GAME NIGHT 10/5: Waipahu/Moanalua

No. 8 Moanalua 29, Waipahu 5, FINAL

At Aloha Stadium
Waipahu (5-4, 4-2) 0 5 0 0 — 5
Moanalua (7-0, 6-0) 14 6 3 6 — 29
MOA—Ezra Grace 63 pass from Nick Au (Griffin Motas kick)
MOA—Rudy Kealohi 45 pass from Au (Motas kick)
WAI—Safety, Avery Montero sacks Au in end zone
WAI—Brycen Amorozo FG 34
MOA—Grace 7 pass from Au (run failed)
MOA—Motas FG 24
MOA—Drayden Von Oelhoffen 1 pass from Au (kick blocked)
JV—Waipahu 28, Moanalua 10.

RUSHING—Waipahu: Deacon Kapea 10-28, Cody Marques 6-14, Jayden Reyes 3-4, Joel Auvae 2-(-23). Moanalua: Makana Spencer 2-(-8), Grace 1-(-4), Au 6-(-27), Lawsen Lee 4-(-2), Kealohi 2-2, team 2-(-2).

PASSING—Waipahu: Marques 16-26-1-151, Auvae 2-6-1-19. Moanalua: Au 32-42-0-353.

RECEIVING—Waipahu: Matthew Fiesta 5-45, Jovan Gooman 2-10, Saxon Tote 5-45, Branson Jay Reyes 2-18, Kapea 1-11, Devin Espíritu 1-11, Jeff Badua 1-18, Solofa Setu 1-12. Moanalua: Grace 5-89, Kealohi 13-129, Javon Monico 4-61, CJ Paleafei 3-25, Spencer 1-1, Lee 2-29, Jacob Copeland 1-6, Von Oelhoffen 2-5, Tim Ungacta 1-8.

Marques is injured for the second time in as many possessions. Interception by his backup, Moanalua ball at the Waipahu 37.

Na Menehune drive methodically, chewing up clock between plays. Au to Drayden Von Oelhoffen on a 1-yard, play-action toss for the TD. PAT blocked by Waipahu’s Zeondre Benjamin. MOANALUA 29, WAIPAHU 5, 7:35, Q4.

———-

Moanalua still aggressive offensively, though a draw play lost 2 yards. In nine rushing attempts, eight have lost yardage and one has been no gain. But they lead 23-5 entering the fourth quarter.

Waipahu drives past mid-field and converts on fourth-and-1. One play later, Marques is injured on a 6-yard keeper. The drive stalls and Waipahu punts. Touchback.

Na Menehune get a 25-yard pass from Au to Kealohi and have the ball at the Waipahu 7 after a personal foul is called at the end of the play. Motas drills a 24-yard FG. MOANALUA 23, WAIPAHU 5, 5:01, Q3.

Waipahu’s first series of the second half is a three and out. They had fourth-and-1, punt returned 22 yards by Grace to the Waipahu 49.

Moanalua receives the second-half kickoff and the drive stalls after a sack by Waipahu’s Dason Santana. Punt.
———-

HALFTIME
Na Menehune have rushed six times, including two sacks, for minus-31 yards, yet lead 20-5. Never seen a drastic stat like that before. Au is masterful so far, 15-for-21, 217 yards, three TDs and no picks. He has maneuvered the football to six teammates for completions. On that last drive of the first half, he targeted five different receivers. Moanalua has 186 yards of total offense.

Waipahu got stronger offensively with each possession. Marques is 8-for-17, 71 yards and one pick. They have rushed for 22 yards on 13 carries, including one sack on Marques. Waipahu has 93 total yards, Failauga is not playing, and they’re still in this game.

At Aloha Stadium
Waipahu (5-3, 4-1) 0 5 xx xx — 5
Moanalua (6-0, 5-0) 14 6 xx xx — 20
MOA—Ezra Grace 63 pass from Nick Au (Griffin Motas kick)
MOA—Rudy Kealohi 45 pass from Au (Motas kick)
WAI—Safety, Avery Montero sacks Au in end zone
WAI—Brycen Amorozo FG 34
MOA—Grace 7 pass from Au (run failed)

JV—Waipahu 28, Moanalua 10.

