GAME NIGHT 10/28: Waipahu/Waialua

It’s title night in the OIA at Aloha Stadium with the Division I and Division II OIA championship games taking place.

The Division II battle features 2006 and ’11 OIA D-II champion Waipahu (8-1) against Waialua (6-2), which is looking to end a 61-year title drought.

The Marauders avenged their only loss of the season with a 13-7 win over Pearl City last weekend in the semifinals. Waipahu is the only team on Oahu with a 1,000-yard passer (Braden Amorozo) and 1,000-yard rusher (Alfred Failauga) this season.

The Bulldogs have won six of their last seven and avenged an early-season loss to Kaimuki with a 19-14 win last weekend. This is Waialua’s first game at Aloha Stadium since opening the 2010 season in the Father Bray Classic losing 37-7 to ‘Iolani.

Waipahu won the regular-season meeting 26-7.

Waialua 36, Waipahu 35

Bulldogs win their first OIA football championship in 61 years.

at Aloha Stadium
Waialua (7-2) 21 8 0 7 — 36
Waipahu (8-2) 7 13 15 0 — 35
Wail—Tevesi Toia 12 run (Dylan Hardin kick)
Wail—Caleb Apau 6 pass from Toia (kick failed)
Waip—Isaac Yamashita 71 pass from Braden Amorozo (Isaiah Harris kick)
Wail—Lancen Kuni 14 pass from Toia (Darin Valmoja-Khleang pass from Toia)
Waip—Cody Andres-Paguirigan 25 pass from Amorozo (Harris kick)
Waip—Jeremy Eda recovers blocked punt in end zone (kick blocked)
Wail—Risein Campbell 5 pass from Toia (Toia run)
Waip—Ezekiel Reyes 30 pass from Amorozo (Harris kick)
Waip—Alika Ahsing 55 pass from Amorozo (Alfred Failauga run)
Wail—Campbell 8 pass from Toia (Harris kick)
RUSHING—Waialua: Toia 14-80, Howard Nahooikaika 3-19, Campbell 12-12, Matthan Hatchie 2-0, team 1-(minus 2). Waipahu: Failauga 19-135, Yamashita 1-15, AJ Contado 1-7, team 1-(minus 17), Amorozo 5-(minus 25).
PASSING—Waialua: Toia 24-36-0-256, Apau 0-1-0-0. Waipahu: Amorozo 20-27-2-327, Ahsing 0-1-1-0.
RECEIVING—Waialua: Kuni 6-49, Sam Merrill 4-64, Daytin Zidad-Albeso 3-30, Campbell 3-20, Valmoja-Khleang 2-37, Nahooikaika 2-32, Apau 2-21, Kyler Dicion 2-3. Waipahu: Ezekiel Reyes 8-89, Ahsing 4-104, Contado 4-18, Yamashita 3-91, Andres-Paguirigan 1-25.

FOURTH QUARTER

Marauders start on own 46 with 2:23 left. Amorozo pressured and incomplete. He’s missed on his last four throws. Amorozo to Reyes for 7 on third-and-5. First down. DEEP BALL. JUMP BALL. It’s picked. No it’s caught. No the ball goes tumbling away. Jump ball and it looked like both defender and receiver had it at some point. Incomplete. Third-and-4 at the 36. 1:20 left. Actually none if it counts as there is a penalty on Waipahu for holding. Reverse to Yamashita who pick up 15. Timeout Waipahu with 1:07 remaining. Marauders have one timeout left. Third-and-2 at 34. Failauga stopped right at the marker and they will measure with 43 seconds left. A lot of time ticked off the clock as they decided whether to measure. It’s short. Fourth-and-1. Waialua calls a timeout now. What a game. Amorozo drops the snap. It’s loose. Not sure what they ruled. Hatchie comes out of pile with ball. It’s a turnover. No. I think the refs changed the call. Oh man they huddle. This is the game for Waialua right here. White hat points Waialua’s way. It’s BULLDOGS BALL. WAIALUA IS GOING TO WIN THIS.

