McKinley's Tyrell Tuiasosopo intercepts a pass intended for Waipahu's Nehemiah Palimoo during the fourth quarter. In addition to his total of 3 picks during the game, Tuiasosopo made 2 pass receptions for a 48- and 28-yard touchdown. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Waipahu quarterback Kai Mercado-Aiona pulls into the end-zone during the third for his team's second touchdown. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Waipahu's Mark Failauga recovers McKinley running back Gerime Bradley's fumbled ball from Jordan "Loveni" Iosefa's tackle. Sean Nakamura | SL

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McKinley QB Mathias Tuitele-Iafeta was 11-of-22 for 204 yards and 4 touchdowns in a OIA Red division playoff opening match against Waipahu. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Fri, Oct 11, 2013 @ Roosevelt [ 6:00 pm ]

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Waipahu

15

McKinley

36

Final	1	2	3	4	T
Waipahu (2-7-0)	0	7	8	0	15
McKinley (5-5-0)	14	16	0	6	36

• Pass
• Rush
• Rec

Mathias Tuitele-Iafeta 204 yd 4 TD

Kai Mercado-Aiona 67 yd

Gerime Bradley 21 yd

Kai Mercado-Aiona 114 yd 1 TD

Tyrell Tuiasosopo 76 yd 2 TD

Andrew Toa 20 yd

MAKIKI – Is there anything he can’t do?

Thus was the question that senior linebacker Mathais Tuitele-Iafeta left fans to ponder Friday Night at Roosevelt’s Ticky Vasconcellos stadium.  The linebacker turned quarterback put on a show in the first half, going completing ten of 14 passes for 199 yards and four touchdowns by halftime.  His overall offensive stats were 11-of-22 passing for 204 yards and four touchdowns with one interception, and also carried the ball eight times for 20 yards.  Defensively Tuitele-Iafeta made 11 tackles, a team high, and also had one pass defended.

“It’s a great feeling,” exclaimed Tuitele-Iafeta.  “(It) felt like I was playing back home (like) backyard football.  It’s just a great feeling just to help lead the team and do what I could.   Last year we came up short in the first round, but our boys just wanted it this year.  They wanted it much more, and we just had so much determination this year.  Our seniors, the juniors, the upcoming players, they all did great.  Everybody just stepped up for our team and did what they had to do.”

With the win, McKinley improves to 5-4 on the year and will travel to Campbell next week Friday in the quarterfinals of the OIA Red Playoffs.  Waipahu ends their season with the same record as last year, 2-7.

“Really great win for us, for the school, for our program, for our kids and for our coaches,” said McKinley coach Joseph Cho.  “We came a long way; we started out in the White division (and) now we’re in the second round of the (Red) division.  It’s a great thrill for us and what (ever) happens next week happens.”

Tuitele-Iafeta might get all the recognition because he played the most coveted position in all of football, but Tyrell Tuiasosopo made sure his name was in the mix as well.  There were no signs of the stress fracture of the foot injury that he sustained over the summer, as he caught two passes, both for touchdowns, for 76 receiving yards.

“It’s great man, it’s real great,” said Tuiasosopo.  After missing those few months (from) that fractured foot, I just wanted to come back strong and execute all my plays and stuff.  It’s just a great feeling to come back and support my team and help my team out a lot.”

Tuiasosopo was also amazing on defense with three tackles and three interceptions, one of which went for a pick-six.  In addition with Tuiasosopo, the entire McKinley pass defense as a whole was playing lock down defense all night, allowing only 67 passing yards and six completions, while also recording six total interceptions.

“That’s the problem when you’re running a team,” explained Waipahu coach Eric Keola.  “To try and come back from a lead like that, it’s hard to throw the ball which we don’t do a whole lot.”

Despite the shortcomings in the passing game, the Marauders were able to move the ball on the ground finishing with 247 yards rushing.  They were led by the backfield duo of juniors Kai Mercado-Aiona and Jacob Anae.  The quarterback and running back each had over a 100 yards rushing and each scored a touchdown.

Neither team could get any form of offense going on their opening drives with the Marauders' receivers dropping first down conversions and the Tigers unable to get anything going in their run game.  Because McKinley was unable to get decent yardage in their run game, the Tigers took flight.  With the defensive coverage in their favor, Tuitele-Iafeta was able to find Tuiasosopo down the right sideline for a 48-yard touchdown to put the Tigers up by six, six minutes and six seconds into the game.

