When it counted most, Punahou rose to the challenge.

The second-ranked Buffanblu popped top-ranked Saint Louis early en route to a 41-28 win last night to capture their first Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I title since 2005 before about 9,000 at Aloha Stadium.

Quarterback Cayman Shutter, showing no ill effects of a concussion he sustained last weekend, passed for 307 yards and four touchdowns, and all-purpose Manti Te'o added two rushing TDs to give Punahou (10-1 overall, 7-1 ILH) its 27th overall title and second for coach Kale Ane.

Punahou draws a first-round bye in the Division I state tournament and will play the winner of Friday's Farrington-Kealakehe first-round game on Nov. 28 at Aloha Stadium.

The Crusaders (8-2, 6-2) had their two-year reign snapped and are done for the season under first-year coach John Hao.

"It's a great feeling," Te'o said. "It's my senior year. There's no greater feeling. We got two more games. We made it to the big dance."

The Buffanblu began their celebration with five seconds left, when they called time out to decide how they were going to kill the remaining ticks on fourth down (running back Dalton Hilliard scrambled around until time ran out).

During the timeout, some players poured water on Ane.

The only thing missing was a congratulatory call from President-elect Barack Obama.

The game was very unlike their first meeting, Sept. 13, in which Saint Louis won handily, 40-19. In that game, Punahou did not throw to receiver Robert Toma until the third quarter. In that game, the Buffanblu secondary was picked apart.

Last night, Punahou's offense spread out its receivers and went vertical on the Crusaders. On the first play from scrimmage, Toma hauled in a 79-yard pass from Shutter to the Saints' 1.

That set up the first of Punahou's six TDs of the game against a defense that doesn't get roughed up a lot. They used their Division I talent — Toma, Hilliard, Kimo Makaula, Shutter and Te'o — often and effectively.

"We have great players," Punahou offensive coordinator Darryl Kan said. "As coaches, we just have to let them make great plays."

That they did.

The New Mexico-bound Shutter completed 22 of 31 passes with TD passes of 6, 14 and 59 yards to UCLA-bound Toma. Hawai'i-bound Makaula caught a 15-yard TD pass using his 6-foot-3 frame. UCLA-bound Hilliard had seven catches for 56 yards and Te'o, one of the most highly recruited players in state history, had 73 yards rushing, the bulk on a 47-yard TD run. Te'o, who also plays linebacker, hasn't decided on a college.

Because of his concussion, Shutter didn't practice much during the week.

"The doctors were very cautious," Ane said. "They made sure he was 100 percent."

Shutter said he wasn't missing the game for anything.

"There was nothing that was going to keep me out of this game," Shutter said. "Even the trainers knew. They said, 'We're going to keep you in the game unless your brain is hanging out of your head.' "

Shutter credited Kan for the offensive explosion.

"He called a great game," Shutter said. "He made it really easy on the offense. To make plays, he put the playmakers in the best position to make the plays."

It was a tough night for the Crusaders' defense.

"We knew what to expect," Saint Louis defensive lineman Moses Samia said. "We just got beaten fair and square."

After the long pass from Shutter to Toma on the first play, it took three plays and a false start penalty before Shutter hit Toma on an out to the left side of the end zone for a six-yard touchdown pass. Robert Izuta's PAT gave the Buffanblu a 7-0 lead just 2:50 into the game.

The Buffanblu scored on their next series after Saint Louis punted. A four-play, 73-yard drive was highlighted by Te'o's 47-yard run up the middle to make it 14-0 at 6:57 remaining in the first quarter.

Punahou failed to capitalize on a fumble by Austin Wakinekona after he was hit by Mina Gould at the Saints' 46. Toma got to the Saints' 4 on a 42-yard run on an end around. But two plays went for lost yardage totaling 14 yards and a holding penalty pushed the Buffanblu back to the 30, where the drive ended on an incomplete pass on fourth down.

The Crusaders capitalized on a fumble by Shutter after the exchange from center at the Saints' 37. Six plays later, Jeremy Higgins hit Micah McClinton on a 19-yard touchdown pass to cut the Saints' deficit to 14-7 with 4:39 left in the half.

But the Buffanblu answered on their next series, using six plays to move 66 yards with Shutter hitting Toma on a 14-yard touchdown pass with 2:15 left in the half to make it 21-7.

Saint Louis took the second-half kickoff, but Sean McFadden's interception of Higgins set up Shutter's third touchdown pass of the game, a 15-yarder to Makaula.

From there, both teams traded touchdowns.

Higgins, who passed for 361 yards and three touchdowns the first time against Punahou, was 29 of 46 for 352 yards and three touchdowns. But most of it came on playing catchup.

The Buffanblu rushed three linemen most of the time, leaving eight in coverage. For the most part, Punahou negated the short passes, keeping damage to a minimum. And this time, they weren't burned by the long TD passes.

"We had to get a body on a body and that's what we didn't do," Hao said. "Not to take away from their explosive players, we were supposed to contain and we didn't. But sometimes it happens. Hopefully, (our players) keep their heads high. Move on."

SAINT LOUIS (8-2, 6-2) 0 7 7 14 — 28

PUNAHOU (10-1, 7-1) 14 7 7 13 — 41

Pun—Robert Toma 6 pass from Cayman Shutter (Robert Izuta kick)

Pun—Manti Te'o 47 run (Izuta kick)

Stl—Micah McClinton 19 pass from Jeremy Higgins (Warren Spencer kick)

Pun—Toma 14 pass from Shutter (Izuta kick)

Pun—Kimo Makaula 15 pass from Shutter (Izuta kick)

Stl—Austin Wakinekona 12 run (Spencer kick)

Pun—Te'o 1 run (Izuta kick)

Stl—Lucas Gonsalves 11 pass from Higgins (Spencer kick)

Pun—Toma 59 pass from Shutter (kick blocked)

Stl—Billy Stutzmann 14 pass from Higgins (Spencer kick)

RUSHING—Saint Louis: Higgins 4-(minus 1), Austin Wakinekona 8-45, Vonn Feao 1-1. Punahou: Shutter 7-(minus 3, Dalton Hilliard 13-21, Te'o 8-73, Toma 3-71, Team 1-(minus 15).

PASSING—Saint Louis: Higgins 29-46-1—352. Punahou: Shutter 22-31-0—307.

RECEIVING—Saint Louis: Stutzmann 6-80, Lucas Gonsalves 3-28, Trevor Mau 8-137, Wakinekona 1-(minus 2), Evan Fujihara 1-2, McClinton 6-62, Jordan Fukumoto 4-45. Punahou: Toma 9-213, Hilliard 7-56, Makaula 5-43, Galen Arakawa 1-5.