Both running back Alfred Failauga and receiver Alika Ahsing were extremely humble after the Marauders’ 49-0 win over Kalani on Saturday night at Kaiser Stadium.
Ahsing, who had three receptions for 124 yards and two touchdowns, answered every question saying the Marauders could be a lot better. “We’ll come back Monday and get to work,” he repeated again and again.
Failauga, who rushed for 147 yards and four touchdowns, was equally as muted, saying “we played well, but could do a lot of things better.”
He did say one thing at the end that rings true for the entire Marauders team.
“We’re looking forward to seeing new teams coming up,” Failauga said.
By new teams, he was referring to Pearl City, which beat Kaimuki 17-15 on Saturday to also remain undefeated in OIA Division II play.
The Marauders (5-0, 4-0) and Chargers (5-1, 5-0) play Friday in Waipahu with first place on the line. It should be the first real test the Marauders have had on the field all season.
After starting the year with a 51-14 win over Division I Nanakuli, the Marauders have won their last three OIA D-II games by a combined score of 147-15.
They also ran into a little bit of luck facing a Kalani team without its third-year starting quarterback. Senior Seth Tina-Soberano, who has thrown 11 touchdowns and no interceptions in four league games, sat out with an injury to his ribs suffered in a 19-9 win over Mt. Tahoma last week in Washington.
Backup Justin Gatewood showed a strong arm and had some mobility, but was no match for a Waipahu defense that pitched a shutout. It was just the second time Waipahu had shut out an opponent since 2011.
“That kid is amazing and we spent so much time this week preparing for him,” Waipahu coach Bryson Carvalho said of Tina-Soberano. “Our whole game plan was to make him uncomfortable.”
Pearl City’s only loss this season is against defending Division II state champion Lahainaluna, which throttled Waipahu in the state tournament last year, 52-14.
The Marauders are on a mission to get back to the tournament and potentially face the Lunas again. Pearl City will be a real test to see if Waipahu is indeed up for the challenge.
There wasn’t a lot to pick at after a one-sided win over Kalani, but like the other Waipahu victories this season, Carvalho has plenty of things for his team to work on come practice on Monday.
“There’s a lot of missed assignments at every position we have to work on,” Carvalho said. “We had a hard time with the snap for some reason tonight and we’ve got to clean that up because it ruins the whole play.”
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