Menes fall to Monarchs as Damien extends season


Michael Lasquero | ScoringLive
October 11, 2019, 8:23pm

Damien RB Amo Sulu looks for some running room in front of his own end zone during the second quarter against Moanalua. Michael Lasquero | SL

HALAWA — No. 11 Damien seized the moment Friday night.

The Monarchs extended their season by handing No. 8 Moanalua its first loss of the year, 22-17, in a key Division I interleague matchup at Hawaiian Financial FCU Field at Aloha Stadium in both team's final game of the regular season.

Damien jumped out to a 22-0 lead through three quarters before holding off a late charge by Na Menehune to improve to 8-2 overall and 6-2 in the ILH D1 standings.

While the contest had no bearing towards Na Menehune's placement in the OIA D1 playoff picture, the win ensured that Damien will play at least one more game. Since Iolani (8-2 overall, 6-2 ILH D1) was able to fend off Castle in a 33-28 win later in the night to finish with an identical record with Damien, the Monarchs and the Raiders will have a playoff to determine the league champion on Oct. 25.

"We're definitely excited to play another game," said Damien coach Eddie Klaneski. "We're just proud of our kids. We're happy for the victory. Two weeks down the road, hopefully we have another chance to win another football game."

The biggest question however entering the Monarchs winner-take-all showdown with Iolani will be the health of standout running back Aperamo Sulu, who had to be carried off the field late in the second quarter with an apparent knee injury and did not play in the second half.

"We're not too sure, but it doesn't look like a ligament thing, more of a bone bruise or something like that," Klaneski said minutes after the game. "We'll check it out on Monday and see what goes down with it, but he just got hit in the kneecap pretty hard. We just got to check and see, but nothing real major right now."

Sulu's absence in the second half more than likely opened the door for Moanalua as the Damien RB carried the ball 16 times for 114 yards and a 2-yard TD that gave the Monarchs a 15-0 lead that they took into halftime. It was Sulu's sixth straight game where he went over the century mark. Sulu has also scored in every game this season.

While the Monarchs await the status of Sulu, they did benefit from the return of senior quarterback Jake Holtz, who was coming off a two-game suspension. He scored on a 3-yard run to give Damien its first score of the game while passing for 96 yards and adding 45 more on the ground.

Fullback River Iaea, who led the team in tackles and had two of the team's seven sacks, was also key offensively with an 8-yard touchdown run on Damien's second play of the second half. He also completed a 25-yard pass on a fake punt to extend the Monarchs' opening drive.

Damien would keep Moanalua (8-1) off the board up until the fourth quarter when Griffin Motas booted a 47-yard field goal with 7:15 left in regulation.

Rashod Tanner picked off Holtz on the Monarchs' following drive, which set up an 11-play, 80-yard drive that ended in RJ Javar's 16-yard TD pass to Rudy Kealohi. Javar also completed the 2-point conversion pass to Ayzeiah Callo-Saquiton to make it a 22-11 game with 3:15 remaining in the game.

Damien recovered the ensuing onside kick attempt and burned 63 seconds off the clock before Moanalua got the ball back at its own 32-yard line with 2:12 showing on the fourth quarter clock.

Na Menehune managed to score on a 51-yard catch-and-run by Jansen York with 1:03 left in the game, but failed to get the 2-point conversion and the onside kick as Damien held on for the victory.

"We're happy we put up enough points in the beginning and was able to hold them off," said Klaneski. "They're a talented football team. We knew that coming in. We just had a great plan for these guys."


Reach Michael Lasquero at [email protected].