ILH Football
Tenth-ranked Damien races past Iolani in high scoring affair


ScoringLive staff
September 22, 2024, 8:50am

  

Sat, Sep 21, 2024 @ Farrington [ 6:30 pm ]

Iolani

35

Damien

55

Final 1 2 3 4 T
Iolani (4-6-0) 7 14 7 735
Damien (8-2-0) 14 21 6 1455
Alani Tuifua 299 yd 8 TD
CJ Villanueva 228 yd 2 TD
Sylas Alaimalo 134 yd
Jones Vierra 95 yd 1 TD
Dayton Savea 93 yd 1 TD
Kekama Kane 132 yd 2 TD



Damien took a big first step towards a return trip to the Division I state tournament, taking down league nemesis Iolani, 55-35, in an offensive display by both teams at Kusunoki Field at Skippa Diaz Stadium.

AJ Tuifua threw for 299 yards and eight TDs to lead the way for the Monarchs, connecting with five different pass catchers for scores, two of them to running back Sylas Alaimalo, who also rumbled for 134 yards on 22 carries.

The Monarchs jumped out to a two score lead in the first quarter but saw that margin get halved in a blink of an eye, when Kekama Kane took a kickoff 85 yards back the other way to get the Raiders right back in it.

Alaimalo's first receiving score led off the second quarter, but it was Kane who delivered again, hauling in a CJ Villanueva pass from 20 yards away to keep Iolani within striking distance midway through the second.

Damien countered with a two more passing scores in a two minute span late in the second to stretch the lead out to 35-14, but Kane had the answer once more, catching another Villanueva pass, this one from 13 yards out with just 9 seconds left til halftime, to make it a 35-21 game at the break.

Jones Vierra, who grinded out 95 tough yards on the ground on 27 carries, scored at the 7:52 mark of the third quarter to get the Raiders to 35-28, but that would be the last time the lead would be a single digit one.

Tuifua connected with Wyatt Ho-Williams for two scores, one late in the third and the other midway through the fourth, to push the Damien lead out to 48-28, but it was Kane that once more gave the Raiders a sliver of hope.

Kane took the ensuing kickoff back a state-record tying distance, racing 99 yards for his second kickoff return of the game. He also added 10 receptions for 132 yards, both game-highs, in defeat.

Damien put the finishing touches on the victory with Tuifua's eighth and final passing score of the evening, a four yard connection with Champ Buffet with 5:44 left to play.

Villanueva finished with 228 passing yards in the contest, and Keon Preusser had eight grabs for 83 yards for Iolani. Dayton Savea led all Damien pass catchers with six receptions for 93 yards.




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