Alani's three total TDs help propel Damien past Roosevelt

Brian Bautista | SL

Damien got all they could ask for from Roosevelt, but ultimately prevailed behind the arm and legs of veteran quarterback AJ Alani, 26-21, improving to 2-0 on the season.

Tuifua's numbers werent' gaudy, just 12 of 12 passes completed for 266 yards, two TDs and an interception with another 23 yards on the ground and a score, but was enough to get the win.

The senior broke a scoreless tie after the first quarter with a pair of passing scores, one a 51 yard bomb to Wyatt Ho-Willams and the other a 24 yarder to Oli Steinhoff, spotting the Monarchs a 13-0 cushion. Roosevelt responded with just seconds left in the half as Shaeden Sexton got the home team right back in it with a one yard plunge that made it 13-7 at the intermission.

Tuifua padded the lead bac to 13 with a six yard keeper in the third, but the Rough Riders rallied in the opening minutes of the fourth, as Kaeo Bush found Kai Kobayashi for a score from nine yards out to get to within striking distance, and then took the lead just a minute later when Isaiah Nakamura scooped up a fumble and took it back 21 yards to make it 21-20 Roosevelt.

Damien got the lead back for good with 5:10 left in the contest when Jonah Wong broke free for a 17 yard run that made it 26-21.

Ho-Williams had just three catches but made them all count, racking up a game-high 140 yards in the process. Wong was a workhorse, toting the rock 20 times for 92 yards and adding another four grabs for 60 yards.

Roosevelt's Ioane Kamanao had a game-high seven receptions and Kobayashi had five grabs for a combined 131 yards. Kamanao also knocked through all three PATs.