GAME NIGHT 11/4: Waipahu/Lahainaluna

The first game of the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA State Football Championships kicks off Friday at 3:30 p.m. at War Memorial Stadium.

Lahainaluna (6-4) welcomes Waipahu (8-2) to the Valley Isle for a Division II matchup in the first game of a doubleheader at War Memorial.

Lahainaluna 52, Waipahu 14

at War Memorial Stadium
Waipahu (8-3) 0 0 0 7 7 — 14
Lahainaluna (7-4) 21 17 7 7 — 52
Lah—Elijah Ragudo 17 run (Pablo Rico kick)
Lah—Radon Sinenci 24 run (Rico kick)
Lah—Dayton Felicilda 84 interception return (Rico kick)
Lah—Josaiah Sombelon-McEwen recovers fumble in end zone (Rico kick)
Lah—Ragudo 5 run (Rico kick)
Lah—FG Rico 22
Lah—Ragudo 9 run (Rico kick)
Waip—Alfred Failauga 22 pass from Braden Amorozo (Isaiah Harris kick)
Lah—Joshua Tihada 5 run (Rico kick)
Waip—Leoncio Ea 18 pass from Amorozo (Harris kick)

RUSHING—Waipahu: Alfred Failauga 19-102, Isaac Yamashita 1-43, Ezekiel Reyes 4-1, Lafo Seiuli-Sanchez 1-1, Cody Andres-Paguirigan 1-0, team 1-(minus 7), Braden Amorozo 3-(minus 10). Lahainaluna: Sinenci 9-80, Ragudo 7-78, Donovan Defang 9-53, Joshua Tihada 6-32, Aliksa Pihda 4-29, Etuati Storer 2-8, Lennox Kahahane-Lived 1-17.
PASSING—Waipahu: Amorozo 10-18-3-200, Reyes 1-4-0-14. Lahainaluna: Storer 3-4-0-50, team 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING—Alika Ahsing 3-71, Yamashita 3-60, Reyes 2-21, Failauga 1-39, Ea 1-18, AJ Contado 1-5. Lahainaluna: Tihada 1-23, Kawehi Gillcoat 1-14, Sinenci 1-13.

FOURTH QUARTER

FINAL. Lunas at Konawaena next Saturday.

Amorozo hits Leoncio Ea on an 18-yard TD pass with 48 seconds remaining.

Amorozo intercepted inside the 10 by Sheldon Frias. Fifth turnover by Waipahu.

Joshua Tihada takes advantage of the short field position and scores on a 5-yard TD run. 52-7, 8:42. Third time Lunas have scored 52 points in a state tournament game.

Amorozo has a pass tipped that is picked off by Sinenci, who also leads Lahainaluna in rushing with 80 yards.

Marauders force a punt to start fourth quarter.

THIRD QUARTER

Amorozo with a 22-yard TD pass to Alfred Failauga and Waipahu is on the board.

Amorozo back in at QB for the Marauders. Waipahu drives to the Lahainaluna 2 but is stopped four straight times and turns it over on downs.

Elijah Ragudo caps off the drive with a 9-yard TD run for his third of the game. 45-0, 9:46, Q3.

HALFTIME BOX
at War Memorial Stadium
Waipahu (8-2) 0 0 0
Lahainaluna (6-4) 21 17
Lah—Elijah Ragudo 17 run (Pablo Rico kick)
Lah—Radon Sinenci 24 run (Rico kick)
Lah—Dayton Felicilda 84 interception return (Rico kick)
Lah—Josaiah Sombelon-McEwen recovers fumble in end zone (Rico kick)
Lah—Ragudo 5 run (Rico kick)
Lah—FG Rico 22

RUSHING—Waipahu: Alfred Failauga 12-62, Ezekiel Reyes 4-1, Cody Andres-Paguirigan 1-0, team 1-(minus 7), Braden Amorozo 3-(minus 10). Lahainaluna: Sinenci 8-76, Ragudo 6-69, Donovan Defang 7-51, Aliksa Pihda 2-23, Etuati Storer 2-8, Joshua Tihada 2-2.
PASSING—Waipahu: Amorozo 5-9-1-72, Reyes 1-4-0-14. Lahainaluna: Storer 3-4-0-50, team 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING—Isaac Yamashita 3-60, Reyes 2-21, AJ Contado 1-5. Lahainaluna: Tihada 1-23, Kawehi Gillcoat 1-14, Sinenci 1-13.

SECOND QUARTER

Failauga fumbles after getting past the chains and Felicilda with the recovery. Second takeaway for him. Lahainaluna will go for another score with 22 seconds left. Storer to Sinenci is complete to the 18 with 12 seconds remaining. Lunas spike it with nine seconds to go. Kawehi Gillcoat with a 13-yard reception from Storer to the 5 and Lunas call timeout. Pablo Rico kicks a 22-yard field goal to end the first half. 38-0 Lunas.

