By Wes Nakama
A competitive interstate football game between Saint Louis and Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.) ended prematurely Saturday night at Radford with the Crusaders holding off the Knights, 34-27.
The game was called with 24 seconds remaining after a heated and extensive on-field confrontation involving players, coaches and even some spectators who ran onto the field from the bleachers.
It took about five or six minutes to finally separate the sides for good, with Saint Louis coaches sending their players to the team bus as the Bishop Montgomery contingent was kept on the opposite (makai) side of John Velasco Stadium.
Police did arrive on the scene, but there were no apparent injuries or arrests as a result of the melee.
Things appeared “chippy” throughout the second half, especially in the fourth quarter when several personal fouls were called, in some cases on consecutive plays.
After the Knights closed the score to 34-21 on a touchdown and extra point with 51 seconds remaining, the Crusaders recovered the ensuing onside kick and began a new possession at their own 40-yard line. Saint Louis then threw a pass on first down that was intercepted and returned 45 yards for a “pick-6” that made the score 34-27 with 40 seconds still remaining.
A Crusader player was injured during the runback, and remained on the grass for several minutes with the entire team on the field to surround him. When play resumed after the injured player got up and was able to walk to the sideline, Saint Louis blocked the extra point attempt.
Saint Louis struck first with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Nainoa Lopes to Jordan Nunuha for a 7-0 lead, but the Knights tied it on the first play of the second quarter after a 10-yard passing TD. Bishop Montgomery later capped an 11-play, 60-yard scoring drive with a 9-yard touchdown run and extra point 20 seconds before halftime to take a surprising 14-7 lead into the break.
The Crusaders responded by opening the second half with a quick 5-play, 55-yard possession culminating in Aizen Costales-Torres’ 6-yard run to paydirt. The PAT attempt failed, leaving the score at 14-13.
After forcing a Knights three-and-out by stopping them on fourth-and-1 from their own 20, Saint Louis needed only one play to take the lead for good on Lopes’ TD pass to Nunuha on a corner route. Lopes’ two-point conversion pass to Frank Abreu made it 21-14.
Then after another three-and-out by Bishop Montgomery, the Crusaders marched 79 yards in just six plays, capped by Tenari Fuamatu-Ma’afala’s 24-yard touchdown scamper to stretch the lead to 27-14 with 4:25 remaining in the third quarter.
Lopes and Nunuha later connected for a 35-yard scoring pass with 5:24 left in the game, and Ellacott’s PAT made it 34-14.
Photos: Grant Shishido
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