Amo Sulu propels Damien to win over Kailua

JAMM AQUINO/JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM
Damien wide receiver Jarvis Natividad (7) puts the stiff arm on Kailua defensive back Kala’i Cardin-Kiaha (11) and safety Lydell Romero (34) during the second half of a high school football game on Sept. 27, 2019 at Aloha Stadium. Damien won 28-6.

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JAMM AQUINO/JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM

Damien wide receiver Jarvis Natividad (7) puts the stiff arm on Kailua defensive back Kala’i Cardin-Kiaha (11) and safety Lydell Romero (34) during the second half of a high school football game on Sept. 27, 2019 at Aloha Stadium. Damien won 28-6.

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JAMM AQUINO/JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM

Damien running back Apereamo “Amo” Sulu (25) rushes the ball on the way to a touchdown against the Kailua Surfriders during the second half of a high school football game on Sept. 27, 2019 at Aloha Stadium.

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Amo Sulu rushed for 184 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries to lead Damien to a 28-12 win over Kailua on Friday at Aloha Stadium as the Monarchs bounced back from last week’s loss to ‘Iolani.

Sophomore Logan Lacio filled in for Jake Holtz and completed 13 of 24 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns. Both scoring strikes went to wide receiver Jarvis Natividad for 42 yards and 25 yards in the second quarter as Damien (6-2, 4-2 ILH D-I) surged ahead.

>> Photo gallery of Damien and Kailua at Aloha Stadium

Damien did not commit a turnover, though Lacio began slowly. With Holtz suspended because of an ejection during the ‘Iolani game, the Monarchs looked out of sync in the opening quarter.

Kailua (3-5, 2-2 OIA D-I) took a 6-0 lead on Cameron Friel’s 1-yard TD pass to Koali‘i Kohatsu on fourth-and-goal.

Lacio connected with Natividad on the first TD strike with 9:26 left in the first half. Duke Ho‘ohuli’s PAT run gave the Monarchs the lead for good.

Damien’s defense locked down on the Surfriders, and on the next offensive series, Lacio rifled a 25-yard TD to Natividad for a 14-6 lead with 4:45 left before halftime.

Kailua couldn’t get a consistent drive going until the final minutes of the game and had just 28 yards in total offense after intermission. Damien opened the lead to 21-6 on a 1-yard blast by fullback River Iaea.

Sulu’s 31-yard TD run came with 3:45 remaining, sealing the win.

Friel’s second TD pass, again to Kohatsu, came with 2:40 to play.

Kailua defensive lineman Tevita Tongotea finished with 21⁄2 of his team’s four sacks.

Kailua has not beaten Damien since 2006.

Damien 28, Kailua 6

At Aloha Stadium

>> Kailua (3-5, 2-2) 6 0 0 0 — 6

>> Damien (6-2, 4-2) 0 14 7 7 — 28

Kailua—Koali‘i Kohatsu 1 pass from Cameron Friel (kick blocked)

Damien—Jarvis Natividad 42 pass from Logan Lacio (Duke Ho‘ohuli run)

Damien—Natividad 25 pass from Lacio (pass failed)

Damien—River Iaea 1 run (Christian Souza kick)

Damien—Sulu 31 run (Souza kick)

RUSHING—Kailua: Friel 8-5, Samson Rasay 10-54, Elijah Laufili 2-3, Hastings Yee Hoy 1-0, Max Basque-Taumalo 1-1. Damien: Amo Sulu 29-184, Logan Lacio 6-(-10), River Iaea 10-76, team 2-(-7).

PASSING—Kailua: Friel 9-23-0-89. Damien: Logan Lacio 13-24-0-225.

RECEIVING—Kailua: Kohatsu 6-33, Rasay 2-47, Kamryn Kahoonei 1-9. Damien: Natividad 5-138, Makanalea Meyer 2-2, Ezra Kaina 6-85.