RUSHING—
Waipahu:
#2 Deacon Kapea 5-12,
#7 Cody Marques 5-6,
#21 Jayden Reyes 3-4

Moanalua:
#12 Makana Spencer 2-(-8),
#3 Grace 1-(-4),
#7 Au 2-(-18),
#25 Lawsen Lee 1-(-1)

PASSING—
Waipahu:
#7 Marques 8-17-1-71

Moanalua:
#7 Au 15-21-0-217

RECEIVING—
Waipahu:
#6 Matthew Fiesta 1-5,
#14 Jovan Gooman 1-3,
#82 Saxon Tote 4-41,
#2 Kapea 1-11,
#15 Devin Espíritu 1-11

Moanalua:
#3 Grace 5-89,
#11 Kealohi 3-61,
#21 Javon Monico 1-12,
#14 CJ Paleafei 3-25,
#12 Spencer 1-1,
#25 Lee 2-29

Moanalua turns up the heat offensively here. Serious hurry-up mode, and Au is on target for five completions in six attempts. Quick passes all the way. Au to Grace for a 7-yard catch and run to the left pylon. PAT bad snap, no good. MOANALUA 20, WAIPAHU 5, :46, Q2.

Marauder offense puts together a nice drive, but a sack by Kim, his second, puts it on pause. Brycen Amorozo’s 34-yard FG from the left hash is good. MOANALUA 14, WAIPAHU 5, 3:45, Q2.

Marauder defense comes up big. Zachary Camanse and Avery Montero combine to sack Au. Next play, Montero ambushes Au in the end zone for a safety. WOW. MOANALUA 14, WAIPAHU 2, 7:47, Q2.

Waipahu has its best starting field position of the game. QB Cody Marques comes alive with some excellent escape action from the pocket, and completes a pair of 11-yard tosses. He scrambles for 8 more yards. Two plays later, Moanalua is whistled for defensive holding and the ball is now at the 9-yard line. Time out, Moanalua, 9:06. Right-side WR runs a post-corner route, but Moanalua safety Christian Sison is standing there in the corner for the easy pick. He returns it to the Menes 13.

Moanalua goes three and out for the first time. Punt out of bounds at the Waipahu 48.

———-

First quarter ends with Moanalua at its 35. They’ve run the ball three times for minus-12 yards, but lead 14-0.

Waipahu’s fourth series stalls, punt out of bounds and marked generously at the Moanalua 35.

Moanalua’s third drive stalls and Motas attempts a 39-yard FG, which is blocked and smothered in a big pile-up at the line of scrimmage. Waipahu ball at its 22. Same thing happened in the JV game, first FG try was blocked.

Waipahu, still no sign of RB Alfred Failauga. If he’s not playing, a huge loss. Marauders three and out, very conservative. Punt is fair caught at the Moanalua 34.

Moanalua’s second series, first snap, a bomb from Au to Rudy Kealohi, who breaks a tackle near the 15 and sprints home for a 45-yard TD. MOANALUA 14, WAIPAHU 0, 7:07, Q1.

A sack by “Buffalo” Cruize III stifles Waipahu’s second series, another punt. Moanalua ball at the Waipahu 45.

Moanalua goes backward with an illegal block penalty and a 6-yard loss on a run. Then QB Nick Au launches a bomb on a post route to Ezra Grace for a 63-yard TD. WOH. MOANALUA 7, WAIPAHU 0, 8:48, Q1.

Moanalua PK Griffin Motas sends the opening kickoff past the goal line for a touchback. Sack by Moanalua LB Micah Kim derails Waipahu’s opening series. PUNT.
———-

PRE-GAME
Moanalua wins the coin toss and elects to defer. Waipahu will receive the opening kickoff from the mauka (tunnel) end zone.

7:43 p.m. JV final, Waipahu over Moanalua 28-10. We are roughly 2 minutes from varsity opening kickoff.

5:10 p.m. October means the sun is setting earlier, and already there’s a shadow covering the field and even the orange section of bleachers on the visitors’ side here at Aloha Stadium. The breeze is still with us. JV game is underway.

4 p.m. Conditions are warm and toasty in Halawa, but there’s a consistent trade wind of 5-10 mph. We’ll take that.

———-
For Waipahu’s roster, click here
For Moanalua’s roster, click here
SERIES HISTORY: Waipahu leads 13-3