No. 10 Punahou used its imagination in a 26-3 win against No. 4 Saint Louis last night in Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I football at Aloha Stadium.

The Buffanblu (4-4 overall, 4-2 ILH) meet Kamehameha (4-1) in the final game of the regular season on Nov. 5.
But now it’s an uphill battle for the Crusaders (6-3, 3-3), who needed the win just as much as Punahou to keep pace with the Warriors. But Saint Louis coach John Hao remains optimistic.
“If we beat Kamehameha and (Punahou) beats them, then it’s a three-way tie,” Hao said. “Whoever plays the hardest, deserves it.”
Last night, that would’ve been the Buffanblu, who not only contained Saint Louis’ ground game to 93 yards, but had three interceptions off QB Jeremy Higgins, including one returned 33 yards for a TD by Brian Suite.
But it was Punahou’s offense that added some wrinkles since their last meeting, won by the Buffanblu, 23-21. Instead of alternating QBs Kaiana Eldredge with Liloa Travis, Eldredge not only played QB, but moved to receiver, giving way to defensive back Jeremy Ioane and even running back/linebacker Steven Lakalaka. Eldredge even had one reception from Ioane.
“It’s different,” Eldredge said of being on the receiving end of passes for a change. “But Coach (Darryl) Kan’s (offensive coordinator) theory was that I’d get my blood flowing in the game by running around a little bit. I’d be more into the game, so that was the game plan.”
Ioane, who completed 2 of 6 passes for 63 yards, also rushed for 90 yards on nine carries. But he’s not quite ready to switch sides permanently.
“I think I’d be better on defense,” he said.
The Buffanblu went to their bag of gadgets in taking a 9-3 lead into the half.
After the Crusaders missed a 22-yard field-goal attempt on their opening series, Punahou took over from its 20 and drove downfield in six plays with running back Stabren Caires scoring on a 3-yard run off the right side. But the big play in the drive was when quarterback Eldredge threw a lateral to the right to Ioane, who then hit Jeffrey Pedrina on a 40-yard pass play to the Saint Louis 31. Punahou went for a fake PAT, but failed to convert, keeping it 6-0 with 2:53 left in the first quarter.
The Buffanblu then cashed in on a Saint Louis fumble at the Punahou 22. The Buffanblu used 10 plays — including a 23-yard pass from Ioane to Eldredge, who lined up as a receiver — in a drive that ended with a 38-yard field goal by Kaimi Fairbairn with 3:14 left in the half to make it 9-0.
Fairbairn’s ensuing kickoff went for a touchback, forcing Saint Louis to start at its 20. The Crusaders drove down to the Punahou 6, but had to settle for a 24-yard field goal by Jesse Correa as time expired in the first half.
Fairbairn added a 31-yard field goal in the third quarter to make it 12-3, but the back-breaker was Suite’s interception return with 2:35 left in the third quarter that made it 19-3.
Ioane scored with 1:27 left in the game on fourth-and-2 on a 10-yard run to round out the scoring.
Unlike the Crusaders, the Buffanblu were able to establish the run, led by Caires’ 124 yards on 19 carries.
Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertis
er.com or 525-8042
PUNAHOU (4-4, 4-2) 6 3 10  7 — 26
SAINT LOUIS (6-3, 3-3)      0 3  0  0—  3
Pun—Stabren Caires 3 run (run failed)
Pun—FG Kaimi Fairbairn 38
Stl—FG Jesse Correa 24
Pun—FG Fairbairn 31
Pun—Brian Suite 33 interception return (Fairbairn kick)
Pun—Jeremy Ioane 10 run (Fairbairn kick)
RUSHING—Punahou: Kaiana Eldredge 2-(minus 8), Caires 19-124, Ioane 9-90, Steven Lakalaka 5-18, Ikaia Nawahine 1-2. Saint Louis: Jeremy Higgins 3-28, Emmett McShane 16-65.
PASSING—Punahou: Eldredge 2-4-0—6, Ioane 2-5-0—63. Saint Louis: Higgins 33-48-3—265.
RECEIVING—Punahou: Jeffrey Pedrina 1-40, Caires 1-3, Eldredge 1-23, Ioane 1-3. Saint Louis: Jordan Fukumoto 15-85, Duke Bukoski 8-99, Sean Ahlo 5-31, Jaris Falefia 1-10, Joshua Tupua 1-14, Kaeo Aliviado 1-9.