LIVE BLOG: Punahou 38, Kamehameha 12, Final

The No. 1 ranked Punahou Buffanblu are the last undefeated Oahu team remaining. Can Punahou win its third straight ILH Division I title, becoming the first team to do so since Saint Louis’ reign ended in 2003? Punahou won the first meeting, 24-0. Can Kamehameha make it a game this time around?

Click here for our preview of tonight’s game.

7:28 p.m.: Both teams are on the field warming up. Senior RB Brandon Kahookele is not suited up for Kamehameha. Junior DL Canton Kaumatule is warming up and expected to play for Punahou.

7:50 p.m.: Punahou three-and-out on first drive as Wayne Taulapapa runs twice for two years and Larry Tuileta missed Kanawai Noa 1-on-1 deep.

7:51 p.m.: Kamehameha tries to go deep on first play and gets a defensive PI call. Simao runs twice for a yard and an incomplete pass forces Kamehameha to punt.

8:01 p.m.: Kamehameha loads up on the run so Tuileta goes deep. 39-yard TD strike to Kanawai Noa, who already has four catches for 71 yards. 7-0 Punahou, 6:02, Q1

8:05 p.m.: Kaumatule makes an appearance with a tackle for a 6-yard loss on Simao, who has five carries for 3 yards. Two three-and-outs for Kamehameha.

8:14 p.m.: Obviously, you don’t have a lot of options playing Punahou, but surprising to see how the Kamehameha secondary is playing Tuileta. Third-and-17 and they brings the corners up after they played back on a couple of third-and-10s. Morris with a 43-yard reception over the middle sets up a 2-yard run by Taulapapa to make it 14-0 with 49 seconds left in the first quarter.

8:17 p.m.: Only bad news so far. Kaumatule is limping. Keeps looking at his right leg. Buffanblu up 14-0 at the end of the first. Kaumatule is still out there. Zero first downs for the Warriors.

8:21 p.m.: Warriors force a three-and-out as Noa missed on one-handed catch attempt deep.

8:24 p.m.: Punahou punter Alexander Trifonovitch fumbles the punt snap and is then blasted by Gavin Panui. Caleb Chow recovers the fumble in the end zone for a Kamehameha TD. 14-7, 9:45, Q2.

8:29 p.m.: Warriors force another three-and-out. They make Tuileta scramble outside and he can’t hit the open receiver for a first down.

8:30 p.m.: Punahou snaps the ball over the punter’s head and out of the end zone for a safety. Unbelievable.

8:32 p.m.: Dylan Kane with a 43-yard return on the kickoff and Kamehameha has it on the Punahou 36. Sua-Godinet’s first completion is 8 yards to Simao to make it fourth-and-1 at the 27. Kamehameha tries to draw Punahou offsides but calls timeout. Sua-Godinet sneaks it up the middle for 3 yards and a first down. A Simao run takes it to the 13. Kamehameha has fourth-and-3 at the 6 and Tyler Fitzsimmons boots a 24-yard field goal to make it 14-12 with 4:55 left in first half.

8:44 p.m.: Chad Farias recovers a fumble on the kickoff and Kamehameha again has it in Punahou territory. Nightmare second quarter for the Buffanblu special teams. Kamehameha can’t do anything with it as Sua-Godinet is sacked on third down by Rodney Lakalaka.

8:53 p.m.: Tuileta is 4-for-6 for 56 yards on the drive, hitting tight end Dakota Torres for pass plays of 30 and 8 yards. Punahou with a fourth-and-2 on the Kamehameha 24 with 1:07 left. They line up to go for it but call timeout. Kamehameha looks content playing Noa 1-on-1 on the outside with no help. I think I’d take my shot here. Punahou back out to go for it again. They run it with Taulapapa. Chad Souza tackles him right at the marker. They measure. First down Punahou.

8:57 p.m.: Punahou tries an option pitch to Luke Morris who then misses Dakota Torres in the end zone. Morris had to hurry the throw as he got crunched. On third-and-10, Taulapapa motions out right, catches quick pass from Tuileta, breaks two tackles, and scores on a 22-yard TD reception.

