
“I know (Saint Louis) didn’t play with their starting quarterback, but we still played tough.”
Apo completed 18 of 27 passes with an interception and a 6-yard touchdown pass to Koali Nishigaya on Saint Louis’ opening possession.
With Apo largely opting for shorter throws, Nishigaya caught a game-high 10 passes for 80 yards.
Rapis, who suffered an injury against Kamehameha early in the season, went 9-for-22 for 229 yards, with Stribling finishing with seven catches for 178 yards for Kapolei (3-4, 1-1 OIA Open).
GAME SUMMARY
No. 1 Saint Louis 30, Kapolei 22
At Kapolei
>> Saint Louis (5-0, 4-0 ILH Open) 7 10 6 7 — 30
>> Kapolei (3-4, 1-1 OIA Open) 0 0 14 8 — 22
Saint Louis — Koali Nishigaya 6 pass from Connor Apo (Garyn Napuunoa kick)
Saint Louis — FG Napuunoa 22
Saint Louis — Dayton Sam 7 run (Napuunoa kick)
Saint Louis — Junior Wily 20 interception return (run failed)
Kapolei — Ezekiel Waiolama 10 run (Micah Fonoti kick)
Kapolei — Waiolama 10 run (Micah Fonoti kick)
Saint Louis — Nicholas Herbig 37 interception return (Napuunoa kick)
Kapolei — Sheldon Mcleod 37 pass from Christian Rapis (De’zhaun Stribling pass from Rapis)
RUSHING — Saint Louis: Robbie Paikai 9-36, Sam 8-76, Apo 8-6, Micah Tupua 1-12, Alema Scanlan 1-0, Alexander Bianco 1-(-4). Kapolei: Waiolama 7-22, Sonny Semeatu 1-0, Zion-Jabez Robello 5-8, Noa Bailey 7-(-30), Rapis 7-7, Dustin Lino-Adkins 2-4.
PASSING — Saint Louis: Apo 18-27-1-135, Biacno 1-1-0-8. Kapolei: Bailey 11-22-3-85, Rapis 9-22-1-229.
RECEIVING — Saint Louis: Makoa Close 4-47, Nishigaya 10-80, Chance Beyer 4-8, Matthew Sykes 1-8. Kapolei: Keoki Kaluhiwa 3-20, De’zhaun Stribling 7-178, Waiolama 1-(-2), Sinai-Taheed Robello 2-28, Ikari Stokes 6-53, McLeod 1-37.
* JV — Saint Louis 35, Kapolei 3
