First half outburst helps Waipahu overwhelm Waialua, 63-7

Waipahu QB Braden Amorozo hands the ball off the RB Alfred Failauga. Mycah Yokotake | Special to SL

WAIPAHU — Home sweet home.

The Marauders (4-0 overall, 3-0 league) played their first home game since 2015 and christened their newly renovated field with a 63-7 rout over Waialua (0-5 overall, 0-4 league) in an Oahu Interscholastic Association Division II game on Friday.

"It's good to be home. This game was really for the guys who set the foundation for our program," said Waipahu head coach Bryson Carvalho.

Braden Amorozo tossed five touchdowns to four different receivers for 357 yards on 23-of-33 passing, all in the first half as the Marauders gained 570 yards of net offense.

"It was amazing. It was a blessing to be the first team out there and we didn't have a home game for two years. I couldn't wait to bring this to our community, they deserved it," said Amorozo.

Alfred Failauga rushed for 155 yards on 13 attempts and two scores. Ezekiel-Kai Kapanui-Reyes led all receivers with 10 catches for 185 yards and one of Amorozo's touchdowns.

"That's the amazing thing about our offense and you don't know whose night it will be," said Carvalho.

The Marauders scored first after Amorozo threw a 13-yard score to Matthew Fiesta for a 6-0 lead after Amorozo's kick was blocked.

Three plays later, Kyler Dicion found Hunter Apau on blown coverage for a 72-yard touchdown for Waialua's first points since Aug. 5 against Waiakea and Kalawelo Kuehu's PAT gave the Bulldogs a 7-6 lead.

From there Waipahu blew the game wide open to score 50-unanswered points.

Amorozo found Alika Ahsing and Kapanui-Reyes for an 8 and 13-yard touchdowns and Rylee O'Neill picked off Kyler Dicion to return it 35 yards for a 27-7 lead after the first quarter.

Failauga scored on a 2-yard run and Deacon Kapea's interception set up Amorozo's 37-yard touchdown to Branson Jay Reyes. ONeill recovered the fumble to return it to the Waialua 5 and Amorozo immediately found Ahsing for his fifth touchdown to make it, 49-7. Failauga added his second touchdown from 57 yards out for a 56-7 lead at halftime.

"The game plan was to spread it out since they were going to single out Alfred. We went more pass-heavy in the beginning and was able to spread it to my receivers," said Amorozo.

Kapea rushed for 54 yards on five attempts and added a 1-yard score late in the fourth quarter.

Despite the lopsided score, the Marauders lost two fumbles and committed numerous penalties.

"That's something we have to work on and I feel in that department we are very undisciplined and I was not happy with that," said Carvalho, on the penalties.

Dicion threw for 164 yards on 13-of-31 passing and two interceptions. Apau had two catches for 91 yards and Justyce Lacar added 38 receiving yards. Matthan Hatchie had a fumble recovery to lead the defense.

Waipahu plays Kalani (3-2 overall, 2-2 league) at Kaiser on Sept. 16 while Waialua hosts winless-McKinley (0-5 overall, 0-4 league) on Sept. 15.

Reach Brandon Ching at [email protected].