Canyon Enforces 55 Limit : Football: Cowboys wipe out St. Louis, 40-0, end Honolulu school’s long win streak.

Former streak makers became streak breakers on a memorable night at Aloha Stadium.

Before a stunned crowd estimated at 15,000, Canyon High clobbered St. Louis, 40-0, Thursday night in the feature game of the Shawn Akina Memorial Classic.

Most of the game was played after midnight Pacific Daylight Time and Canyon gave St. Louis a rude awakening, severing the Crusaders’ win streak at 55. It was the nation’s longest current streak by a large school and second longest overall.

In becoming the first team to defeat the Crusaders since 1985, Canyon was never more grand.

“This is absolutely one of the best games the Cowboys have ever played,” said Coach Harry Welch, who in eight seasons has led Canyon to three Southern Section championships and a 46-game winning streak that ended in 1986.

The Cowboys enforced a streak limit of 55 on the Crusaders, the four-time defending Hawaii state champions.

Leading only 7-0 after a penalty-marred first half, Canyon began the third quarter by driving 70 yards in eight plays for a touchdown. After St. Louis ran three plays and punted, the Cowboys marched 56 yards in eight plays for another score and a 20-0 lead with 2 minutes 52 seconds to play in the quarter.

As they say in Hawaiian, St. Louis was pau --finished.

Canyon scored three more touchdowns in the fourth quarter, including an 81-yard interception return by Joey McKeon with 7:45 left.

David McDivitt (207 yards) and Mike Torres (85) led an unstoppable Canyon ground game that rolled up 337 yards--more than St. Louis allowed all last season .

“In the second half, our offense got stronger and stronger,” Welch said. “I don’t know of many teams in America that are better conditioned than us.”

Or that gang tackle any better. Or that control the line of scrimmage any better. Canyon beat St. Louis at its own game, outhitting a group that intimidates every other team in Hawaii.

The Crusaders had 102 total yards, only 38 rushing. Returning all-state quarterback John Hao completed nine of 17 for 64 yards.

Canyon rushed for more yards in the first quarter (87) than St. Louis allowed in any game last year. Two first-half touchdowns by McDivitt were nullified by penalties or the blowout would have begun sooner. The Cowboys had 95 yards in penalties, 80 in the first half.

A one-yard plunge by quarterback Kevin Bialas with 1:15 to play in the half finally broke the scoreless tie. The run capped a 55-yard, 11-play drive.

If not for the large crowd and synthetic turf, the second half would have looked like just another Golden League Canyon rout. The offensive line of John Doherty, Sean Gloeckner, Chris Fellows, John Artimovich and Steve Conley created openings that grew larger as the game progressed.

McDivitt and Torres, no-frills runners who know the shortest distance to the goal line, romped through the holes virtually at will. All but seven second-half Canyon plays were runs by the duo.

Four others were quarterback sneaks by Bialas, who hit Jim Zopelis with a nine-yard touchdown pass to begin the second-half scoring and rushed for his second touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Bialas, a senior making his first varsity start, completed only four of 12 and threw two interceptions. He mostly kept matters simple by handing the ball to Torres and McDivitt.

McDivitt’s season was in doubt only a month ago after he suffered a concussion during a passing league game. After 23 bruising carries with an 8.8-yard average, it is clear that his head has recovered--now it’s his running style that’s concussive.

“Our line was incredible, blowing those guys back like a knife through butter,” McDivitt said while dancing a giddy hula in front of the Canyon stands after the game.

The Canyon contingent, more than 300 strong, poured onto the field, and not until the stadium lights were shut off did everyone leave.

Meanwhile, St. Louis Coach Cal Lee stood with Welch, shaking his head as if he had just witnessed Diamond Head erupt.

“You have an awesome football team, coach,” Lee told Welch. “I thank you for showing my kids a lesson. You did me a great favor. You really did.”