The main event of the evening pits the two Hawaii teams against each other in the second game of the Junior Prep Sports Paradise Football Classic.
Rosters can be found here.
There are a couple of additions worth noting. Mililani WR Kalakaua Timoteo, who is firm in his commitment to UH, will play for the West team. Ever imagine him catching passes from Tua and Taulia Tagovailoa? You’ll get to see it (or read about it) tonight.
It’ll be fun if he’s matched up with DB Stokes Botelho of Kahuku. At some point tonight, the East squad could put out a linebacker corps of Kamehameha’s Tainoa Foster, Kaiser’s Parker Higgins and Nanakuli’s Randy Manewa. Yikes.
Kickoff is around 8:15 p.m. Make that 8:25. Pregame introductions took 10 minutes.
Looks like we’re over 1,000 people on the makai sideline.
Team Captains
HE: Mila Lele, Akili Gray, Aaron Tapusoa, Jordan Ulufale
HW: Blaise Manabe, Ma’a Tanuvasa, Kaimana Padello, Amo Augafa
Tyson Tafai with a 24-yard kick return to the 40 and the West will get the ball first. Tua Tagovailoa in at QB. Challen Faamatau rumbles for 3. Tagovailoa deep over the middle and overthrows an open Blaise Manabe who stumbled or else he might have caught it. Tagovailoa scrambles for 16 yards and a first down. Tagovailoa’s first completion is to Faamatau but only for 1 yard as Stokes Botelho comes up to make a nice tackle. Fourth down and Tagovailoa finds Koolau Gaspar for 8 yards and a first down. Faamatau runs for 5. Tagovailoa scrambles and then finds a wide open Makana Tauai for 16 down to the 5. Faamatau to the 2. Tagovailoa overthrows a fade to Timoteo. Third-and-goal. Tagovailoa runs to the 1 and fumbles. Looked like Tainoa Foster made the initial stop and then Taimane Wily-Matagi with the recovery.
Handoff to Sefa Ameperosa who is drilled immediately by Kaimana Padello for a loss of 3. Ephraim Tuliloa starts at QB and scrambles for 4. Screen pass to Mila Lele gets 4 yards and the East is three-and-out.
The West starts at its own 46 after a personal foul on the East. Tua still in. Lefau runs for 8 but is chopped down by Botelho who flies in to make the tackle. Tagovailoa scrambles to his left and from the 50 throws an absolute dart in the end zone to Manabe who drops it. He was behind everyone. Place goes crazy though after seeing that throw. An 8-yard throw to Timoteo for a first down. Another hot throw is dropped. Receivers have to be ready when Tua is throwing it to you. Tagovailoa eludes a defender and finds Rico Sallas for 13 to the 25. Lefau for 3. Faamatau gets 7. McKinley’s Dillon Enriquez gets to Tagovailoa for a 7-yard loss on the sack. Nice play by the Tiger. First quarter ends with the West second-and-17 at the East 22.
Second quarter
Tagovailoa scrambles for 7. Third-and-10. Tagovailoa buys time, scrambles away from 1, scrambles away from 2, 15-yard TD throw to Martin Tigilau for the TD. Another unreal play. 7-0 West, 8:38, Q2.
Second drive for the East and Tuliloa remains at QB. Ameperosa is stopped for no gain by Billy Masima. Moanalua’s Rodson Kealohi breaks up Tuliloa’s pass over the middle. Third down pass is incomplete. Another three-and-out.
West starts on its 39. Taulia Tagovailoa in. Lefau stuffed for a loss of 3 yards as John Tuitupou leads the way for the East defense. Tagovailoa with a laser to Timoteo between two defenders for 24 yards. Incomplete. Quick pass to Jahvin Spear for 5 yards. Third down. Pass to Gaspar is good for 10 yards. Tagovailoa with the quick release and it’s dropped. Tried to fit it into a tight window. Second down. Timoteo with a tough catch as Akili Gray with the great defense but he still gets it for 5 yards. Miscommunication makes it fourth-and-5 at the 20. Timeout West. Tagovailoa throws the fade to Timoteo who catches it over his shoulder but looked out of bounds. After some confusion it’s ruled a touchdown. Timeout East. Saw a replay. Looked like the right foot was in but the left foot came down first out of bounds. It was close. East is arguing the play during a timeout but they will count it. Touchdown West. Taulia to Timoteo for 20 yards. 14-0, 5:32, Q2.
Tuliloa still in as the East tries to find something on offense. Sunshine Anuenue runs for no gain. Tuliloa on the keeper runs for 5 yards. Third-and-5. Delay of game. Third-and-10. Timeout East. Tuliloa with a backward pass to Royce Pao who throws one deep but the defender is bowled over. No flag and then finally a flag. They waive it and East will punt again.
