LIVE BLOG: Hawaii West 47, American Samoa 22

The championship game of the inaugural JPS Paradise Football Classic should be fun as Hawaii West and American Samoa go head-to-head in the nightcap tonight at Aloha Stadium.

Both teams dominated on defense Thursday night. Hawaii West has the ability to go to the air with the Tagovailoa brothers. How will American Samoa move the ball?

Hawaii’s team captains are Rodson Kealohi, Saitaua Lefau, Jordan Iosefa and Kalakaua Timoteo.

FIRST QUARTER

Blaise Manabe with a 14-yard return. Heckuva tackle by Scheyenne Sanitor. Man American Samoa just has impressive kids to watch.

VERY first play and Tua Tagovailoa jukes just about every American Samoa defender out there. A run of 46 yards. Challen Faamatau with three runs for 22 yards. Tagovailoa buys time, here comes the rush, he throws off his back foot, JAHVIN SPEAR TD. Eight-yard TD pass. Tagovailoa’s first two plays of the night are just crazy. What an opening drive. He buys time, buys time then gets enough on it to get it to Spear in the back of the end zone. Touchdown Hawaii. Finau Walter with the extra point. 7-0.

Bad snap on the first play for American Samoa and it’s a loss of 20 to the 2. Hawaii gets a safety as Tainalu Evaimalo of Saint Louis sacks QB Kevin Maukoloa in the end zone.

Tagovailoa forces to scramble and now wheels back around to the other side. Throw is off the receiver’s hands and intercepted by Scheyenne Sanitor. Watch out. He’s got the speed. He’s gone. 64-yard interception return for a touchdown. American Samoa needed that. Kaimana Padello blocks the extra point.

Saitaua Lefau stopped for a loss of 3 by Folasa Viliamu. Next play is a pass and it’s PICKED OFF. Scheyenne Sanitor again. WOW.

American Samoa tries a double reverse pass and it’s almost a TD but I think defensive PI will be called. What a crazy start to this game. Evaimalo absolutely stuffs the run at the line for a loss of 1. He’s off to a huge start. Third-and-10 from the Hawaii 14. Maukoloa tries his best Tua moves scrambling away from sacks but he has nothing on the throw back to the other side of the field and it’s fourth down. Heston Lameta drills a 31-yard field goal and we’re tied 9-9 with 3:37 left in a wild and crazy first quarter.

Tagovailoa with a pass behind Makana Tauai and Tagovailoa is off in this game. Not sure I’ve seen back-to-back poor throws like that from him ever. Third-and-7. Spear with a 6-yard reception which is short. Offense stays on field on its own 29. Lefau with a tough run off tackle for 2 yards and a first down. Nice finding the open spot. The middle was plugged up. Clean pocket for Tagovailoa and he steps into it and throws a bullet to Manabe for 15 yards. Tagovailoa to Spear for 14 yards and Tua is locked in to his Saint Louis teammate. Now he scrambles and hits Tauai for 10. Reverse to Tauai and he is dropped for a loss of six. Tagovailoa laid out a defensive lineman on a blindside block. Second-and-16 from the 18. Quick pass to Manabe for 15 yards down to the 3. Make that 17 to the 1. Faamatau is in for the 1-yard TD run. 16-9, 0:35, Q1.

Tito Malae in at QB. Handoff to Ta’ase who just rugby carries I don’t know what you call it but he rumbles for 19 yards. Nobody could tackle him. It took four guys. That was ridiculous. He carried a pile of people a good 10 yards. Man, these American Samoa kids bring a physicality to these games that is special.

FIRST QUARTER STATS
at Aloha Stadium
American Samoa 9
Hawaii West 16
HW—Jahvin Spear 8 pass from Tua Tagovailoa (Finau Walter kick)
HW—Safety, Tanielu Evaimalo tackled Kevin Maukoloa in end zone
AS—Scheyenne Sanitor 64 interception return (kick blocked)
AS—FG Heston Lameta 31
HW—Challen Faamatau 1 run (Walter kick)

RUSHING—American Samoa: Oly Ta’ase 3-18, Maukoloa 1-(minus 2), team 1-(minus 20). Hawaii West: Tu. Tagovailoa 1-46, Faamatau 5-26, Saitaua Lefau 3-5, Makana Tauai 1-(minus 6).
PASSING—American Samoa: Maukoloa 0-3-0-0. Hawaii West: Tu. Tagovailoa 6-9-2-70.
RECEIVING—American Samoa: none. Hawaii West: Spear 3-28, Blaise Manabe 2-32, Tauai 1-10.

SECOND QUARTER

A couple of incomplete passes by Malae and American Samoa punts.

