By Wes Nakama

Taking care of business on Senior Night, Damien held off upset-minded ‘Iolani, 42-28, Friday at Farrington’s Skippa Diaz Stadium to secure the ILH’s lone berth for the HHSAA Division I Football State Championships.

A crowd of about 1,500 and statewide TV audience on Spectrum OC16 watched AJ Tuifua complete 20 of 24 passes for 195 yards and four touchdowns to help the Monarchs improve to 5-2 overall and 3-0 in the ILH. Raiders quarterback CJ Villanueva, returning to action for the first time since breaking his right (throwing side) collarbone on Aug. 30, went 26 for 34 with 260 yards and three TDs as ‘Iolani ended its season at 3-4, 1-2. Neither quarterback was intercepted.

Damien got on the board quickly, marching 79 yards on 12 plays capped by Tuifua’s 14-yard scoring pass to Oli Steinhoff five minutes into the game. After forcing the Raiders into a three-and-out, the Monarchs scored again after a five-play, 62-yard drive culminating in a 6-yard toss from Tuifua to Wyatt Ho-Williams. Jacob Inocencio tacked on his second extra point to make it 14-0 with 1:53 remaining in the first quarter.

The Raiders cut the lead in half after a six-play, 77-yard drive capped by Villanueva’s 29-yard touchdown pass to Kekama Kane. Ty Mistunaga converted the PAT to make it 14-7 just 40 seconds into the second quarter.

Damien later extended the lead to 21-7 after a seven-play, 86-yard drive ending with Tuifua’s 13-yard TD pass to Ho-Williams, but ‘Iolani closed it to 21-14 after Villanueva found Kane on a fade pattern in the back right corner of the end zone for a 1-yard scoring pass, and Mitsunaga converted the extra point just 13 seconds before halftime.

The Monarchs pushed the lead to 28-14 five minutes into the third quarter with a seven-play, 52-yard drive capped by Tuifua’s 9-yard touchdown pass to Blazyn Toafe, then stretched it to 35-14 just 10 seconds into the fourth quarter after Tuifua’s 28-yard ramble to paydirt on a quarterback keeper.

The Raiders answered with an unusual 7-yard touchdown pass when Jaeden Park caught a tipped ball in the end zone with a diving effort. Mitsunaga’s PAT closed it to 35-21 with 7:53 left, but Damien effectively sealed the victory with an 11-play, 49-yard drive capped by Tuifua’s seven-yard keeper with 1:12 remaining.

Photos: Lori McKeown

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