A talent-rich team of Mainland college prospects converted three Hawai'i/Polynesia turnovers into first-half scores last night en route to a 22-8 victory in the inaugural Hawai'i/Polynesia-Mainland Bowl.

A crowd of 4,497 at Aloha Stadium watched the Hawai'i All-Star Classic, a doubleheader which began with the 18th Annual Hawai'i Union Builders Goodwill Senior Bowl.

The Hawai'i/Polynesia-Mainland Bowl featured at least 42 players who have verbally committed to NCAA Division I programs, including 25 on the Mainland team. But nine Hawai'i/Polynesia turnovers — six interceptions and three lost fumbles — proved to be the major difference in the game.

"I think Hawai'i plays really good football," said Mainland coach Bill Renner, a successful head coach at West Springfield (Springfield, Va.) High. "We played really well in the first half and kind of set the tempo. But (Hawai'i) didn't quit, they didn't fold, and they made a game of it in the second half. I thought it was an exciting game."

A fumble recovery by University of Cincinnati-bound linebacker Jordan Stepp on the second series of the game gave the Mainland possession at the Hawai'i/Polynesia 20-yard line. Three plays later, David Wilson (Virginia Tech) ran it in from the 4 to put the Mainland up, 6-0, with 5:09 remaining in the first quarter.

On the first play of the ensuing series, Boston College-bound Dillon Quinn recovered another fumble at the Hawai'i/Polynesia 9-yard line. Four plays later, Nick Tausch (Notre Dame) kicked a 37-yard field goal to put the Mainland up, 9-0, with 4:04 left in the quarter.

Later in the first half, Ohio State-bound defensive back Corey Brown made an interception at midfield, and three plays later, Bryn Renner (North Carolina) connected with Trabis Ward on a 48-yard touchdown strike and Tausch's extra point made it 16-0 with 3:09 remaining.

"We had to settle down," Hawai'i/Polynesia coach Wendell Say said. "Our defense played well, and our offense played well at times, but we had to be more consistent."

Turnovers continued to haunt Hawai'i/Polynesia in the second half.

Adam Hall intercepted a third-and-11 halfback option pass at his own 4-yard line, and the Mainland converted it into a nine-play drive culminating in a 34-yard TD pass from Renner to Wilson. A bad snap foiled the extra point attempt, but the Mainland led 22-0 with 9:05 left in the game.

Hawai'i/Polynesia finally scored with 5:08 remaining, on University of Hawai'i-bound quarterback Corey Nielsen's 14-yard touchdown pass to Punahou receiver Robert Toma (UCLA). Nielson — who attends Gahr High School in Cerritos, Calif., but has strong family ties here — then ran in the two-point conversion to cut it to 22-8.

'Iolani safety Breland Almadova, who will attend UH on a baseball scholarship, recovered the ensuing onside kick, but the Hawai'i/Polynesia drive was halted by another interception, this one by Ohio State-bound linebacker Dorian Bell.

"We're all ball-hawkers," said Brown, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound safety from Monroeville, Pa. "The defensive line started it off because of their pressure up front; (Hawai'i quarterbacks) threw those interceptions because they were pressured and everybody had good coverage."

Hawai'i/Polynesia regained possession with 2:44 left and advanced to the Mainland 21, but Kamehameha quarterback Edmund Kamano Jr. was sacked on fourth-and-14 with 1:08 remaining, sealing the game.

"We knew what they had and we felt we could play with them," said 'Iolani cornerback Kela Marciel. "But they just overpowered us and we had miscues ... and we couldn't capitalize on their mistakes."

MAINLAND 9 7 0 6—22

HAWAI'I 0 0 0 8— 8

Mainland — David Wilson 4 run (run failed)

Mainland — FG Nick Tausch 37

Mainland — Travis Ward 52 pass from Bryn Renner (Tausch kick)

Mainland — Wilson 34 pass from Renner (run failed)

Hawai'i — Robert Toma 5 pass from Corey Nielsen (Nielsen run)

RUSHING — Mainland: Michael Ford 13-59, Wilson 13-47, Renner 3-7, Team 1-(minus 2), Phil Walker 4-(minus 20). Hawai'i: Joey Iosefa 1-23, Troy Matautia 2-21, Danny Kekoanui 6-18, Nielsen 3-1, Afasene Tasi 3-(minus 4), Apelu So'oalo 3-(minus 10), Team 1-(minus 14), Edmund Kamano Jr. 3-(minus 18).

PASSING — Mainland: Renner 7-16-1—124, Walker 7-11-1—67. Hawai'i: Kamano Jr. 12-17-2—77, Nielsen 6-13-1—70, Cayman Shutter 2-11-2—21, Matautia 0-1-1—0.

RECEIVING — Mainland: James Green 4-50, Shaquelle Evans 4-30, Wilson 3-50, Ward 1-52, Daryle Hawkins 1-5, Ford 1-4. Hawai'i: Rico Newman 4-36, Toma 3-55, Lucas Gonsalves 3-45, Levi Te'o 2-22, Kekoanui 2-13, So'oalo 2-(minus 1), Matautia 2-(minus 2), Edieson Dumlao 1-3, Billy Stutzmann 1-(minus 3).

Read his blog on high school sports at http://preptalk.honadvblogs.com