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The Baldwin football team's season came to an end Saturday night as the fifth-seeded Bears fell 28-21 to No. 4 Saint Damien in the opening round of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division I state tournament.
The loss snapped a nine-game win streak for Baldwin after the Bears went undefeated in Maui Interscholastic League play this season and won the MIL Division I championship.
Baldwin struck first against the Monarchs after the Bears defense forced a punt. Baldwin moved the ball quickly on its opening drive, going 50 yards in four plays.
Bears quarterback Devin Inokuma threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Coppa with 9:05 remaining in the first quarter to finish off the drive, and Zyler Yoshida kicked the first of his three successful extra points to give Baldwin a 7-0 lead.
However, Saint Damien responded by tying the game in the first quarter and scoring twice in the second, including a touchdown set up by a blocked punt, to lead 20-7 at halftime.
Baldwin intercepted Saint Damien quarterback Wyatt Ho-Williams twice before halftime, with Malu Rivera and Gabriel Koko each recording a takeaway.
Baldwin opened the second half with a three-play, 58-yard drive capped by an 18-yard touchdown pass from Inokuma to Andrew Van Bueren, cutting the Bears' deficit to six.
Saint Damien scored again, but Baldwin answered late in the third quarter when Coppa connected with Grayson Reuss on a 44-yard touchdown pass, bringing the Bears within seven.
After stopping Saint Damien on downs early in the fourth, Baldwin mounted a 61-yard drive that reached the Monarchs’ 1-yard line. However, Baldwin was stopped on fourth-and-goal with 3:27 remaining.
Inokuma completed 13 of 26 passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns with 29 rushing yards. Coppa had four catches for 45 yards and a score, while also completing his only pass for a 44-yard touchdown.
Reuss led Baldwin’s receivers with five catches for 76 yards and a touchdown, while Jarek Giron added four receptions for 29 yards. Brayden Viloria rushed eight times for a team-high 43 yards.
Rivera led the Baldwin defense with 11 tackles, including nine solo stops, a sack and an interception. Koko added four solo tackles, an interception and two pass breakups, while Perreira finished with six tackles, including two for loss.