Kato leads Iolani in 36-10 win over Damien


HALAWA - Even on a sub-par night, Reece Foy was good enough.

The senior quarterback passed for 216 yards and three touchdowns - despite a season-high three interceptions - to lead Iolani to a 36-10 win over Damien in an Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division II game at Hawaiian Airlines Field at Aloha Stadium Friday night.

The Raiders accumulated 343 yards of total offense, including 113 yards on 17 rushes and two touchdowns from Yuuya Kato, to improve to 6-3 overall and 3-3 in the ILH.

Kato scored on runs of 2 and 4 yards and Foy tossed scoring strikes of 24, 4 and 41 yards to three different receivers to give Iolani a one-game lead on idle Pac-Five heading into next week's regular-season finale.

The Raiders host the Wolf Pack (2-4) at Kozuki Stadium next Saturday. An Iolani win would seal its sixth straight ILH Division II title and the league's lone berth into next month's First Hawaiian Bank/Hawaii High School Athletic Association Football State Championships.

Iolani got on the board on a 2-yard Yuuya Kato touchdown run to cap its first offensive possession. His first scoring run culminated an 8-play, 41-yard Raiders' drive and was followed by Jordan Genovia's extra point to put them ahead, 7-0.

Damien got a 30-yard field goal by Lyle Alloy-Glover on its ensuing drive to make the score, 7-3, midway through the first quarter.

Josiah Situmeang intercepted a Damien pass just before the end of the first quarter and three plays later, Kato scored on a 4-yard touchdown run. Max Look ran in the two-point conversion to extend Iolani's lead to 15-3 early in the second quarter.

Foy put the Raiders ahead, 22-3, with five minutes and 33 seconds left until halftime, on his 24-yard scoring strike to Chad Hanaoka. Following the Genovia PAT, Iolani took a 22-3 lead into the intermission.

Iolani further extended its lead to 29-3 early in the third quarter when Foy capped a 7-play, 80-yard drive with his second touchdown pass - a 4-yarder to Austin Ohira.

Later in the third quarter, Foy connected with Tanner Nishioka on a 41-yard touchdown pass to make the score, 36-3, after at the Genovia extra point. On the scoring play, Nishioka hauled in the pass along the left sideline, cut inside of several defenders and went untouched to the end zone.

Damien, which ends its season with a 3-7 record overall and 0-7 in the ILH, closed out the scoring with 2:25 remaining with Syles Choy's 2-yard run.

Kyle Sato, Jameson White and Alloy-Glover each had an interception for Damien. 

After a 3-0 start to the season, the Monarchs dropped their last seven contests, under second-year head coach and Damien alum, Eddie Klaneski.

Foy's three picks were the most he has thrown since a five-interception game against Kamehameha on Oct. 8, 2011. He entered Friday's game with just two picks on the year.

Iolani has won the last five Division II state championships.



Reach Kalani Takase at [email protected].