“From the start, I read the corners (and seen) that they was playing cover three (defense), soft (coverage),” recalled Tuiasosopo.  “I just took the release and broke it off to the sideline and boom there it was.”

The Tigers were able to force the Marauders into another punting situation and they were able to get it back at their own 28-yard line.  The drive sputtered near midfield but got extended thanks to a pass interference call against Waipahu, setting up Tuitele-Iafeta’s touchdown pass three plays later.  Tuitele-Iafeta would scramble around in the pocket and find Denzel Kalahiki-Gaspar in between two defenders for a 52-yard touchdown pass play.  On the two-point try, Chevas Pacheco hooked up with Malik Kuhia to put the Tigers up by 14.

Waipahu’s first scoring drive was jump started by a McKinley turnover.  After a reception, sophomore linebacker Jordan Iosefa was able to strip the ball free from Gerime Bradley and Mark Failauga was Johnny-on-the-spot for the takeaway at the McKinley 24-yard line.   Anae punched it in from a yard out six plays later and the Marauders were finally on the scoreboard.  Sword De Asis’ PAT was good, cutting the deficit to seven with seven minutes and ten seconds remaining in the first half.

The Marauders forced a three-and-out on the Tigers’ ensuing drive, but they would wound up giving the ball away on an interception to Tuiasosopo, setting up his second touchdown catch of the night.  The 6-foot-2 receiver out jumped his defender in the end zone for a 28-yard touchdown reception.  Bradley ran in the two-point try around left end to put McKinley up by 15.

On the Marauders’ very next play from scrimmage, Mercado-Aiona threw another interception, this time to Bradley who took it down all the way to the Waipahu 15-yard line.  Marauder linebacker Jonathan Nagaseu was be able to pluck the ball away from a McKinley ball carrier a play later for a turnover, but the Marauders promptly turned it over again on another interception to set up the final scoring drive of the first half.  Five plays later Tuitele-Iafeta hooked up with Bradley for a seven yard touchdown play.  Tuitele-Iafeta also found Kiaipono Kini on the two-point try to give the Tigers a 30-7 lead at the break.

McKinley got the ball to start the second half, but the Waipahu defense forced them to punt after a three-and-out.  The Marauders got the ball back at their own 17-yard line and was able to march down the length of the field on only running plays.  Mercado-Aiona’s 12-yard keeper capped off a seven play drive that only took two minutes and 35 seconds off the clock.  Anae’s two-point run on the try was good and the score was 30-15 with over one and a half of quarter remaining in the ball game.

Waipahu got the ball back two drives later and was able to drive all the way down the field to set up a third-and-four situation at the Tigers’ eight yard line.  Unfortunately for the Marauders, Anae would have to leave the game with an injury, making it a tall task for the visitors to cash in on this opportunity.

“He was injured from the get go,” said Keola on Anae.  He had a thigh bruise and/or a hamstring (injury).  He’s a tough kid; I knew after a while he wouldn’t last, but we had to run him.”

McKinley got a stop for no gain on third down, creating a pivotal fourth-and-four situation deep inside their own territory.  Waipahu elected to go for a wing back sweep on the play and got sniffed out cold by Tiger defensive lineman Mana La’ulu who dropped sophomore slot back Corey Fitiausi for a loss.

“It was big,” said Cho on the fourth down stop deep in their territory.  “I was a little surprised that they ran that play to tell you the truth.  We were actually thinking that the quarterback would keep it, but he didn’t and he handed it off.  I was glad to see that because he was giving us a lot of problems (running the ball).”

There would be no more scores the rest of the way until Tuiasosopo’s 50-yard interception returned for a touchdown in the final minute of the fourth quarter, which essentially iced the game for the final score of 36-15.

“Those quick scores on our defense really hurt us,” said Keola.  “We started off slow; if we came out the way we (did) in the second half in the beginning of the game, I think we would have made a better game out of it.”

McKinley advances to play Campbell on the road, the team that eliminated in the playoffs last season by the final score of 35-0.

“It’ll be tough, they’re tough,” said Cho on their upcoming game.  “Coach Amosa does a great job with his kids.  We scrimmaged (them) earlier in the year, but that Hurd kid, he’s going to be tough to stop. We’ll take a day off and then we go back at it on Sunday; we’ll have a game plan ready for (the boys by then).”