Hawaii West will start at its 27. Tua stays in the game and Lefau picks up 10. Viane Moala with a big stop for no gain on Faamatau. Two incomplete passes and Hawaii will punt. Short punt and American Samoa will start at the Hawaii 44.

Beautiful deep ball from Malae falls right into the hands of Malaki Peko-Vai who catches a 39-yard TD. Perfect throw and catch. We’re tied 16-16. That came out of nowhere. Great deep ball by Malae.

Big third-down conversion as Tagovailoa finds Spear for 11 yards on third-and-7. Lefau with the handoff and he gets it to the outside, shows some speed, cut back to the middle and he’s gone. Superb run by Lefau. 51 yards on the TD. 22-16 after the missed XP. 5:53 left in the first half.

My goodness. It will be called back Sanitor just went 77 yards on an impressive kick return TD. This guy is amazing. It doesn’t count but boy it was impressive.

American Samoa with two nice runs to Ta’ase for 11 yards and then Malae pulls off the nice run fake and hits Fred Feleti for 33 yards. Very nice throw. Next play is a screen that is off the receiver’s fingertips and it’s PICKED OFF. Rodson Kealohi. He is gone. 70 yards on the pick-six. Touchdown Hawaii. They go for two and Tagovailoa’s pass is high.

Malae with another great ball. Just as he’s about to get hit he lays a perfect ball in there to Faleti for 39 yards to the 1. An unsportsmanlike penalty on Finau Walter helped the drive out. American Samoa tries to run it in but Padello stops Ta’ase for no gain. American Samoa has to call a TO. Maukoloa back in at QB and he tries to keep it but Walter lays him out with a big hit. Viliamu with the handoff and he gets very close but is stopped short again. Fourth-and-goal. Looked like Aiea’s Shiloh Tapasa was in on that stop. Ta’ase in for the 1-yard TD run on fourth down with 1:12 left. They go for 2 instead and Malae finds Saulo Vaise but a flag down. A hold is called. Two-point try is no good.

A shoving match breaks out at the end of the ensuing kickoff. It’s already 10:20 p.m. Still a minute left in the first half.

Hawaii starts on its 19 with a minute left and Tagovailoa scrambles for 19 yards. Tagovailoa scrambles and with 10 seconds left, OFF HIS BACK FOOT, he hits Kalakaua Timoteo for 58 yards. Touchdown Hawaii with 7 seconds remaining. That was 50 yards in the air off a scramble. First catch by Timoteo. Two-pointer is no good. 34-22, :07, Q2.

HALFTIME BOX SCORE
at Aloha Stadium
American Samoa 9 13
Hawaii West 16 18
HW—Jahvin Spear 8 pass from Tua Tagovailoa (Finau Walter kick)
HW—Safety, Tanielu Evaimalo tackled Kevin Maukoloa in end zone
AS—Scheyenne Sanitor 64 interception return (kick blocked)
AS—FG Heston Lameta 31
HW—Challen Faamatau 1 run (Walter kick)
AS—Malaki Peko-Vai 39 pass from Tito Malae (Lameta kick)
HW—Saitaua Lefau 51 run (kick failed)
HW—Rodson Kealohi 70 interception return (pass failed)
AS—Oly Ta’ase 1 run (pass failed)
HW—Kalakaua Timoteo 58 pass from Tu. Tagovailoa (pass failed)

RUSHING—American Samoa: Ta’ase 7-29, Folasa Viliamu 2-1, Maukoloa 2-(minus 2), team 1-(minus 20). Hawaii West: Tu. Tagovailoa 3-72, Lefau 5-66, Faamatau 7-33, Makana Tauai 1-(minus 6).
PASSING—American Samoa: Malae 3-6-1-111, Maukoloa 0-3-0-0. Hawaii West: Tu. Tagovailoa 9-15-2-137.
RECEIVING—American Samoa: Fred Feleti 2-72, Peko-Vai 1-39. Hawaii West: Spear 4-39, Blaise Manabe 2-32, Timoteo 1-58, Tauai 1-10, Rico Sallas 1-(minus 2).

THIRD QUARTER

American Samoa fumbles the kickoff and Kailua’s Kalei Machado recovers.

We get our first look at Taulia Tagovailoa, who hands off to Faamatau twice for a first down. He is down on the play, however. He’s able to walk off under his own power which is a good sign. He’s quickly back in the game and catches Taulia Tagovailoa‘s first pass attempt for 7 yards down to the 10. Fade to Timoteo results in a pass interference. Faamatau runs to the 4 and is down again. Taulia to Timoteo for the 4-yard TD pass. Walter I guess wasn’t kicked out of the game and he misses the XP.

