OIA Football
Waipahu overpowers Roosevelt, 38-0


Brandon Ching | ScoringLive
October 14, 2017, 12:16am

  


Fri, Oct 13, 2017 @ Waipahu [ 7:30 pm ]

Roosevelt

0

Waipahu

38

Final 1 2 3 4 T
Roosevelt (4-4-0) 0 0 0 00
Waipahu (10-1-0) 6 3 8 2138
Braden Amorozo 155 yd 3 TD
Shastyn Kekahuna 64 yd
Alfred Failauga 240 yd 2 TD
Mitchell Camacho 27 yd
Branson Jay Reyes 50 yd 1 TD
Isaiah Rosa 26 yd

WAIPAHU — Waipahu woke up in the second half to wear down Roosevelt, 38-0 in the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division II semifinals at the Masa Yonamine Athletic Complex on Friday.

Waipahu (9-0), ranked second in the Division II Power Rankings, head back to the OIA Division II title game for the second year in a row and will face Pearl City on Oct. 26. The Marauders won handily earlier on Sept. 22, 37-6.

The Marauders fell short in last year's title game against Waialua, 36-35, and it fueled the team throughout the season to make it back.

"It's always a blessing getting there. At the same time our motto the whole season was we were there a year ago and didn't get the job done. We are 100 percent focused on making sure we get the job done this year," said Waipahu coach Bryson Carvalho.

It was a roller coaster season for the Rough Riders (4-4 overall, 4-3 league) who won their season opener, but dropped three straight games before winning three games to get into the playoffs.

"The kids played hard and tough. Waipahu is a great team all the way around. The kids sacrificed a lot from spring and summer ball. We had a lot of great senior leadership and the kids were warriors and I love them," said Roosevelt coach Kui Kahooilihala.

Alfred Failauga was the workhorse finishing with 240 yards and two rushing touchdowns on 40 attempts. He also added a two-point run late in the third quarter.

"I'd like to thank the offensive line and I think we had a great game. Our offensive line did good, we started off slow and coach said to be patient and the holes will be there. I saw it and took it," said Failauga.

The success with the running game helped open up the passing game as Braden Amorozo threw three second half touchdowns to finish with 155 passing yards and one interception on 13-of-22 passing.

"We had time to set up the run and develop the run and to bite on it. Those passes were there and it was good to get those runs to throw off the defense," said Failauga.

The Marauders won 35-8 back on Aug. 25, but struggled in the first half to take a 9-0 lead off of Failauga's 4-yard run and Amorozo's 31-yard field goal.

"They (Roosevelt) know what we do and I said all week, it's harder to beat a team the second time since they pick up on tendencies and pick up on things we like to do. It was tough in the beginning, but our conditioning kicked in and execution was key," said Carvalho.

The Rough Riders got the ball back on the Marauders' 41 and got all the way down to the Waipahu 9, but turned it over on downs again after back-to-back tackle-for-losses by Kawena Kaleiohi-Awong and Kealii Barrett. The Rough Riders were 1 of 4 on fourth down conversions in the first half.

Roosevelt couldn't gain traction all game as Waipahu's defense held the Rough Riders to 132 yards of total offense and recorded eight tackle for losses, two sacks and two fumble recoveries.

"We were working hard the whole week against these guys and to stop the triple option is to play assignment football," said Carvalho.

Failauga (10 carries) and Manuele Palusami (four carries) combined for 14 rushes on a 15-play drive that resulted in a 20-yard touchdown pass from Amorozo to Alika Ahsing and Failauga added a two-point run to make it, 17-0 to wear down the Rough Riders.

"We got guys playing two ways, a lot of our skill guys," said Kahooilihala.

The Marauders blew open the game in the fourth quarter with a 21-point outburst off of two touchdowns from Amorozo to Branson Jay Reyes and Saxon Tote for 27 and 38 yards respectively and Failauga capped the night with his 2-yard rushing touchdown. 

"We have real pass plays and saw they didn't have a safety over the top and that helped set up the long touchdowns we threw," said Carvalho.

Kahiau Kahooilihala had a sack and Marcus Hee added an interception for Roosevelt.


Reach Brandon Ching at [email protected].




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