Waipahu freshman RB Alfred Failauga puts a stiff arm on Kalani's Matthew Wu. Failauga rushed for a career-high 192 yards with three TDs in the Marauders' win. CJ Caraang | SL

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Sat, Oct 8, 2016 @ Aiea [ 6:30 pm ]

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Kalani

23

Waipahu

28

Final	1	2	3	4	T
Kalani (4-3-0)	3	7	0	13	23
Waipahu (8-3-0)	7	14	7	0	28

• Pass
• Rush
• Rec

Braden Amorozo 173 yd 1 TD

Seth Tina-Soberano 223 yd 2 TD

Alfred Failauga 192 yd 3 TD

Seth Tina-Soberano 136 yd 1 TD

Isaac Yamashita 49 yd 1 TD

Ikaika Andaya 75 yd 1 TD

AIEA — Running back Alfred Failauga had the best game of his career to help Waipahu clinch a playoff berth with a 28-23 win over Kalani to close out the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division II regular season.

The Waipahu freshman rushed for 192 yards and three first-half scores on 37 carries at Aiea Stadium Saturday night to help the Marauders improve to 7-1 and 6-1 in league play.

"He stepped up and he owned it," Waipahu coach Bryson Carvalho said of Failauga. "He's phenomenal and I cannot speak any higher about him. He comes to practice, work's hard, he's humble, first to finish in every spring in his group. He wants to work hard and has a good attitude. 

The Marauders, who came down to Division II in the offseason after five years in Division I, will finish the regular season with at least a top two finish in the standings. Waipahu, ranked seventh in the ScoringLive/Hawaiian Electric Division II Power Rankings, can claim the top seed in the playoffs with a Pearl City loss to Waialua next Friday.

"It feels great to get this because it's been a long time that we haven't been on a high level," said Failauga, who added two receptions for 29 yards. "I've been watching this past seasons and we haven't done so well. Now, I'm looking at this team and we really stuck together and we came out with the win."

Kalani dropped to 3-3 and was eliminated from postseason contention with Waialua (4-2) defeating McKinley (0-6) earlier in the day.

The running prowess of Failauga overshadowed the play-making ability of Kalani junior quarterback Seth Tina-Soberano, who engineered a late rally in the fourth quarter. Tina-Soberano threw a 7-yard TD pass to Ikaika Andaya and rushed for touchdown with 4:08 left in regulation for the final points of the game.

"That's all we wish for, just to keep competing, play to the end and just give ourselves a chance at the end to come out successful," said Kalani coach Scott Melemai.

The late-game magic would run out with 44 seconds left on the clock as Tina-Soberano was stopped short on a fourth-and-3 at the Falcons' 45-yard line. Tina-Soberano finished the game with 136 yards rushing and, 223 yards passing and a 11-yard reception.

It was a bittersweet moment for Melemai in his first year coaching the Falcons.

"Great experience, great group of kids and I love them to death," said Melemai. "I grew up with a lot of these kids, going to school and teaching them. Seeing them with this experience, I'll never forget. I'm really proud of the success they had this season."

Waipahu linebacker Mariners Nagaesu made nine tackles and defensive lineman Jeminae Solomua recorded 2 and 1/2 sacks to lead Waipahu's defense.

The Marauders turned it over on their opening drive on a Braden Amorozo interception that gave the Falcons possession at their own 23-yard line. Runs of 32 and 23 yards by Tina-Soberano helped set up a 24-yard field goal by Indi McCellan to give Kalani an early 3-0 lead.

Waipahu answered with a 15-play drive that was capped by Failauga's 2-yard TD run just before the end of the first quarter. Isaiah Harris booted the PAT to give Waipahu a 7-3 advantage.

Kalani went three-and-out on its next drive and the Marauders capitalized on it with Failauga's 15-yard score around right end to make it a 14-3 game.

Tina-Soberano threw a 37-yard TD to Randy Daligon to cut into the Marauders' lead, but Waipahu responded on its next possession with Failauga's 22-yard TD run to make it a 21-10 game at halftime.

Amorozo added a 23-yard TD pass to Isaac Yamashita in the fourth quarter to finish the regular season with a touchdown pass in every game.

Kalani running back Jaemi Harris was a good backfield partner for Tina-Soberano, rushing for 115 yards on 13 carries and catching four passes for 78 yards. Senior linebacker Gage Quinabo-Reis led the Falcons' defense with 8 and 1/2 tackles, which tied a season-high.

The Falcons close out their season against McKinley next Saturday while Waipahu will have a week off before the start of the league's Division II four-team playoffs.