Waialua ball on its 26. Bulldogs struggling to complete a pass now and it’s third-and-15 from the 21. Toia 23-for-34. Does Waialua have one more big play in them? Pass is COMPLETE to Apau and he’s down RIGHT AT THE MARKER. We will measure. FIRST DOWN. Third-and-4 on the 42 and Toia scrambles for the marker and he gets it. Six-yard gain to the 48 with 3:37 remaining. Bulldogs trying to run this one out. Marauders use their first timeout to set up a third-and-8 from the 50 with 2:37 remaining. Toia misses an open receiver that would have converted. Instead Waialua will punt with 2:31 remaining. Hatchie drops the punt and takes off running but he’s stopped short. Waipahu ball on its 46.

Bulldogs with great field position starting at the Waialua 43. Amorozo with his third career 300-yard passing game. Third-and-3 and Failauga picks up 4 for the first down. He’s up to 130 rushing yards. Another third-and-3 coming up at the Waialua 25 as we near seven minutes to go. Again he gets 4 and a first down. Amorozo with two rare incompletions. He had completed 17 of first 20 passes. It’s now third-and-15 at the 26. Make it third-and-20. Pass is off the fingertips of the receiver and Lancen Kuni dives and comes up with the INT. Third pick by the Waialua defense. Bulldogs take over on their 26.

Two high throws from Toia and Waialua goes three-and-out.

Waipahu gets inside the Waialua 50 but it tries a trick play and Ahsing’s pass is intercepted by Dayton Lee, who is having a monster game.

First play of the fourth quarter is a PI on Waipahu to push the ball inside the 10. Toia to Campbell for the 8-yard TD pass. Extra point is good and Waialua retakes the lead. 11:43.

THIRD QUARTER

Toia completes six straight passes mixed in with a 17-yard run by Howard Nahooikaika and the quarter ends with Waialua at the Waipahu 17.

Alika Ahsing gives Waipahu its first lead of the game on a 55-yard TD pass from Amorozo, who is up to 283 passing yards and four TDs. Failauga runs in the two-point conversion. 35-29, 3:19.

Bulldogs start on their 38 after a nice return of 31 yards. DL Centennial Kulikefu injured on a run for Waipahu. Holding his knee and has to be carried off the field by teammates. Hope he’s OK. Lafo Seiuli-Sanchez with a big sack and then a huge hit on third down for the tackle to force a Waialua punt.

Waiphu starts on its 20. Hatchie stops Failauga for a 3-yard loss and quickly it’s third-and-13. Hatchie with a sack to force third-and-17 but Amorozo hits Alika Ahsing for 35 yards and then hits Ezekiel Reyes for the 30-yard TD. 29-27, 6:50.

Toia completes his first three passes to get across midfield but is then sacked by Jeminae Solomua for a loss of 9. Third-and-19. Marauders hold to force a punt.

**************

Bulldogs will get the ball first to start the second half.

Waialua’s 29 points at the break are the most Waipahu has given up in an entire game this season.

HALFTIME BOX
at Aloha Stadium
Waialua (6-2) 21 8
Waipahu (8-1) 7 13
Wail—Tevesi Toia 12 run (Dylan Hardin kick)
Wail—Caleb Apau 6 pass from Toia (kick failed)
Waip—Isaac Yamashita 71 pass from Braden Amorozo (Isaiah Harris kick)
Wail—Lancen Kuni 14 pass from Toia (Darin Valmoja-Khleang pass from Toia)
Waip—Cody Andres-Paguirigan 25 pass from Amorozo (Harris kick)
Waip—Jeremy Eda recovers blocked punt in end zone (kick blocked)
Wail—Risein Campbell 5 pass from Toia (Toia run)
RUSHING—Waialua: Toia 8-82, Campbell 9-7, Matthan Hatchie 1-(minus 3). Waipahu: Alfred Failauga 10-114, AJ Contado 1-7, Amorozo 2-(minus 16), team 1-(minus 17).
PASSING—Waialua: Toia 11-16-0-151, Apau 0-1-0-0. Waipahu: Amorozo 8-10-1-130.
RECEIVING—Waialua: Kuni 4-38, Valmoja-Khleang 2-37, Howard Nahooikaika 2-32, Sam Merrill 1-33, Apau 1-6, Campbell 1-5. Waipahu: Ezekiel Reyes 4-20, Alika Ahsing 2-14, Yamashita 1-71, Andres-Paguirigan 1-25.

SECOND QUARTER

Marauders start on own 7 with 1:15 remaining after a penalty on the return. Failauga breaks off a wild 46-yard run on third-and-4 but time expires. HALFTIME.

