The third annual Junior Prep Sports Paradise Football Classic happens tonight with the semifinals in the high school division at Aloha Stadium.
A team from California faces American Samoa in the first game, followed by Hawaii East against Hawaii West.
Live updates of the first game will follow below. Rosters are at the bottom of the page.
California 21, American Samoa 13, FINAL
FINAL STATS:
At Aloha Stadium
California 7 7 0 7 21
American Samoa 0 0 7 6 13
Cali—Beylei Colston 8 pass from Jake Simmons (Conor Calvert kick)
Cali—Colston 3 pass from Hokulani Wickard (Calvert kick)
AS—Tala Sufia 15 pass from Vitolino Kitiona (Eliott Lelei kick)
Cali—Kenroy Higgins 25 rush (Calvert kick)
AS—Jacob Umu 7 pass from Sufia (Kick failed)
RUSHING—California: Demarii Blanks 3-39, Higgins 2-30, Kenroy Higgins 1-14, Simmons 2-3 Taj Banks 1 (minus-1), Wickard 4-(minus-1), TEAM (minus-2). American Samoa: Sufia 10-118, Iosefa Mauga Jr. 1-22, David Mikaele 1-9, Pitonuu-uta Ah Sue 1-7, Paea Latu 1-7, Fetu Gaoa 1-6, Moses-Michael Samia 4-2, TEAM 1 (minus-15).
PASSING—California: Simmons 6-11-1-123, Wickard 6-7-0-54. American Samoa: Kitiona 3-6-1-68, Sufia 2-5-1-26.
RECEIVING–California: A’Jae Boyd 2-32, Jalen Ward 2-17, Cristian Muratalla 2-15, Colston 2-11, Zane Cribb 1-42, Banks 1-41, Eli DeRoon 1-18, Logan Reese 1-4. American Samoa: Eliott Lelei 1-38, Pene Fa’avae 1-19, Sufia 1-15, Panapa Filoiali’I 1-15, Jacob Umu 1-7.
7:28: California takes a kneel, and 21-13 is your final. They now await the winner of the Hawaii East-Hawaii West matchup for a Saturday night championship game.
7:26: The onside kick is…recovered by California with 33 seconds left. That’s the ballgame, if California executes a QB kneel.
7:21: TOUCHDOWN AMERICAN SAMOA. Sufia to Jacob Umu for a 7-yard score. PAT is no good. California leads 21-13 with 47 seconds left. Onside kick coming up.
7:20: American Samoa faces fourth-an-goal from the seven after an injury timeout, still 21-7. Even if they score here, they’ll still have a lot of ground to cover.
7:10: Nice defensive stand by American Samoa, who force a California three-and-out. They take over on their own 27. After using all of their timeouts in the third quarter, they will have to quickly score here.
7:07: Sufia gets injured and is replaced by Kitiona at quarterback, who is picked off. California takes over on its own 45 with 7:56 to go.
7:02: American Samoa starts from its own 34. With the way things are going, they would have to score to remain in the game here.
7:01: Kenroy Higgins takes a handoff 25 yards TO THE HOUSE. Calvert’s kick is good and California leads American Samoa 21-7 with 8:56 to go.
FOURTH QUARTER
6:57: Sufia is picked off by Jalen Mitchell to end the third. California will start the fourth on the American Samoa 38.
6:51: The momentum is starting to shift towards American Samoa, as California turns it over on downs at the AS 32 with 1:26 to go in the third.
6:47: California starts its next drive from its own 37.
6:44: TOUCHDOWN AMERICAN SAMOA. Sufia hauls in a touchdown pass on a trick play and Eliott Lelei knocks the extra point through. 14-7 with 3:03 left in the third.
6:41: American Samoa picks up the first down after a 39-yard run by Sufia, who has really good wheels for a quarterback. His arm hasn’t caught up thus far, but he has 112 rushing yards on eight attempts.
6:39: American Samoa faces fourth-and-1 on its own 41 and takes a timeout.
6:33: Simmons is picked off at the American Samnoa 25.
6:32: California starts the second half from its own 42.
THIRD QUARTER
HALFTIME STATS: Colston leads the way with two touchdowns, although the wealth has been spread among many of his teammates. American Samoa quarterback Tala Sufia leads all rushers with 68 yards on four carries.
California 14, American Samoa 0
At Aloha Stadium
1 2 3 4
California 7 7 0 0 14
American Samoa 0 0 0 0 0
Cali—Beylei Colston 8 pass from Jake Simmons (Conor Calvert kick)
Cali—Colston 3 pass from Hokulani Wickard (Calvert kick)
RUSHING—California: Demarii Blanks 3-39, Wickard 3-13, Kenroy Higgins 1-14, Simmons 2-3. American Samoa: Tala Sufia 4-68, Iosefa Mauga Jr. 1-22, David Mikaele 1-9, Moses-Michael Samia 2-7, Pitonuu-uta Ah Sue 1-7, Paea Latu 1-7, Fetu Gaoa 1-6.
PASSING—California: Simmons 5-7-0-108, Wickard 5-6-0-50. American Samoa: Sufia 0-2-0-0.
RECEIVING–California: A’Jae Boyd 2-32, Jalen Ward 2-17, Cristian Muratalla 2-15, Colston 2-11, Zane Cribb 1-42, Taj Banks 1-41.
6:16: We’ve hit halftime with California leading American Samoa 14-0. California will also receive to start the second half.
6:14: Colston hauls in touchdown No. 2 on the day after a perfect lob from Hokulani Wickard from three yards out. Calvert’s PAT is good and California leads 14-0 with nine seconds left before halftime.
6:08: They BARELY convert and get a fresh set of downs. That definitely took some guts.
6:07: California calls timeout facing fourth-and-1 from its own 21 with 3:18 left in the half. If they do in fact go for it and don’t convert, it could really turn the tide here. Let’s see.
6:01: American Samoa earns a couple more first downs but not much after. California takes over from its own 12 after a punt with 5:30 left in the second quarter.
5:53: HUGE goal line stop for American Samoa, who force a California fumble at the goal line and take over from its own 15.
SECOND QUARTER
5:47: American Samoa drives all the way to the California 9, but can’t attempt a field goal after a bad snap.
5:40: American Samoa starts its next drive from its own 14 after a penalty on the return, 3:57 left in the first.
5:37: Simmons connects with Beylei Colston for an 8-yard score in the corner of the end zone, and a challenge flag is thrown. The call is upheld and Conor Calvert knocks the extra point through. California leads 7-0 with 4:03 left in the first quarter.
5:32: California goes for it on fourth-and-short from its own 40 and converts after a four-yard run from quarterback Jake Simmons.
5:28: American Samoa goes three-and-out on its first drive. California will start its first drive from its own 29.
5:22: California wins the toss and will defer.
FIRST QUARTER
5:15 p.m.: We’re set for about a 5:20 kickoff after the youth game before ran late. The American Samoa roster is loaded with size, while the California roster features players from powerhouse programs such as St. John Bosco and De La Salle.
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