Punahou quarterback Ephraim Tuliloa completed 22-of-35 passes for 428 yards and 6 touchdowns in a win over Saint Louis. Nick Endo | Special to SL

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083014_NE_FB_PUN-SL_6.jpg - Nick Endo | Special to SL

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No preseason tuneup, no problem.

Looking like it was in postseason form, defending Division I state champion Punahou rolled past struggling Saint Louis, 55-7, Friday night in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I football season opener at Hawaiian Airlines Field at Aloha Stadium.

It was the Buffanblu's season debut after having their nonleague opener against Leilehua canceled three weeks ago because of Hurricane Iselle. Yet, first-year starting quarterback Ephraim Tuliloa looked like seasoned veteran, completing 22 of 35 passes for 428 yards and six touchdowns. Wide receiver Kanawai Noa was equally amazing, catching seven passes for 243 yards, including TDs of 44, 43 and 80 yards.

Running back Wayne Taulapapa rushed for 167 yards in 16 carries for Punahou (1-0).

"You always hope for a performance like this, but you never expect it," Punahou offensive coordinator Teetai Ane said. "So to see it come true it very rewarding."

The Crusaders (0-3 overall, 0-1 ILH) started sophomore Tua Tagovailoa over two-year starter Ryder Kuhns. Tagovailoa, playing catchup all game, was 15 of 33 for 130 yards and one TD. It appears the starting job isn't clearly his, yet.

"We're going to have to evaluate, look at the film," Saint Louis coach Cal Lee said of Tagovailoa's performance. "We have to see he reacts. It's all about how you react to something like this. That's what we're going to try to find out."

For the second week in a row, the Crusaders fell to the 35-point differential mercy rule. Trailing 41-0 at the half, the second half began with a running clock. Saint Louis stopped its only score of the game at 7:33 on Tagovailoa's 10-yard TD pass to Jimmy Nunuha, but the Buffablu restarted the running clock with Tuliloa's 44-yard TD pass to Kalanianakupuna Santos with 6:41 in the third quarter.

Saint Louis could not stop the bleeding quick enough. And it wasn't for not trying. Twice a Saint Louis defender was covering Noa as close as he could without getting called for interference. Yet, Tuliloa made perfect passes and Noa positioned himself just as perfectly to make the catches on two TD plays.

The main reason Tuliloa could be so accurate was that his offensive line was like a fortress. Though sacked once on a blitz by DB Jedadiah Lulu, Tuliloa went pretty much untouched all night.

"The line just gave him a lot of time and Kanawai does what he always does," Punahou offensive coordinator Teetai Ane said. "It starts with our line. It doesn't matter what our receivers or quarterbacks can do if we can't give them time. The line was a big question coming in and they responded really well."

Punahou's line is relatively young with only two seniors in the mix in tackle Semisi Uluave and guard Christopher Mok. Center Julius-Pedro Muasau and tackle Pono Puu-Robinson are juniors. Other guards Kanai Eldredge and Patamo Soa also are juniors and Ephraim's brother, Christopher, another guard, is a sophomore.

"They have a good offensive line, they ran the ball, their quarterback showed a lot of poise," Saint Louis coach Cal Lee said. "And of course they have Noa. I thought the coverage wasn't bad, but you have to commend the quarterback and the receiver. They just did a nice job."

The Crusaders have allowed 181 points in three games. The most a Saint Louis team under Lee has allowed is 184 in 1997, when the Crusaders went 13-1. It allowed 183 in 1982, Lee's first year in his second stint at Crusaders coach. That team went 2-8-1.

Saint Louis' defense actually stopped the Buffanblu's first two series of the games on downs before Punahou's offense got into gear on Tuliloa's 44-yard TD pass to Noa.

The Crusaders looked like they were going to make it a game on their ensuing series. From their own 31, they moved to the Buffanblu 7. But on first down, they lost a fumble at the Punahou 4.

With their backs to the wall, Tuliloa got the Buffanblu out of the jam on first down with a 44-yard pass to Noa. Two plays later, the duo connected on a 43-yard TD pass play early in the second quarter to ignite the rout.

Three more TD passes made it 34-0 with 3:29 left in the half. Defensive back Randon Oda then returned a Tagovailoa interception 44 yards to make it 41-0 at the half.

The 55 points scored by Punahou is the most it has scored on Saint Louis in their 148 meetings dating to 1920. The Buffanblu's previous high was in 2012 in a 43-14 win.

Both teams will play Friday at Aloha Stadium as part of an ILH doubleheader. Saint Louis will play Pac-Five and Punahou wll meet Damien.