Moanalua clinched a top seed in the OIA Division I playoffs on Friday night, overwhelming a depleted Waipahu squad 29-5 at Aloha Stadium.
With one game remaining on the regular-season schedule, Na Menehune are 6-0 (7-0 overall) and already have a tiebreaker win over second-place Leilehua (5-1 in league play).
“It’s very crucial,” Moanalua coach Savaii Eselu said. “I want to stay home (for the playoffs). No place like home.”
Senior Nick Au was steady and accurate all night, completing 32 of 42 pass attempts for 353 yards and four touchdowns without a pick. Rudy Kealohi hauled in 11 spirals for 129 yards and a TD. Ezra Grace caught TD tosses of 63 and 7 yards in the first half.
“The pass game, that’s who we are this year. We tried running the ball and it bit against us,” Eselu said. “But I’m very happy with the passing.
Na Menehune did not have a positive rushing play through three quarters and finished with minus-41 yards on 17 carries.
Waipahu (5-4, 4-2) could’ve moved into a first-place tie with a win, but running back Alfred Failauga sat out after having a root canal early in the week. The prolific rusher had already missed time earlier with a hand injury.
“He didn’t practice all week. Bad luck, I guess,” Marauders coach Bryson Carvalho said of Failauga. “It’s been like that the whole year.”
Moanalua’s short-pass offense took advantage early on against Waipahu’s coverage. On the third play from scrimmage in their opening series, Au went deep to Grace for the 63-yard bomb. After a Waipahu three-and-out, Moanalua jumped at the opportunity on the ensuing snap. Au’s pass deep over the middle found Kealohi, who shook off a tackler and raced the last 15 yards for a 45-yard TD.
Moanalua led 14-0 with 7:07 left in the opening quarter.
Waipahu’s defense stabilized and even blocked a 39-yard field-goal try by Griffin Motas late in the first period, but the offense was stagnant without Failauga. Then, early in the second quarter, Cody Marques led the Marauders downfield only to be picked off in the corner of the end zone by Christian Sison.
Three plays later, Abraham Montero sacked Au in the end zone for a safety, putting Waipahu on the scoreboard with 7:47 left in the first half.
A 43-yard field goal by Brycen Amorozo cut the lead to 14-5 with 3:45 to go before the half.
Na Menehune went into hurry-up mode and marched downfield. A 21-yard strike to Lawsen Lee set up a 7-yard TD pass from Au to Grace. Moanalua led 20-5 with 46 seconds left in the half.
Motas, who had four touchbacks on five kickoffs, split the uprights for a 24-yard field goal in the third quarter.
Au’s final TD pass was a 1-yard, play-action toss to Drayden Von Oelhoffen with 7:36 remaining.
GAME SUMMARY
Moanalua 29, Waipahu 5
At Aloha Stadium
>> Waipahu (5-4, 4-2) 0 5 0 0 — 5
>> Moanalua (7-0, 6-0) 14 6 3 6 — 29
Moanalua — Ezra Grace 63 pass from Nick Au (Griffin Motas kick)
Moanalua — Rudy Kealohi 45 pass from Au (Motas kick)
Waipahu — Safety, Avery Montero sacks Au in end zone
Waipahu — FG Brycen Amorozo 34
Moanalua — Grace 7 pass from Au (run failed)
Moanalua — FG Motas 24
Moanalua — Drayden Von Oelhoffen 1 pass from Au (kick blocked)
RUSHING — Waipahu: Deacon Kapea 10-28, Cody Marques 6-14, Jayden Reyes 3-4, Joel Auvae 2-(minus-23). Moanalua: Kealohi 2-2, Lawsen Lee 4-(-2), Grace 1-(minus-4), Makana Spencer 2-(minus-8), Au 6-(minus-27).
PASSING — Waipahu: Marques 16-26-1-151, Auvae 2-6-1-19. Moanalua: Au 32-42-0-353.
RECEIVING — Waipahu: Matthew Fiesta 5-45, Saxon Tote 5-45, Branson Jay Reyes 2-18, Jovan Gooman 2-10, Jeff Badua 1-18, Solofa Setu 1-12, Devin Espíritu 1-11, Kapea 1-11. Moanalua: Kealohi 13-129, Grace 5-89, Javon Monico 4-61, CJ Paleafei 3-25, Lee 2-29, Von Oelhoffen 2-5, Tim Ungacta 1-8, Jacob Copeland 1-6, Spencer 1-1.
* JV —Waipahu 28, Moanalua 10
