The No. 2-ranked Saint Louis Crusaders are on a collision course with No. 1 Punahou for a rematch of a double-overtime classic in the first meeting next week to determine whether the Buffanblu win the ILH or the Crusaders force a playoff game.
First, the Crusaders have to get past an ‘Iolani team that didn’t back down in a 28-17 loss earlier this season. The Raiders also played the Buffanblu tough in a 35-23 loss last week. Can ‘Iolani play spoiler? Lots of injury concerns on both sides of the ball so it will be interesting to see who exactly is out there on the field when the game starts.
QB Tua Tagovailoa (calf) will get the start tonight for the Crusaders. He sat out the first meeting against the Raiders. WR Keoni-Kordell Makekau (shoulder) will sit out for ‘Iolani.
FIRST QUARTER
RB KJ Pascua and RB Gafoaleata Fetui-Salavea not in on first drive for ‘Iolani. Tamatane Aga in at RB. Samuela Mafua with the sack on third down for the Crusaders and ‘Iolani punts.
Tagovailoa in at QB and hits Drew Kobayashi for 18 and Leelan Oasay for 9 on first two throws. Dylan Silva with a 7-yard run follow by two incomplete passes. Silva drops option pitch on third down and Christian Naeole scoops it up for ‘Iolani and he is gone. 79-yard fumble return for a TD. ‘Iolani 7, Saint Louis 0, 9:14, Q1.
A nice kick return allows Saint Louis to start on the ‘Iolani 45. Tagovailoa hits Joshua Tokunaga for 27 yards and Leelan Oasay for 10. A holding call and a personal foul makes it first-and-goal at the 23. Naeole then sacks Tagovailoa for a loss of 7. Tagovailoa to Ronson Young for 17. Tagovailoa to Lanakila Wilson for a 13-yard TD pass. 7-7, 6:54, Q1.
‘Iolani with a three-and-out as Jordan Iosefa comes flying off the edge and forces Mizutani to go down for a sack.
Saint Louis has first-and-goal at the 1 but is stopped for a 4-yard loss and then incomplete pass. Third down. Tagovailoa 5-yard TD run. Saint Louis 14, ‘Iolani 7, 3:21, Q1.
Iosefa with a tackle for loss. Mizutani puts a nice ball on Brent Nagami‘s number for a 20-yard gain. Mizutani hits Nagami on the same route for 20 more yards but the Crusaders are getting pressure all day. Iosefa makes his third tackle for loss and Tanielu Evaimalo gets a tackle for loss AND a sack to force a punt as first quarter ends.
SECOND QUARTER
Crusaders moving the ball between the 20s but having a few issues inside the red zone. A Dylan Silva TD run is wiped out by a holding penalty and the Crusaders have dropped two touchdown passes. Crusaders settle for a 28-yard field goal by Jacob Tobias. 17-7, 8:22, Q2.
‘Iolani gets a nice 5-yard run on first down by Aga but Kaeo Freitas gets the sack for Saint Louis. ‘Iolani runs a draw for no gain and punts.
Chevan Cordeiro in at QB for Saint Louis. He is sacked by Jonah Buchanan on first play. Tagovailoa back in and he makes a 7-yard pass to Young but his bomb on third down is incomplete as Oasay can’t make the catch. Oasay shaken up on the play. Crusaders punt.
Raiders three-and-out on three incomplete passes. Taaga Tuulima, who at right tackle on third down, did a great job blocking Iosefa and gave Mizutani time to throw.
Tagovailoa goes deep to the end zone and the ball is tipped into the air twice before Ryan Yoshioka picks it off at the goal line. A nice return and a personal foul puts the ball on the Saint Louis 45.
Dylan Toilolo off the edge to get the sack after an 11-yard run by Aga. An 11-yard pass to Nick Kennedy get it to the 30. Fourth-and-6 with 2:01 remaining. Mizutani finds Coby Pudiquet for 10 and a first down. Mizutani pass over the middle on third down is incomplete but the DB got their early and it’s a PI flag. ‘Iolani first-and-goal on the 6. Aga gets hit at the 6 on the run but pushes forward to the 3. Timeout ‘Iolani. Raiders bring Aga in motion and try and a flip pass to him in front of the line but it goes for negative-12 yards as he’s pushed back, escapes, but then gets pushed back further. Third-and-goal at the 15. Mizutani’s pass is tipped and ‘Iolani will go for it with its kicker, Makekau, out with a shoulder injury. Mizutani has Connor Hannum over the middle as the blitz is picked up but he just overthrows it. Saint Louis takes over.
Ronson Young runs for 8 yards. HALFTIME.
