Kaio's 3 TD receptions lift Saint Louis II past Damien

Saint Louis II Kache Kaio (9) scored a 24 yard touchdown early in the first quarter to give the Crusaders a 7-0 lead against Damien. Kaio caught nine passes for 172 yards and three touchdowns. CJ Caraang | SL

HALAWA — Kache Kaio caught nine passes for 172 yards and three touchdowns to lead Saint Louis II to a 34-14 win over Damien in an Interscholastic League of Honolulu football game at Aloha Stadium Friday night.

The Crusaders (1-0) made their season debut a successful one, thanks largely to a 21-point first quarter, while the Monarchs (2-2) saw their two-game win streak come to an end.

Saint Louis capped its first three offensive possessions with touchdowns. Kaio pulled down scoring passes of 24 and 15 yards from quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele to culminate the first two scoring drives.

The Crusaders' third touchdown — a 1-yard TD run by Chevas Gregory, Jr. — was set-up by TJ Setik's 30-yard interception return one play prior. Gregory's rush TD gave his team a 21-0 lead with 4:37 left in the opening quarter.

Damien got on the board with Sylas Alaimalo's 32-yard touchdown pass to Kamalii Labanon on the final play of the first quarter.

Kaio and Sagapolutele hooked up for a 36-yard scoring strike with 1:55 to go in the first half to give Saint Louis a 28-7 lead at the intermission.

Kaio had six receptions for 128 yards and three TDs by halftime.

The Monarchs cut it to a two-score game with Alaimalo's 35-yard TD run near the midpoint of the third quarter, but Saint Louis got an insurance score late with Gregory's 4-yard run into the end zone with 1:14 left in the game.

Damien played without starting quarterback Jensen Tanele, who was injured in last week's win over PAC-5. Alaimalo started in his stead, but left the game in the second half due to injury.

Setik had two of the Crusaders' four interceptions for the game, one in each half.

Saint Louis finished with 431 yards of total offense, including 336 yards through the air on 30-of-47 passing by Sagapolutele, who did not throw an interception.

Damien ran for 168 of its 240 yards of total offense. It was just 1 of 9 on third-down conversions.

The teams combined for 21 penalties for 228 yards.

Damien will visit No. 12 Iolani Friday, while Saint Louis II will face PAC-5 that same afternoon at Aloha Stadium.