Halftime box score

Punahou 21, Kamehameha 12
At Aloha Stadium
Kamehameha (9-1) 0 12
Punahou (8-0) 14 7
Pun—Kanawai Noa 39 pass from Larry Tuileta (Charles McDonald kick)
Pun—Wayne Taulapapa 2 run (McDonald kick)
Kam—Caleb Chow recovers fumble in end zone (Tyler Fitzsimmons kick)
Kam—Safety, ball snapped out of the end zone
Kam—FG Fitzsimmons 24
Pun—Taulapapa 22 pass from Tuileta (McDonald kick)

RUSHING—Kamehameha: Kainoa Simao 10-25, team 1-(minus 2), Noah Sua-Godinet 3-(minus 10). Punahou: Taulapapa 9-14, Heisman Hosoda 3-13, Tuileta 5-8.
PASSING—Kamehameha: Sua-Godinet 2-7-0-8. Punahou: Tuileta 13-20-0-220, Luke Morris 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING—Kamehameha: Simao 1-8, Alika Kahaulelio 1-0. Punahou: Noa 6-90, Morris 3-58, Dakota Torres 2-38, Taulapapa 1-22, Dylan Combs 1-12.

9:20 p.m.: Three-and-out by Kamehameha on its opening drive, including two runs for negative yards.

9:28 p.m.: Punahou drives down to the 12 and converts a fourth-and-2 on a Tuileta pass to Morris working the slot for 4 yards. Kamehameha holds and Charles McDonald kicks a 24-yard field goal to make it 24-12 with 7:46, Q3.

9:41 p.m.: Tuileta completes 6-of-7 passing for 92 yards on a seven-play drive, all throws. 25 yards to Taulapapa to make it 31-12 with 4:53 left in third quarter.

9:47 p.m.: Kamehameha has fourth-and-1 at the Punahou 45 and tries a QB sneak but Punahou stuffs it.

9:48 p.m.: Tuileta underthrows Noa or it would have been a 54-yard TD pass.

9:56 p.m.: Fourth-and-51 for Punahou. I’m guessing they punt.

Gotta start writing for deadline. Will try to keep updated…

Tuileta throws his fourth TD pass of the game, a 17-yarder to Kotoni Sekona to make it 38-12. Tuileta with a season-high 394 passing yards and four TDs.

Final box score

Punahou 38, Kamehameha 12
At Aloha Stadium
Kamehameha (9-2) 0 12 0 0 — 12
Punahou (9-0) 14 7 10 7 — 38
Pun—Kanawai Noa 39 pass from Larry Tuileta (Charles McDonald kick)
Pun—Wayne Taulapapa 2 run (McDonald kick)
Kam—Caleb Chow recovers fumble in end zone (Tyler Fitzsimmons kick)
Kam—Safety, ball snapped out of the end zone
Kam—FG Fitzsimmons 24
Pun—Taulapapa 22 pass from Tuileta (McDonald kick)
Pun—FG McDonald 24
Pun—Taulapapa 25 pass from Tuileta (McDonald kick)
Pun—Kotoni Sekona 17 pass from Tuileta (McDonald kick)

RUSHING—Kamehameha: Kainoa Simao 20-54, Noah Sua-Godinet 5-(minus 15), Mahonri Latu 2-(minus 16), team 2-(minus 19). Punahou: Heisman Hosoda 6-45, Taulapapa 14-43, Ephraim Tuliloa 2-21, Tuileta 7-14, team 1-(minus 2).
PASSING—Kamehameha: Latu 2-3-0-47, Sua-Godinet 4-14-0-16. Punahou: Tuileta 27-43-0-394, Luke Morris 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING—Kamehameha: Kaulana Werner 2-28, Simao 2-11, Kayson Smith-Bejgrowicz 1-24, Alika Kahaulelio 1-0. Punahou: Noa 11-147, Morris 5-67, Dakota Torres 4-60, Taulapapa 2-47, Dylan Combs 2-23, Trent Sitar 1-25, Sekona 1-17, Micah Ma’a 1-8.

Tuileta’s 394 yards are the second-most in his career. He threw for 420 in the state semis last year against Mililani. He is now 27-5 as the starter at Punahou.

Noa played with a cast on his injured hand. He has 11 100-yard receiving games in his two-year career, including four this season.