As Tristan Pacheco is proving on the gridiron, age is just a number.

Pacheco, a sophomore running back for the Waipahu football team, has stepped up and stepped into a prominent role for the reigning Division I state champions this fall. With senior and incumbent starter Faafetai Failauga on the mend from an early-season injury, Pacheco has filled in nicely in the Marauders' backfield.

Through three games this season, Pacheco has found the end zone four times, including twice in his team's 20-13 win over Waianae last Friday. The 5-foot-8, 132-pound Pacheco carried 17 times for 98 yards with both of his TD runs coming in the fourth quarter in the Marauders' come-from-behind victory.

Waipahu coach Bryson Carvalho praised the play of the young sophomore thus far.

"He's been really good and one good thing about him is he asks for advice," Carvalho said. "He'll ask, ‘Am I doing this right? Am I doing this wrong?' He's that kind of kid. He wants to grow and learn and he knows his position, so he knows that he's there to complement (Failauga), but once Tai got hurt, it was his turn to step up. He's definitely a student of the game with regard to wanting to fit within the system and do things right. He constantly wants to learn and improve his game."

Carvalho added that Pacheco showed growth even within Friday's non-league contest against the always-rugged Seariders – despite some soggy conditions at Pearl City's Edwin "Bino" Neves Stadium.

"With a physical team like Waianae, it was a good test to see where he's at with touching the ball as much as he did. The elements weren't the greatest so he did have a fumble and we had a lot of snap issues, but when you have a young team like we do – sophomore quarterback, sophomore running back, a bunch of sophomores on the o-line – when you have a game with elements like that, it makes it really hard," Carvalho described.

He went on that unlike in years past, the Marauders are light on experience having graduated 26 seniors since last season. Carvalho was particularly proud of Pacheco for his ability to recover from a lost fumble late in the third quarter that halted a seven-play, 65-yard drive.

"We're very young, so I'm proud of how he handled the elements and how he bounced back from that fumble. He didn't hang his head after that – I mean, he fumbled on the 4-yard line – but a lot of times when you have a young kid do that, his game is over and his head is shot, but he kept his head up, kept grinding, pushed forward and he was able to score twice in the fourth quarter and he was able to lead us to victory, so I'm proud of him for that," Carvalho said.

The Seariders had built a 13-6 lead on the Marauders after three quarters, but Carvalho's squad inched closer with Pacheco's 17-yard TD run with 6:30 left to play. The ensuing extra point was no good to keep Waianae ahead, 13-12. However, Pacheco put his team ahead for good two possessions later, when he scored on a 12-yard run that included a few broken tackles.

"Tristan is fast so once he hits the hole he can take off and beat you with his speed. He's smaller than most backs – he's still growing – but I think he uses his speed to his advantage. A lot of times when you get smaller backs like that they're hesitant and not willing to push the ball up the middle, but he was able to do that and we just felt like we could run the ball. Our o-line, despite us being pretty young with one senior up front, our o-line is very good and we had faith in them and faith in Tristan to be able to pound the rock and get us what we needed and he was able to do that," Carvalho said.

Running the football is only a part of Pacheco's total skillset, Carvalho noted. He can also be utilized as a pass-catcher out of the backfield – he has three receptions for 34 yards on the year – and even serves as a kick returner on special teams.

"Getting our running backs involved in the pass game is something we want to do more than we did in the past because both Tristan and Tai are good with the ball in their hands in space, so we want to put them in those positions. Tristan is really fast so once he gets the ball in his hands, I mean, that's kind of the ideal kickoff returner you want. You want someone who is able to give you that burst of speed and if the blocking is right, is able to get free. He's had a couple good returns so that will probably be beneficial to us the rest of the season, too," Carvalho assessed.

Pacheco played a full season on the junior varsity as a freshman last year before he was pulled up for the varsity postseason. Although he has shown great promise this year, Carvalho acknowledged that there remains much room for growth in Pacheco's future.

