WAIPAHU — Other than the results of the homecoming week competitions, the Waipahu faithful didn't have much to cheer for before halftime.

The Marauders made sure that changed in the second half.

Waipahu shook off a penalty-filled first half to throttle visiting Pearl City, 37-6, before a sold-out crowd of about 5,000 at the newly renovated stadium at the Masa Yonamine Athletic Complex Friday night.

The Marauders saw sophomore running back Alfred Failauga rush for 243 yards and three scores and senior quarterback Braden Amorozo throw for 246 yards and two touchdowns to improve to 6-0 and 5-0 in league play to move into first place atop the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division II standings.

"It was really special to show all of our community what we came here to do," said Failauga," the reigning All-OIA D2 Offensive Player of the Year. "Not only can we start something, but we can actually finish it."

Waipahu, ranked second in the ScoringLive/Hawaiian Electric D2 Power Rankings, outgained fifth-ranked Pearl City 146 to 94 in the first half, but was whistled 12 times for 101 yards to leave the game scoreless at the break.

"We were just lost," Failauga said on the first half penalties. "Our coaches came out at halftime, just giving us couple lectures, telling us we need to watch out for those penalties because we're just here to show this community that Waipahu is not all about danger and that we have sportsmanship around here."

The second half was a much different story.

Waipahu got a big 47-yard kickoff return from Ezekiel-Kai Kapanui-Reyes to start the third quarter and scored quickly after two consecutive pass completions between Amorozo and Branson Jay Reyes, ending the drive on a 21-yard TD pass. Amorozo also tacked on the PAT to put Waipahu ahead, 7-0, 42 seconds into the second half.

Pearl City would find the end zone midway through the third quarter, but it was all Waipahu the rest of the way. The Marauders accounted for 304 of their total 450 yards of total offense after the break while limiting the Chargers to just 177 total yards in the contest.

"I really thought we could have scored two times in the first half, but it was just mental errors, penalties that was preventing us from doing so," said Waipahu coach Bryson Carvalho. "Once we got that cleaned up, we looked like ourselves in the second half."

Leading the Marauders' second half surge was Failauga, who carried the ball 16 times for 201 yards after the break.

"Yeah they did a great job making adjustments on us guys," said Pearl City coach Robin Kami, whose team dropped to 5-2 and 5-1 in league play. "I think they wore us down in the second half."

Pearl City quarterback Isaiah Asinsin threw a 17-yard TD pass to Micah Quillopo-Jamile at the 6:48 mark of the third quarter, but the 2-point run by Kasey Kikuyama was stopped short to leave Waipahu in the lead, 7-6.

Waipahu attempted a 29-yard field goal on the next possession, but Amorozo's kick was blocked by RJ Kami and recovered at the Chargers' 5-yard line to give Pearl City possession. However, the bad field position costed Pearl City some points as a backwards pass by Asinsin went into the end zone and out of bounds for a safety.

After the ensuing free kick, Failauga had carries of 15 and 14 yards before scoring on a 17-yard TD run to cap a 5-play drive and give Waipahu a 15-6 lead at the 2:31 mark of the period.

Things also took a turn for the worse for the Chargers when Asinsin hurt his back after Centennial Kulikefu sacked him for an 11-yard loss during the next possession.

Shayn Bondaug stepped in behind center after the play, but was picked off by Fiva Tulafale just before the end of the third quarter. The Marauders recycled the turnover into Failauga's 3-yard TD run nine seconds into the fourth quarter.

Waipahu scored two more times in the final period of play on Amorozo's 20-yard TD pass to Kapanui-Reyes and Failauga's 53-yard scamper with 1:28 left in regulation.

"Once they got the momentum going it was hard to stop them," said Kami. "They did a great job of running the ball on us in the second half."

The Marauders can lock up the league's No. 1 seed in the four-team playoffs next Saturday when it takes on Kaimuki (4-2, 4-1) at Farrington's Skippa ‘Diaz' Stadium at Henry Kusunoki Field.

Pearl City will wrap up the regular season against McKinley (1-5, 1-4) next Friday before enjoying a week off before the postseason.