Waipahu shuts down McKinley, 56-0

Waipahu's Zeondre Benjamin sprints into the end zone for one of his two receiving TDs on the night. Greg Yamamoto | SL

MAKIKI — Waipahu posted its fourth 40-plus point game of the season to remain undefeated as the Marauders blanked the McKinley Tigers, 56-0, Friday night to close out the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division II regular season at Ticky Vasconcellos stadium on the campus of Roosevelt High School.

Ranked No. 2 in the ScoringLive/Hawaiian Electric Division II Football Power Rankings, the Marauders improve to 7-0, 8-0 overall, and remain as the only undefeated D2 team in the state.

Senior quarterback Braden Amorozo threw four touchdowns and tacked on an additional eight points on PAT attempts serving as the team's placekicker.

Amorozo hooked up twice with junior Zeondre Benjamin for scores of 61 and 35 yards. Primarily a defensive back, Benjamin previously had only two receptions the entire season.

Ezekiel-Kai Kapanui-Reyes was also the recipient of a scoring pass from Amorozo, going for 33 yards in the first quarter. Kapanui-Reyes also scored the first points of the game for the Marauders, taking a direct snap for 34 yards less than a minute and a half into the start of regulation.

Waipahu will have the No. 1 seed heading into the four-team OIA D2 Playoffs later this month and will play the fourth-seeded No. 10 Roosevelt Rough Riders. The Marauders previously won, 35-8, on Sept. 25.

McKinley ends the season at 1-6, 1-7 overall.