HALFTIME STATS
at Aloha Stadium
‘Iolani (2-5, 0-4) 7 0
Saint Louis (5-1, 3-1) 14 3
Iol—Christian Naeole 79 fumble return (Evan Minami kick)
StL—Lanakila Wilson 13 pass from Tua Tagovailoa (Jacob Tobias kick)
StL—Tagovailoa 5 run (Tobias kick)
StL—FG Tobias 28
RUSHING—‘Iolani:Tamatane Aga 8-21, Tai-John Mizutani 7-(minus 41). Saint Louis: Tagovailoa 5-44, Dylan Silva 5-15, Ronson Young 1-8, Saitaua Lefau 2-0, Chevan Cordeiro 1-(minus 10).
PASSING—‘Iolani: Mizutani 7-16-0-50. Saint Louis: Tagovailoa 14-24-1-178.
RECEIVING—‘Iolani: Nick Kennedy 3-12, Brent Nagami 2-40, Coby Pudiquet 1-10, Aga 1-(minus 12). Saint Louis: Young 6-55, Drew Kobayashi 2-33, Leelan Oasay 2-19, Joshua Tokunaga 1-27, Chris Sykes 1-18, Wilson 1-13, Chandler Washington-Villanueva 1-13.
Saint Louis sacked ‘Iolani’s Mizutani five times in the first half.
‘Iolani tries an onside kick to start the second half but the Crusaders snag it at the 45. Tagovailoa still in at QB. Third down and a missed sack turns into a 38-yard run by Tagovailoa, who is up to 82 yards rushing. That number takes a huge hit as Naeole does a heat job forcing Tagovailoa back to the point that Tagovailoa can’t get away and is called for intentional grounding. Naeole gets credit for his second sack as it’s a loss of 25 yards. Fourth-and-26 and Tagovailoa to Young gets 24 yards but that’s it. ‘Iolani takes over.
Mizutani to Hannum for 15 yards and then a defensive hold is called on Saint Louis. Mizutani to Kennedy for 12 yards and a first down across midfield. Evaimalu gets his second sack and the sixth of the game fro Saint Louis. Pass over the middle hits off a defender and into the arms of Iosefa for an INT.
Two short passes make it third-and-6 but Tagovailoa hits Ronson Young for 31 yards and then Tagovailoa scores on a 23-yard TD run but he’s slow to get up and finally drops outside of the back of the end zone. He’s had the calf injury for a few weeks now and something came up and grabbed him again. He is eventually up and walks it off but he’s not moving very fast. 24-7, 5:40, Q3.
‘Iolani goes three-and-out. Cordeiro in at QB for Saint Louis. Tagovailoa 19-31, 250 yes, 3 TD (2 rush), 1 INT. 8 carries, 80 yards. Tokunaga with a nice 20-yard reception for a first down but Crusaders are stopped on fourth-and-2. ‘Iolani ball.
END 3. Crusader shave ball after stopping ‘Iolani on fourth down.
Ronson Young with a short pass over the middle but he breaks the tackle and then busts it outside, tightroping down the sideline. 31-yard TD reception from Cordeiro gives Young 10 receptions for 147 yards. 31-7, 11:48, Q4.
Maika Bonner now at QB for Saint Louis in mop-up duty.
FINAL.
at Aloha Stadium
‘Iolani (2-6, 0-5) 7 0 0 0 — 7
Saint Louis (6-1, 4-1) 14 3 7 7 — 31
Iol—Christian Naeole 79 fumble return (Evan Minami kick)
StL—Lanakila Wilson 13 pass from Tua Tagovailoa (Jacob Tobias kick)
StL—Tagovailoa 5 run (Tobias kick)
StL—FG Tobias 28
StL—Tagovailoa 23 run (Tobias kick)
StL—Ronson Young 31 pass from Chevan Cordeiro (Tobias kick)
RUSHING—‘Iolani:Tamatane Aga 14-37, Tai-John Mizutani 8-(minus 49). Saint Louis: Tagovailoa 8-80, Dylan Silva 7-30, Cordeiro 5-26, Saitaua Lefau 9-13, Young 1-8, Maika Bonner 3-6, Austin Tuisano 2-3, team 3-(minus 5).
PASSING—‘Iolani: Mizutani 15-31-1-137. Saint Louis: Tagovailoa 19-31-1-250, Cordeiro 6-8-0-76, Bonner 2-3-0-17.
RECEIVING—‘Iolani: Nick Kennedy 5-36, Brent Nagami 3-57, Aga 3-1, Conor Hannum 2-30, Coby Pudiquet 2-13. Saint Louis: Young 10-147, Joshua Tokunaga 3-47, Chandler Washington-Villanueva 3-31, Tosh Kekahuna 3-18, Drew Kobayashi 2-33, Leelan Oasay 2-19, Chris Sykes 1-18, Wilson 1-13, Lefau 1-12, Tuisano 1-5.
COMMENTS