West ball at the 5 after a personal foul. Taulia back in and hits Spear for 9. Quick pass the other way goes to Tauai for 10. Looking like the Mililani offense here. Timoteo gets 9 yards and throws Gray to the ground to draw some oohs and aahs. Taulia comes back quick to Sallas on the other side but Botelho comes up perfectly and stuffs him for no gain. West really hurrying it up as Sallas gets 9 quick the other way and then Faamatau rumbles for 4 and a first down at the 49. 1:23 and counting. Taulia scrambles outside and has to throw quick as Tuitupou applies the pressure and gets a hit on Taulia. Incomplete. Taulia scrambles for 7 to make it third-and-3. UH OH! AKILI GRAY GETS THE WEST BACK. 61 yards on the interception return for a TD. He read it beautifully and the East is on the board.
The East defense is getting some work in. Total plays: West 41, East 8. East will kick with 49 seconds left in the half. East tries an onsides kick out of nowhere but Christian Naeole is there to recover for the West. West ball on the East 47.
Taulia goes right back over the middle to Sallas for 16 who jukes a defender and hits the middle but Tainoa Foster comes flying out of nowhere and drills Sallas forcing the fumble. Waianae’s Ikaika Pa’ao’ao-Ahina on the recovery and return near midfield. Foster is a playmaker at LB.
Two incomplete passes as one was a bad drop that should have gone for 20. They try a draw on third down but Javen Towne is stuffed by Masima, who is having himself a half on the defensive line. Fourth-and-10 with 14 seconds left. They decide to punt and it’s halftime.
Halftime Box Score
at Aloha Stadium
Hawaii East 0 7
Hawaii West 0 14
HW—Martin Tigilau 15 pass from Tua Tagovailoa (Finau Walter kick)
HW—Kalakaua Timoteo 20 pass from Taulia Tagovailoa (Walter kick)
HE—Akili Gray 61 interception return (Adam Stack kick)
RUSHING—Hawaii East: Ephraim Tuliloa 2-9, Sunshine Anuenue 1-0, Javen Towne 1-0, Sefa Ameperosa 2-(minus 3). Hawaii West: Challen Faamatau 7-29, Tua Tagovailoa 4-17, Saitaua Lefau 4-10, Taulia Tagovailoa 1-7.
PASSING—Hawaii East: Tuliloa 1-5-0-4. Hawaii West: Ta. Tagovailoa 11-16-1-117, Tu. Tagovailoa 6-10-0-61.
RECEIVING—Hawaii East: Mila Lele 1-4. Hawaii West: Timoteo 5-66, Rico Sallas 4-38, Makana Tauai 2-26, Koolau Gaspar 2-18, Jahvin Spear 2-14, Tigilau 1-15, Faamatau 1-1.
Third quarter to kick around 9:36 p.m.
THIRD QUARTER
Leilehua’s Tyreek Keough with a 41-yard return just past midfield and the East will start in West territory at the 49. Tuliloa still in at QB and hands off to Ameperosa, who picks up 6 yards but is hurt on the play. Tackle was hard to his feet. He’s up though and walks off gingerly. Towne gets 2. Tuliloa keeps it for 3 yards and gets a first down for the East. I believe that’s the first one. Towne stopped for a loss of 1. Tanuvasa was one of a bunch of defenders in there. Tanielu Evaimalo of Saint Louis comes in hard and sacks Tuliloa on second down. Tuliloa loses 7. Third down. Quick throw to Lele goes for 0 yards as Andrew Aneki makes the tackle. Punt is down inside the 10 at the 7.
Tua starts the second half at QB. Handoff is to Faamatau for no gain. Foster in on the stop. He’s been the best guy out here on defense in my opinion. Gaspar with a 3-yard reception before Botelho rides him out of bounds. Tua scrambles for 13 to the 23. Tua scrambles for no gain as Higgins is there to force him out. Tua tripped up by Tuitupou for a 4-yard gain but if he breaks that tackle he’s off to the races. Third-and-6. Tua flushed out and it’s incomplete. West will punt.
Short punt and Botelho comes flying up to the 45 to catch it without letting it bounce and runs it down to the 28. 27-yard return puts the East in business.
Tuliloa still in at QB. He keeps it for 9 yards to the 19. After overthrowing a receiver, Tuliloa keeps for 5 yards to the 14. First down. Personal foul on Chanson Akiona after the play and it’s first-and-goal at the 7. Parker Higgins gets his first carry and rumbles to the 4. Looks like they going to do it again but the snap is way over Tuliloa’s head. A loss of 28 yards. Timeout East. Tuliloa scrambles for his life and is sacked by Finau Walter. End of the third quarter.