Kulikefu with a tackle for no gain as Waipahu slows the Lunas for at least a play. Third-and-5 coming up. Donovan Defang up the middle is stopped by DL Amo Montero and Waipahu will force its first punt but then roughs the kicker to give up a first down. Elijah Ragudo finds a hole and picks up 26 to the Waipahu 40. Montero with another big stop as he gets the TFL on third down. Lunas will punt. NO! It’s a fake and Etuati Storer hits Justice Tihada for a big gain as he’s wide open. He’s down inside the 10 but there’s a flag. It will still be a first down. Storer goes deep to the end zone on a rare Lahainaluna pass but it’s broken up. Sinenci picks up 11 yards on third down to get to first-and-goal at the 5 with 1:33 and counting. Ragudo with the 5-yard TD run for his second of the game. 35-0, 1:28. That was a 97-yard drive for Lahainaluna in 13 plays, 5:12 TOP.

Ezekiel Reyes in at QB for Waipahu. Reyes tries to keep it but is brought down by Justice Tihada for a loss. Reyes’ first pass attempt of the season is incomplete. Screen pass to Yamashita goes for 14 yards but Waipahu needed 15. Waipahu punts but Lunas roughs the the kicker to give up a first down. Waipahu on own 48. Failauga into Lunas territory on a 7-yard run. Failauga for 14 and a first down at the 31. Bad snap results in a loss and it’s third-and-15. Good throw but it’s dropped by Alika Ahsing who probably takes it to the house if he catches it. Waipahu punts instead.

Waipahu starts on its 5. Amorozo sacked and fumbles in the end zone and it’s recovered by Josaiah Sombelon-McEwen for the second Lunas defensive TD of the game. Viliami Hafoka with the sack and forced fumble. Lunas dominating on the Valley Isle. Amorozo injured on the play and has to be helped off.

A couple of great blocks get Pihda to the 18 for 18 yards on third down. Sinenci fumbles after picking up a first down across the 10 and Waipahu recovers. Centennial Kulikefu with the recovery. LB Devin Roque Souza credited with the forced fumble.

FIRST QUARTER

Lunas with three runs inside the 40 as quarter ends. Lahainaluna with 13 carries for 126 yards in the first quarter.

Waipahu starts on its own 20 down three touchdowns already. Failauga is just swallowed up by about four different defenders behind the line of scrimmage for a loss of 3. Short pass to AJ Contado for 5 yards. Yamashita almost bats the third-down pass to himself but can’t come up with it and another punt coming up.

Amorozo goes deep on the first play and it’s a jump ball brought in by Isaac Yamashita for 38 yards. Failauga with two runs for a first down and then breaks off a huge 25-yard run bowling over one defender to get to the 12. Screen pass is picked off on the bobble by Dayton Felicilda who returns it 84 yards for a touchdown. Marauders were moving and BOOM Lahainaluna comes up with the big play. 21-0, 2:26.

Aliksa Pihda with a 27-yard punt return to the Waipahu 24. First play is a 24-yard TD run by Radon Sinenci and the Lunas are rolling early.

Waipahu QB Braden Amorozo completes two passes for 20 yards but misfires on third-and-5 and knows it was a bad throw as he claps his hands together. Waipahu will punt.

Elijah Ragudo gets the first carry for Lahainaluna and picks up 13 and a first down. Donovan Defang in at QB and he goes 18 yards inside Waipahu territory at the 41. Two runs, two first downs. Now freshman Joshua Tihada gets a carry and pick up four. Radon Sinenci gets 13 on the run. Four quarterbacks in first four plays for the Lunas. Sinenci with a 19-yard run to the 2 is called back by a hold. Another penalty negates a long run and it’s second-and-20. Sinenci with 12 yards to the 22 to set up third-and-8. Lunas draw Waipahu offsides. Elijah Ragudo off the right side for a 17-yard TD and Lahainaluna had the run game clicking on the opening drive. 7-0, 6:00, Q1.

Ezekiel Reyes with a 36-yard kick return and Waipahu starts on its 42. DL Mosese Felemi with a tackle for loss on Alfred Failauga‘s first carry to set up third-and-10. Quick pass to Reyes and he’s down right at the marker forcing a measure. Waipahu is short by a couple of inches but Marauders will go for it. Option pitch to Reyes who JUST gets the first down. Fly sweep to Cody Andres-Paguirigan who doesn’t pick up much. DB Siale Hafoka with the tackle. DL Mosese Felemi with the big sack on third down to force a punt.

Lunas win the toss and will defer. Waipahu will receive the opening kickoff.

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TEAM CAPTAINS
Waipahu: Braden Amorozo, Brent Micua, Lafo Seiuli-Sanchez, Lafo Seiuli-Sanchez
Lahainaluna: Justice Tihada, Josaiah Sombelon-McEwen, Mosese Felemi

The Lunas are 6-10 in nine appearances in the Division II state tournament while Waipahu is 2-3 in its three visits to the postseason.

Lahaina finished off the season with a 42-0 shutout of King Kekaulike on Oct. 21. and had a week off to prepare for this game. Waipahu is coming off a heartbreaking 36-35 loss to Waialua last Friday in the OIA D-II title game and needs to bounce back quickly.

HISTORY: The teams met once in the last 43 years with Waipahu defeating Lahainaluna 19-14 in the semifinals of the Division II state tournament in 2011. The Marauders are 4-2 against neighbor island teams in the state championship era.