Wai'anae holds off Waipahu, 7-6
By Mark Rolfing
Special to The Advertiser
Wai'anae stopped a quarterback sneak on a two-point conversion try with 29 seconds left to hold off Waipahu, 7-6, last night in O'ahu Interscholastic Association West Red football last night at Waipahu's Masa Yonamine Stadium.
The Seariders (3-1), ranked seventh in The Advertiser Top 10, snapped the scoreless struggle on an 11-yard touchdown run by running back Chevy Teves with 4:08 left in the game. Kalani Hoopii's extra-point kick made it 7-0.
But the Marauders (2-3) marched 80 yards in 11 plays, pulling to within one on a 20-yard TD pass from backup quarterback Austen Benito to receiver Jacob Aga with 29 seconds left on fourth-and-18. Under heavy pressure, Benito rolled to his right and threw a high arcing pass to Aga, who was wide open in the right corner of the end zone.
The Marauders did not hesitate in trying for the two-point conversion, but Benito's pass to Travis Atualevao was incomplete. However, pass interference against Wai'anae gave Waipahu a second chance , and better field position with the ball moved to the 2 because of the penalty. The Marauders then opted for a sneak up the middle, but Benito was stopped in a controversial ending.
The officials did not immediately signal the outcome of the play. After the players got up, the officials conferred for about 30 seconds and the referee then signaled that the try had failed.
An onside kick by Waipahu was fielded cleanly by Wai'anae, which then ran the clock out.
"I wouldn't have called it if I wasn't positive we could do it," first-year Waipahu coach Sean Saturnio said of the two-point try. "We owed it to the kids. You play the game to win."
While the defenses dominated — Waipahu had minus-33 yards and Wai'anae had 134 yards — both sides missed some key players. Waipahu starting quarterback Byrson Carvalho left the game in the first half with a wrist injury; Wai'anae running back Sautia Lave didn't suit up because of a number of injuries, coach Dan Matsumoto said.
"He's a big part of our offense," Matsumoto said of Lave. "But we had faith in our guys that took over."
Wai'anae's touchdown came as a result of its defense and penalties that pinned the Marauders back to their own 3, where they had to punt. A 10-yard punt return by Chad Rodrigues gave Wai'anae possession at the Waipahu 26, where it needed three plays before scoring on Teves' 11-yard run.
Saturnio said some of the penalties hurt.
"We're young and that's part of growing up with the guys," he said. "We have to master our emotions."
While the Marauders kept sending the Seariders' offense to the sidelines, Wai'anae's defense did the same. Wai'anae's 6-foot, 280-pound junior defensive lineman Chris Medeiros had five sacks totaling minus-54 yards.
"He's an aggressive player, very impressive," Matsumoto said.
Waipahu also made some big plays. Defensive back Howard Howell had an interception return of 28 yards to the Waipahu 46, but the offense could not capitalize on the turnover late in the second quarter. With time running out in the third quarter, Dave Tausa blocked a 35-yard field goal attempt by Wai'anae's Hoopii.
WAI'ANAE (3-1) 0 0 0 7—7
WAIPAHU (2-3) 0 0 0 6—6
Wain—Chevy Teves 11 run (Kalani Hoopii kick)
Waip—Jacob Aga 20 pass from Austen Benito (run failed)
RUSHING—Wai'anae: Uilau Faliuga 6-(minus 1), Charles Willis-Aldeguer 6-15, Roman I 1-13, Bryson Montarde 4-(minus 4), Jared Laa 3-8, Addison Popa 4-(minus 8), Teves 6-22. Waipahu: Bryson Carvalho 4-(minus 14), Andy Hale 11-26, Liai Tapani 7-24, John Fauatea 1-0, Benito 10-(minus 40), Todd Dickerson 1-(minus 18), Team 1-(minus 9).
PASSING—Wai'anae: Faliuga 5-7-0—49, Popa 2-5-2—30. Waipahu: Carvalho 1-3-0—(minus 4), Benito 4-12-0—65.
RECEIVING—Wai'anae: Willis-Aldeguer 1-26, Chad Rodrigues 2-8, James Robinson 2-7, Marlie Viloria 1-13, Teves 1-25. Waipahu: Dickerson 2-25, Travis Atualevao 1-14, Hale 1-2, Aga 1-20.