FOURTH QUARTER
Fourth-and-goal from the 37 and East throws a bomb but no receiver in the area. Turnover on downs.
Tua in and he is scrambling for his life. He comes back the other way and Tua uncorks an absolute bomb to Timoteo who is behind the defense but somehow Tua overthrows him. That was exciting. Third down and Tua zips one over the middle to Spear for 19 yards as he makes the catch in traffic. Lefau stopped for no gain. Timoteo now going long and Tagovailoa just overthrows him again. Off the tips of his fingers. Third-and-10. Tagoaviloa flushed up the middle and he picks up 4. Fourth-and-6. Tua overthrows an open Sallas and it’s a turnover on downs. Tua now just 8-for-16 for 83 yards and eight carries for 38 yards. East defense has played outstanding being on the field for so long.
Anuenue runs for -1 as Masima again in so quickly for the TFL. Deep ball from Tuliloa and Andrew Simanu got a step but he could only get one hand on it. Got some late separation on the deep ball. Third down. Tuliloa scrambles but is hit of bounds for a gain of 7. He’s short of the line to gain. The East will punt with 5:24 left in the game.
Adam Stack to punt but he fakes it and tries to throw back deep but it’s picked off by St. Francis’ Isaac Chrichton. West ball at its 49.
Tua still in at QB and he scrambles for 5. Faamatau loses 2. Noah Kealoha rides him out after Gray gives him a shot. Third-and-7 and Tagovailoa picks up 8 as he runs into Higgins for the first down. Lefau for 3. Four minutes left. Play of the game as Tagovailoa eludes one sack then refuses to allow Payton Awaya to bring him down then finds Faamatau for 15 yards. Handoff to Faamatau who throws it to Sallas for 20 yards to the 1 on the trick play. Fade to Timoteo is good for a 1-yard TD. Touchdown West. Immediate concern for Akili Gray who is down on the play. Six catches for 67 yards and 2 TDs for Timoteo. Gray is off slowly and Timoteo runs over to the other side to make sure he’s OK. Touchdown came with 1:54 left. 21-7 after the Finau extra point.
One last drive for the East and Tuliloa finds Royce Pao for 15 yards. Pao takes a big shot at the end but no penalty. Hit on a defenseless receiver adds 15 more yards to the drive. Ball now at the 37. Another personal foul on the West. Second one on Akiona. Ball at the 26. Alakai Yuen finally in at QB and he picks up 4 yards. Timeout East. 29 seconds remaining. Yuen stays at QB and Dylan Toilolo drops an EASY INT near the end zone. East called for a hold anyway. Yuen flushed out and is sacked by Kaimana Padello. Final timeout for the East. It’s fourth-and-30 with 11 seconds left. Kailua’s Kawehe Kohatsu ends it with a sack. FINAL: Hawaii West 21, Hawaii East 7.
FINAL BOX SCORE
at Aloha Stadium
Hawaii East 0 7 0 0 — 7
Hawaii West 0 14 0 7 — 21
HW—Martin Tigilau 15 pass from Tua Tagovailoa (Finau Walter kick)
HW—Kalakaua Timoteo 20 pass from Taulia Tagovailoa (Walter kick)
HE—Akili Gray 61 interception return (Adam Stack kick)
HW—Timoteo 1 pass from Tu. Tagovailoa (Walter kick)
RUSHING—Hawaii East: Ephraim Tuliloa 9-22, Parker Higgins 1-3, Sefa Ameperosa 3-3, Javen Towne 3-1, Sunshine Anuenue 2-(minus 1), Alakai Yuen 3-(minus 6), team 1-(minus 28). Hawaii West: Tu. Tagovailoa 10-51, Challen Faamatau 11-30, Saitaua Lefau 6-13, Ta. Tagovailoa 1-7.
PASSING—Hawaii East: Tuliloa 3-12-0-19, Stack 0-1-1-0. Hawaii West: Ta. Tagovailoa 11-16-1-117, Tu. Tagovailoa 10-18-0-99, Faamatau 1-1-0-20.
RECEIVING—Hawaii East: Mila Lele 2-4, Royce Pao 1-15. Hawaii West: Timoteo 6-67, Rico Sallas 5-58, Jahvin Spear 4-34, Koolau Gaspar 3-21, Makana Tauai 2-26, Faamatau 2-16, Tigilau 1-15.
If I was choosing a couple of standout players on each side.
Hawaii East: LB Tainoa Foster (Kamehameha), DE John Tuitupou (Kalaheo), DB Stokes Botelho (Kahuku)
Hawaii West: WR Kalakaua Timoteo (Mililani), DL Billy Masima (Kaimuki), QB Taulia Tagovailoa (Kapolei)
COMMENTS