Laudato's 3 TDs help Moanalua beat Damien, 27-7

Moanalua SB Jay Laudato fights for extra yardage between two Damien defenders. Peter Caldwell | Special to SL

Jay Laudato scored three touchdowns and Moanalua beat Damien, 27-7, Friday night at Moanalua stadium.

Laudato scored first on a 26-yard TD pass from Dillon Turk before adding TD runs of 65 and 26. He had 116 yards rushing on just eight carries and caught five passes for 59 yards for Moanalua (1-1).

Damien QB Alan Mohika passed for 156 yards and one TD, but suffered an unknown injury and had to be taken to the hospital by ambulance. He was hit after throwing his 10-yard TD pass to Syler Choy in the third quarter. He was slow getting up, but left the field under his own power.

But the OC16 telecast showed Mohika grimacing in pain on the sidelines. Play resumed with Moanalua taking the ensuing kickoff after Damien's TD, but Mohika, who plays DB also, was still on the sidelines. Four plays into the half when Moanalua was about to punt, time was called and the players were called to their sidelines, as attention was being paid to Mohika on the sidelines.

Both teams eventually moved to the sidelines opposite of the bleachers, kneeling together, and in some cases, comforting each other as they waited and wondered about Mohika.

Play resumed about 20 minutes later. There is no word on the reason Mohika was taken to the hospital.

It was Damien's first game of the season and the debut of its new coach, Eddie Klaneski.