"As he plays more the game is going to slow down more. As he gets playing reps and goes through his career, the game starts to slow down, whereas when you're game it feels like the game is going a hundred miles per hour, everybody's flying around and it's like ‘Oh my God, this is way too fast' kind of a deal, but it's going to come for Tristan. He's still far from his potential, so there's much more room to grow and it's good for him because he's going to continue to get a lot better," Carvalho said.

Along with his athletic ability, Pacheco also possesses a diligent work ethic, his coach described.

"He's that one committed kid who just wants to get better, so he lifts weights, he makes sure that he takes all that stuff serious and he wants to grow within his body frame – that's important to him. He wants to pursue his dreams and continue playing football at the next level, he's real cognizant of that, which you don't see that real often with a lot of kids, so I think that part is really mature of him. There are a lot of upperclassmen that don't have that kind of mindset, so that speaks volumes to what kind of goals he has," Carvalho said.

As for the Marauders – who are ranked 11th in this week's ScoringLive Power Rankings – they have now won two straight games since a season-opening 41-35 loss to Tafuna (American Samoa). They have one final non-league tune-up Friday, when they visit Kunuiakea Stadium for a matchup against No. 8 Kamehameha (2-1) before they'll have a few weeks off until they make their OIA Open Division debut at Mililani on Sept. 21.

FOOTBALL

Nelson Aiu, Punahou — Ran for 115 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries in a loss to Campbell 

Tyson Ball, Campbell — Caught six passes for 128 yards and a touchdown in a win over Punahou 

Riley Beal, Roosevelt — Scored on an 85-yard fumble return for touchdown in a win over Nanakuli 

Jhermie Cacpal, Aiea — Caught two touchdown passes and ran in another touchdown in a win over Castle 

Tripsen Canne-Tanele, Waipahu — Made eight tackles, including 1 1/2 for losses, and one had one pass break-up in a win over Waianae 

Kalen Donate, PAC-5 — Ran for two touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass in a win over McKinley 

Nakoa Gouveia, Waianae — Made five tackles, including two for losses, forced a fumble and scored on a 48-yard interception return for touchdown in a loss to Waipahu 

David Hosier, PAC-5 — Scored on a 15-yard interception return for touchdown in a win over McKinley

Alika Idica Jr., Waianae — Ran for 106 yards on 22 carries in a loss to Waipahu 

Hiki Kim Choy Keb Ah Lo, Aiea — Caught a touchdown pass, ran in another touchdown and scored on an 87-yard kickoff return for touchdown in a win over Castle 

Stytyn Lasconia, Saint Louis — Caught three passes for 204 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Kamehameha-Maui 

Tainoa Lave, Campbell — Scored on an 87-yard punt return for touchdown in a win over Punahou 

Lauititi Liufau, Farrington — Made nine tackles in a win over Rancho Mirage 

LJ Masalosalo, Farrington — Scored on a 49-yard interception return for touchdown in a win over Rancho Mirage 

Xzavier Niko, Aiea — Made eight tackles, including one for a loss, forced a fumble and recovered two fumbles in a win over Castle 

Wyatt Oneill, Waipahu — Made 10 1/2 tackles, including two for losses, and broke-up a pass in a win over Waianae 

Keon Preusser, Iolani — Caught 12 passes for 97 yards in a loss to Palos Verdes

Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, Campbell — Threw for 323 yards and five touchdowns on 24-of-30 passing without an interception in a win over Punahou 

Madden Soliai, Kahuku — Scored on a 15-yard interception return for touchdown in a win over Konawaena 

Taimane Souza-Fautanu, Roosevelt — Intercepted a pass, forced a fumble and recorded a sack in a win over Nanakuli 

Ezra Spencer, Aiea — Scored on an 81-yard kickoff return for touchdown in a win over Castle 

Dash Watanabe, Punahou — Caught eight passes for 117 yards in a loss to Campbell 

CJ Villanueva, Iolani — Threw for 240 yards and two touchdowns on 28-of-36 passing without an interception in a loss to Palos Verdes

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

Milania Padilla, Seabury Hall — Had 10 kills, 10 aces, one dig and one block assist in a three-set win over Kulanihakoi