No. 1 Punahou too much for Pac-Five in 68-0 win

Punahou running back Wayne Taulapapa ran for 118 yds and four touchdowns against Pac-Five. Greg Yamamoto | SL

The numbers game takes on different meanings for Punahou and Pac-Five.

The Buffanblu's depth against an undermanned Wolfpack equated to a 68-0 win by Punahou in Friday's Interscholastic League of Honolulu interdivisional game at Aloha Stadium.

Hampered by injuries from previous losses to ILH D1 teams, the Wolfpack (2-4 overall, 1-4 ILH) suited the league minimum 30 players against a Buffanblu team that has more than twice that number.

Quarterback Ephraim Tuliloa passed for 240 yards and three touchdowns and running back Wayne Taulapapa rushed for four TDs, each in less than a half of play.

With Punahou leading 61-0 at the half, Pac-Five coach Kip Botelho and Punahou coach Kale Ane agreed to play the second half with a modified running clock with the mercy rule in effect. The game clock did not stop for Punahou's final score of the game nor during a team-called timeout.

Botelho said the Wolfpack (2-4 overall, 1-4 ILH) entered the game with eight starters - including QB Kainoa Ferreira - already out with injuries from previous games, hampering their chances against the Buffanblu (5-0), who are the defending Division I state champions.

Punahou started subbing from the second quarter, including QB Tuliloa and RB Taulapapa. Still its reserves were too strong for the Wolfpack.

Botelho said the ILH's coaches and athletic directors have voted to separate the Division I from Division II teams in the scheduling. He said the decision is awaiting approval from the principals..

Punahou ended its scoring in the third quarter when backup QB Nicholas Kapule scored on an 11-yard run. The clock did not stop so there is no official time of the scoring, but it came with just under six minutes left in the third quarter.

Punahou threatened to score in the fourth quarter, but when it got first-and-10 at the Pac-Five 11, the Buffanblu took a knee on four consecutive plays, turning the ball over on downs. The Wolfpack tried their best to move the ball - Punahou had an interception return for a TD nullified by a penalty along the way - but they were still scrambling for yardage at the end.

Punahou closes the regular season against Kamehameha. The Buffanblu can secure the bye for the ILH D1 tournament with a victory.