Kalei Machado of Kailua gets a pick on his own 17 and returns it 75 yards to the 8 before getting caught from behind. Moala stops Faamatau for no gain and makes a great play again one-on-one with the blocker. Great job coming down the line to stop a tough runner in Faamatau. Touchdown Faamatau as he bounces it outside for the 4-yard TD run. 47-22, 1:21, Q3.

Malae with a big 36-yard pass to Leti Pa’aga but then William Prescott intercepts Malae to end the third quarter.

THIRD QUARTER BOX
at Aloha Stadium
American Samoa 9 13 0
Hawaii West 16 18 13
HW—Jahvin Spear 8 pass from Tua Tagovailoa (Finau Walter kick)
HW—Safety, Tanielu Evaimalo tackled Kevin Maukoloa in end zone
AS—Scheyenne Sanitor 64 interception return (kick blocked)
AS—FG Heston Lameta 31
HW—Challen Faamatau 1 run (Walter kick)
AS—Malaki Peko-Vai 39 pass from Tito Malae (Lameta kick)
HW—Saitaua Lefau 51 run (kick failed)
HW—Rodson Kealohi 70 interception return (pass failed)
AS—Oly Ta’ase 1 run (pass failed)
HW—Kalakaua Timoteo 58 pass from Tagovailoa (pass failed)
HW—Timoteo 4 pass from Taulia Tagovailoa (kick failed)
HW—Faamatau 4 run (Walter kick)

RUSHING—American Samoa: Ta’ase 9-44, Folasa Viliamu 3-6, Tinei Te’i, 1-(minus 1), Maukoloa 2-(minus 2), team 1-(minus 20). Hawaii West: Lefau 7-77, Tu. Tagovailoa 3-72, Faamatau 12-55, Makana Tauai 1-(minus 6).
PASSING—American Samoa: Malae 5-14-3-150, Maukoloa 0-3-0-0. Hawaii West: Tu. Tagovailoa 9-15-2-137, Ta. Tagovailoa 2-2-0-11.
RECEIVING—American Samoa: Fred Feleti 3-75, Peko-Vai 1-39, Leti Pa’aga 1-36. Hawaii West: Spear 4-39, Timoteo 2-62, Blaise Manabe 2-32, Tauai 1-10, Faamatau 1-7, Rico Sallas 1-(minus 2).

FOURTH QUARTER

Another tackle for loss for Evaimalo, who has had a huge game. Teams content to run the clock now. Campbell’s Austin Fuga comes up with Hawaii West’s fourth interception.

Tua Tagovailoa back in with less than three minutes left for reasons I have no idea. He keeps and I guess they were trying to set himself up for something special on the run but he picks up 3 yards as American Samoa is having none of that. Tagovailoa throws wide to Spear who turns it upfield for 16 yards. Getting chippy late. Time to just take a knee and get out of here as Faamatau runs up the middle.

FINAL: Hawaii West 47, American Samoa 22
at Aloha Stadium
American Samoa 9 13 0 0 — 22
Hawaii West 16 18 13 0 — 47
HW—Jahvin Spear 8 pass from Tua Tagovailoa (Finau Walter kick)
HW—Safety, Tanielu Evaimalo tackled Kevin Maukoloa in end zone
AS—Scheyenne Sanitor 64 interception return (kick blocked)
AS—FG Heston Lameta 31
HW—Challen Faamatau 1 run (Walter kick)
AS—Malaki Peko-Vai 39 pass from Tito Malae (Lameta kick)
HW—Saitaua Lefau 51 run (kick failed)
HW—Rodson Kealohi 70 interception return (pass failed)
AS—Oly Ta’ase 1 run (pass failed)
HW—Kalakaua Timoteo 58 pass from Tagovailoa (pass failed)
HW—Timoteo 4 pass from Taulia Tagovailoa (kick failed)
HW—Faamatau 4 run (Walter kick)

RUSHING—American Samoa: Ta’ase 11-54, Folasa Viliamu 3-6, Tinei Te’i, 1-(minus 1), Maukoloa 2-(minus 2), team 1-(minus 20). Hawaii West: Lefau 12-86, Tu. Tagovailoa 4-75, Faamatau 15-59, Makana Tauai 1-(minus 6).
PASSING—American Samoa: Malae 5-14-3-150, Maukoloa 0-5-1-0. Hawaii West: Tu. Tagovailoa 10-16-2-153, Ta. Tagovailoa 4-4-0-30.
RECEIVING—American Samoa: Fred Feleti 3-75, Peko-Vai 1-39, Leti Pa’aga 1-36. Hawaii West: Spear 5-55, Timoteo 2-62, Blaise Manabe 2-32, Faamatau 2-8, Lefau 1-18, Tauai 1-10, Rico Sallas 1-(minus 2).