Bulldogs will start on their 45 with 2:12 left in the half. Third-and-3 on the 48 and Toia hits Sam Merrill for 33 yards to the 15. Toia runs for 10 to the 5. Toia with his fourth touchdown of the first half as he hits Risein Campbell for a 5-yard TD. Waipahu jumps offsides twice on the extra point so Waialua goes for it and Toia sneaks it in. 29-20.

Waipahu starts on its 1. Failauga runs twice for 4 yards to set up third-and-6. Ezekiel Reyes gets 8 yard on the catch and first down. Another third down and Reyes picks up 3 yards leaving a fourth-and-3. Timeout Waipahu with 2:20 remaining. Waipahu punts.

Howard Nahooikaika with two big catches for 32 yards and Waialua has it on the Waipahu 22. Second-and-5 at the 17 as Toia is credited with 16 yards on a run that had a hold way downfield. Waialua still gets into the red zone and calls timeout. Kuni with a 12-yard reception to the 5. Third-and-goal at the 1. They try a handoff to Campbell but he fumbles it. Waialua recover on the 3. Fourth-and-goal. Blitz up the middle forces Toia to scramble. He’s hit and taken down at the 1. Waipahu holds.

DL Jeminae Solomua with the sack for a loss of 12 for the Waipahu defense. A false start adds to Waialua’s woes and Campbell has to break a tackle to avoid a safety on a third-down draw call. Waialua punts from own end zone. Centennial Kulikefu comes flying in and blocks the punt and Jeremy Eda recovers in the end zone for a Waipahu TD. Matthan Hatchie blocks the XP for Waialua.

A holding call moves Waipahu back to the 25. Third-and-11 and Cody Andres-Paguirigan hauls in a 25-yard TD pass from Amorozo after breaking a tackle. Knee was close to going down but it’s ruled he didn’t touch. 21-14, 11:30.

FIRST QUARTER

Failauga breaks off runs of 27, 20 and 7 yards. Quarter ends with Waipahu second-and-4 at the Waialua 14.

Touchback. Waialua starts on its 20. Toia takes off and gets to the sideline. Spin move and SOMEHOW he gets through a bunch of defenders to pick up 40 yards on the run. Waipahu jumps early on third-and-5 and gives up a first down at the 14. Lancen Kuni 14-yard TD pass from Tevesi Toia. 2-point conversion is good. 21-7, :54, Q1.

Noah Campbell sacks Amorozo for a loss of 9. Amorozo hits Alika Ahsing for 11 and then BOOM. A 71-yard TD pass to Isaac Yamashita puts Waipahu on the board. 13-7, 2:59, Q1.

Third-and-goal at the 6 for Waialua. Toia finds Caleb Apau with a pass. Apau is met at the goal line but gets it in against two defenders. 6-yard TD pass from Toia to Apau makes it 13-0 Waialua with 4:25 left in Q1.

Nice run bck to the 36 by Ezekiel Reyes where Waipahu will start. Two runs get the ball into Waialua territory but a bad snap on first down loses 17 yards. Amorozo scrambles for his life and he makes a poor throw and it’s picked off by Kymani Ayonon, who returns it 23 yards to the Waipahu 7.

Bulldogs start with Caleb Apau at QB. He throws deep twice and Waipahu is called for a PI on the second one, moving the ball to the Marauders’ 30. Tevesi Toia in at QB and he completes a 15-yard pass to the 12. Third-and-10 at the 12 after Waialua recovers its own fumble. Toia flushed out and throws low to make it fourth-and-10 and Waialua goes for it. Toia scrambles out and takes over. He dives for the end zone and gets in. 12-yard TD run gives Waialua a 7-0 lead. 7:13, Q1.

Waipahu will start on its 21. Nice buzz in the stadium for this one. HUGE start to the game for Dayton Lee, who gets a tackle for loss on the first play and then sacks QB Braden Amorozo on third down. Marauders three-and-out.

*******

Waialua wins the toss and will defer. Waipahu will get the ball first.

TEAM CAPTAINS
Waialua: Tevesi Toia, Dayton Lee, Risein Campbell, Kapono Kamai
Waipahu: Braden Amorozo, Brent Micua, Lafo Seiuli-Sanchez, Khaine Viliamu

HISTORY: Waipahu leads the series 16-1 in the Prep Bowl and state championship eras.