Damien and Pac-Five have been rivals for a long time but tended to play second-fiddle to ‘Iolani in the ILH Division II race.
That has changed this season with the Raiders moving up to Division I as both the Wolfpack (4-0) and Monarchs (3-0) enter Friday night’s game undefeated and looking to take a big step toward claiming an ILH championship.
Damien is 4-0 for the first time in school history and has won the last four against Pac-Five. The Monarchs are also the last team to win the ILH Division II not named ‘Iolani, but that was 2003.
Kickoff at Aloha Stadium is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. Live updates will follow:
Damien starts the game with an insides kick but jumps offsides so we restart. Matthew Hallstein with a 9-yard return to the 25 and we’re off. Pac-Five QB Kainoa Ferreira starts off 1-for-4 with his only completion for 13 yards to Clayce Akeo on third down. Wolfpack punt near midfield.
Senior Bransen Apao gets the start at QB with sophomore Marcus Faufata-Pedrina split out wide. Faufata-Pedrina with the 8-yard reception for a first down but Kepono Kawaakoa fumbles on his first rush and Casey Nakamura recovers for the Wolfpack on the Damien 25.
Akeo with a 10-yard reception but the drive stalls out. Tyler Fukuroda‘s 28-yard field goal is GOOD. Pac-Five takes 3-0 lead, 7:10, Q1.
Damien comes out with Apao again at QB and he runs the option keeper for 12 yards. Pac-Five LB Kekahi Tam has to be taken off after appearing to injure his left arm. Two incomplete pass by Apao and Damien punts from its 47.
Pressure up the middle forces Ferreira to throw late and Dylan Tapat gets the interception for the Monarchs returning it all the way to the 7. Apao with an option keeper and he’s in for a 7-yard TD run and the momentum swings in a hurry. Damien leads 6-3, 5:04, Q1.
Wolfpack go three-and-out. Nice tackle on the drive by LB Shiloh Kaeo, who is only a sophomore.
Damien picks up two first downs mostly on the legs of Apao out of the backfield. Faufata-Pedrina had a nice 8-yard catch and run making a defender miss but the quarter ends with a Pac-Five sack which will force a punt.
Another three-and-out for the Wolfpack as Ferreira misses an open receiver and then is sacked by LB Grayson Bueno.
Damien gets good field position on the Pac-Five 43 but stalls out on the 32 after a run for no gain and two incomplete passes. Monarchs go for it on fourth down and Apao does a good job scrambling away to make a decent throw but a tough catch is dropped and Pac-Five takes over.
Ferreira hooks up with Trey Larsen for a 15-yard pass play and first down but the Wolfpack punt from midfield as Ferreira is now 6-for-18 passing.
Nope. Wolfpack keep the ball as Damien runs into the punter for a 15-yard penalty. First-and-10 at the Damien 34. Daven Pila with the shake-and-bake to get away from two defenders on a 23-yard reception down to the 11. Ferreira runs it to the 4 on a QB draw and Damien calls timeout. Bueno gets his second sack of the game on third-and-3 from the 4 to force a field-goal try. Shawn Borges comes off the edge and blocks the field goal as Damien stays in front.
Pac-Five will get another crack at it right away as Damien forces a three-and-out. Wolfpack getting pressure on Apao, forcing him to scramble immediately.
Nakamura gets a key block to get to the outside and has a nice 30-yard return on the punt to the Damien 35. Pac-Five moves backwards instead after a penalty and is three-and-out.
Two holding penalties has Damien with first-and-32 from its own 3 but Pac-Five then jumps early on defense. Fortunately for the Monarchs time runs out. It’s halftime.
HALFTIME BOX SCORE
at Aloha Stadium
Pac-Five (4-0, 1-0) 3 0
Damien (3-0, 1-0) 6 0
Pac—FG Tyler Fukuroda 28
DMS—Bransen Apao 7 run (kick failed)
RUSHING—Pac-Five: Kainoa Ferreira 5-9, Royce Angelo 2-6. Damien: Apao 10-48, Kepono Kawaakoa 5-12, Marcus Faufata-Pedrina 1-1, Justice White 2-(minus 1), team 1-(minus 1).
PASSING—Pac-Five: Ferreira 8-23-1-72. Damien: Apao 4-9-0-30.
RECEIVING—Pac-Five: Clayce Akeo 3-26, Trey Larsen 2-19, Daven Pila 1-23, Travis Kaloa 1-4, Jarrod Infante 1-0. Damien: Faufata-Pedrina 2-16, Austin Ballesteros 1-14, Kawaakoa 1-0.
