HONOLULU — You wouldn’t know the Waimea Menehunes had just lost a game by the charming way they were smiling and congratulating each other. The Menehunes were giving head-pats all-around to their teammates as the clock ticked down on their
HONOLULU — You wouldn’t know the Waimea Menehunes had just lost a game by the
charming way they were smiling and congratulating each other.
The Menehunes
were giving head-pats all-around to their teammates as the clock ticked down on
their 56-0 state semifinal football loss to the St. Louis Crusaders Friday
night at Aloha Stadium.
The Menehunes’ effort, although it didn’t turn into
victory, was heroic.
Waimea didn’t back down in spite of facing the biggest
football “factory” in the state.
The Menehunes were also backed by a large
contingent of Kaua’i folk who made the trip to attend the game. Most of the
supporters were true and blue Waimea fans, but some came from other parts of
the island to cheer the Menehunes on.
The Crusaders will move on to play
Kahuku in the first Chevron State Football Championship final next Saturday
night at Aloha Stadium.
Kahuku beat Baldwin 27-12 in Friday’s
nightcap.
St. Louis moved the football with ease all night long, racking
656 scrimmage yards, including 397 from its bruising running game and another
259 from its highly efficient passing game.
The “swing” pass is what did
the most damage. Countless times, quarterback Timmy Chang dropped back and hit
receivers behind the line of scrimmage in the patented run-and-shoot offense.
On most occasions, the St. Louis receivers were able to gain considerable
yardage after the catch.
The Crusaders also had 29 first downs in the
game.
St. Louis scored on its first three possessions — on Damien Cole’s
1-yard touchdown run and Chang’s TD passes of 3 yards to Gerald Welch and 6
yards to Frank Rivers for a 21-0 first quarter lead.
The Crusaders added
two more touchdowns in the second quarter on Cole’s 1-yard run and Prince
Brown’s 3-yard burst for a 35-0 halftime advantage.
The Crusaders also
scored three third quarter touchdowns, but they were shut out in the fourth
period. Cole delivered his third 1-yard touchdown run of the game, while
Pesefea Fiaseu ran home for a 3-yard score. In addition, John Paul Kanoa caught
an 18-yard TD pass from Chang.
Cole finished with 188 yards
rushing.
Waimea’s Jessie Sablan rushed for 96 yards in the game and he
added 89 more yards on six kickoff returns.
“We made it this far and nobody
thought we would,” said Waimea head coach Jon Kobayashi. “Our guys, just look
at them, are undersized, but they played with tremendous heart. St. Louis was
just better than us.”
Many Waimea players turned in standout defensive
performances against the huge St. Louis boys.
Chesley Barba, Brandon
Perreira and David Hanashiro made numerous tackles, while Colby Octavio, Willys
Labanon (interception), Archie Achuara (fumble recovery), Zaldy Lahip, Bryson
Tumbaga, Gilroy Castro, Mark Ruiz, Chaz Barba, William Parubrub, Isaiah
Ulanday, Chris Dela Cruz, Donovan Agan, Bernard Rita, Sablan, Wayne Mendonca
and Michael Koerte, among others, showed they could grind out in the face of
the potent St. Louis offense.
Waimea’s best drive of the game came late in
the fourth quarter when Rocky Aviguetero hit on passes to Achuara and Agan, and
Sablan had some long-gainers.
The drive ended on Agan’s missed 45-yard
field goal attempt with four seconds to go.
Waimea finished its season with
an 8-1-1 record.Nationally ranked St. Louis is 14-1.
