OIA Football
Marauders shrug off slow start to eliminate Mules


Michael Lasquero | ScoringLive
October 28, 2023, 4:14am

  


Fri, Oct 27, 2023 @ Waipahu [ 7:30 pm ]

Leilehua

21

Waipahu

37

Final 1 2 3 4 T
Leilehua (5-6-0) 7 0 6 821
Waipahu (8-4-0) 8 16 13 037
Elijah Mendoza 230 yd 3 TD
Hanohano Plunkett 137 yd 1 TD
Eric Stephens 111 yd 2 TD
Timothy Arnold 141 yd 1 TD

WAIPAHU — To the ‘ship the Marauders go.

No. 12 Waipahu overcame a slow start with 30 straight points across three quarters to knock off Leilehua, 37-21 in an OIA Division I semifinal game Friday night at the Masa Yonamine Athletic Complex.

The Marauders (5-4), the reigning league champions, advance to play Farrington (6-2) for the OIA title next Friday at Mililani's John Kauinana Stadium.

Eric Stephens caught eight passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns to lead Waipahu in the win. He was also one of four Marauders to record an interception on defense.

The Marauders went three-and-out on their opening series and gave up a 66-yard touchdown reception on the Mules' second possession before taking control of the game.

A short kick on the ensuing kickoff led to a four-play drive that was capped with Elijah Mendoza's 24-yard TD pass to Stephens. Tai Aipia-Barrett completed the 2-point pass to Chazen Rodillas-Vesido on the conversion to give Waipahu a 8-7 lead at the 5:08 mark of the first quarter.

The Marauders extended their lead on Aipia-Barrett's 6-yard TD run on a triple-option pitch early in the second quarter and got another score on a double-pass play with Stephens hauling in a 37-yard score from receiver Jayden Chanel to help give Waipahu a 24-7 lead at halftime.

Waipahu coach Bryson Carvalho said the slow start was something that they had to control on the Marauders' sideline.

"I think we on the sideline were a little bit chaotic and that kind of translated to the field. Once we shored everything up we were OK," he said.

The two second-quarter scores by the Marauders were outside of their base RPO (run-pass-option) plays.

In an homage to former Waipahu coach Sean Saturnio, who utilized triple-option sets similar to the service academies, the Marauders came out in a modified flexbone formation with one tight end and a wing back facing a second-and-goal at the Leilehua 6. Aipia-Barrett motioned around the full back before the snap and took the pitch around right end for the score.

"Triple option is always going to be in our package, that's kind of my tip-of-the-cap to Sean Saturnio," said Carvalho.

The double-pass trick play came after an interception by Nicholas Lotu to give Waipahu possession on its own 14-yard line. The Marauders marched down the field in nine plays before the officials brought out the chains to measure a potential first down after a Faafetai Failauga run. Once the officials signaled for a new set of downs, Waipahu went into its back of tricks.

"We just felt like it was going to work," said Carvalho. "We wanted to take a home run shot if we made the first down. It was right after a measure. We decided, hey, fit's a first, let's go take a shot on first down so that ended up helping us."

Carvalho also made sure to credit the versatility of Aipia-Barrett. He functions as the holder on kicks on PATs and field goals, but the Marauders do have an option to pass before each kick.

"He's so athletic, I don't think he gets enough credit in general," Carvalho said of Aipia-Barrett, who also caught a 39-yard pass on the scoring drive where he scored.

"My rule is the holder has to be the best athlete. He has to be that one guy that can do both. Last year it was Tama (Uiliata), this year Tai stepped up. It gives them a bunch of options and there's a bunch of different things that we do (on kicks). If we got the numbers, we're going to go for it. If not, we're going to kick if the field goal. Tai is an incredible football player, but more so a better person."

Chanel scored on a 19-yard pass at the 10:12 mark of the third quarter to give Waipahu its largest lead of the game, 30-7.

Cole Northington kept Leilehua in the game with a pair of second-half TDs, but the deficit was too large to overcome and the Mules saw their season end with a 5-6 record.

Leilehua also saw starting quarterback Hanohano Plunkett leave the game with an injury after a hit to the head area late in the second quarter. Logan Peters, who started the game at receiver, stepped in at quarterback for Plunkett the rest of the way.


Reach Michael Lasquero at [email protected].




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