Second half will start around 6:40 p.m.
Rough start for Damien as Apao misses on two throws and the Monarchs are called for a false start and a hold. Damien punts from its 12 and Pac-Five gets it on the Monarchs 46.
Ferreira with a 12-yard run on third-and-10 and then hits Travis Kaloa for 14 yards. Pac-Five inside the Damien 20 but two holding penalties have it first-and-40 from the 49. Ferreira gets 16 of it back on a pass to Ryan Johnson and Damien helps out with an offsides penalty and a hold but it’s fourth-and-9 from the 18. They send out Fukuroda to try a a 36-yard field goal but Pac-Five calls timeout. Fukuroda tries the kick and BORGES BLOCKS ANOTHER ONE. Damien ball at the 45.
Monarchs three-and-out as a huge drop on third down prevents Damien from moving the chains. Out comes the punter.
Courtney Paaga with the sack and Pac-Five will punt. Monarchs take over on the 41 of the Wolfpack.
Justice White finally breaks through for a run of 19 yards. That is Damien’s longest play from scrimmage. LB Keawe Tong with the sack on third down to force fourth-and-17 from the 29. Apao throws one up and it’s picked off by Kapena Fitzgerald.
Ferreira to Kaloa for 13 yards. Third-and-10 and the incomplete pass is bailed out by a defensive holding to give the Wolfpack a first down. Ferreira runs it twice for 18 yards and Pac-Five is in Damien territory. Ferreira converts on third down with a 6-yard pass to Jarrod Infante to end the third quarter. First-and-10 on the 29 when the fourth quarter starts. Screen pass to Akeo for 4 yards and then Ferreira rumbles for 9 and a first down at the 16. Josiah Medal slows the drive with a sack and a false start doesn’t help.
Fukuroda lines up for a 32-yard field goal and BORGES GETS HIS THIRD BLOCKED FIELD GOAL OF THE GAME. Pac-Five can’t stop him. Monarchs take over.
Damien trying to run out the clock keeping the ball in Apao’s hands. Six straight runs before Apao hits Austin Ballesteros for 12 yards. Second delay of game penalty though makes it third-and-11. Monarchs almost get a third one but coach Eddie Klaneski calls timeout. Big play here with 3:59 remaining. They try a screen to Faufata-Pedrina but it only gets a yard. Damien punts and Pac-Five has it first-and-10 on its 29 with 3:11 remaining and 2 timeouts.
Ferreira hits Akeo down the sideline for 33 big yards. A 4-yard pass to Infante and add 15 for the helmet-to-helmet hit by Damien. Pac-Five on the Damien 19. Ferreira runs for 6. Akeo gets a step on the slant to the end zone but the throw is off target. Johnson with a 4-yard reception and it’s first-and-goal from the 9. Johnson drops a TD pass. That would have given Pac-Five the lead. 1:25 remaining….Ferreira with the overthrow on the fade. Thought we might see the QB draw there. Third-and-goal from the 9. Kaimana Cameron breaks up the pass to make it fourth-and-goal. Timeout Wolfpack. A field goal ties. Fukuroda is 1-for-4 tonight and has had three blocked by Borges.
Pac-Five will go for it instead. This is the game. Ferreira throws it up AND BORGES GETS THE INTERCEPTION IN THE END ZONE. UNREAL. Pac-Five only has one timeout. Damien will run out the clock.
Monarchs are 5-0 for the first time in school history.
Damien 6, Pac-Five 3
at Aloha Stadium
Pac-Five (3-1, 1-1) 3 0 0 0 — 3
Damien (5-0, 1-0) 6 0 0 0 — 6
Pac—FG Tyler Fukuroda 28
DMS—Bransen Apao 7 run (kick failed)
RUSHING—Pac-Five: Kainoa Ferreira 12-41, Royce Angelo 2-6. Damien: Apao 17-74, Justice White 6-22, Kepono Kawaakoa 6-15, Marcus Faufata-Pedrina 3-4, team 1-(minus 1).
PASSING—Pac-Five: Ferreira 20-48-2-181. Damien: Apao 6-16-1-43.
RECEIVING—Pac-Five: Clayce Akeo 5-63, Travis Kaloa 4-43, Jarrod Infante 4-10, Ryan Johnson 3-24, Trey Larsen 2-19, Daven Pila 1-23, Matthew Hallstein 1-(minus 1). Damien: Faufata-Pedrina 3-17, Austin Ballesteros 2-26, Kawaakoa 1-0.
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