Tristan Pacheco rumbled for 98 yards, scoring two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, as Waipahu rallied for a 20-13 win over Waianae in nonconference play.
Soggy conditions at Pearl City’s Bino Neves Stadium were a factor, as both teams had trouble on punt snaps, including Waianae quarterback-punter Maximus Kahalewai Sapigao making a sudden punt-fake decision that set up Waipahu’s go-ahead touchdown by Pacheco with 59 seconds left. Pacheco is part of a youth brigade for the “Black Flag,” a tough-nosed running back who is, like his quarterback, only a sophomore.
“I squat two plates (225 pounds) and I weigh 132 pounds,” said Pacheco, who is 5 feet, 8 inches tall. “Every time I’m on the field, I think, they can’t tackle me.”
Pacheco replaced senior Faafetai Failauga, who suffered a broken hand in the Marauders’ win over Kailua last week.
“He told me before the game to get in the end zone and prove yourself. I did it for him. I did it for God. I did it for my parents,” Pacheco said.
The preseason has been quite chaotic, with transfers bouncing from school to school. The OIA allowed student-athletes in football to change schools before their third game. That left Waipahu without one quarterback who left in the offseason and another who departed less than two weeks ago.
That forced longtime coach Bryson Carvalho to promote JV quarterback David Vidinha to the varsity.
“That’s just Black Flag football for us. Never surrender. Never give up. Play to the end. As long as there’s time on the clock, we’ll keep fighting,” Carvalho said. “I’m proud of my kids. We had a lot of missed opportunities tonight, but the kids came through in the end.”
Waianae had a solid game plan with 106 yards on 22 carries by Alika Idica Jr. Mental lapses — a torrent of fourth-quarter penalties — derailed the Seariders late in the game.
“We had more yards than them and stuff. Big plays called back. The two bad punt snaps. Against a scrappy team like that, you can’t make those kinds of mistakes,” Waianae coach Vince Nihipali said. “Hat’s off to Waipahu. They played tough. Bryson’s got a good group of kids. They played probably above and beyond their means. Good, solid football team.”
A 79-yard gallop down the right sideline by running back Idica set up a 24-yard field goal by Brysen Ferreira to give Waianae a 3-0 lead with 7:09 left in the opening quarter.
Ferreira’s 26-yard run to pay dirt was negated by a holding penalty on Waianae in the second quarter.
Waianae’s fake-punt run on fourth-and-1 was stopped by Waipahu at the Seariders’ 30-yard line with 3:53 to go in the second quarter. Six plays later, with the help of a facemask penalty on Waianae, Waipahu scored the game’s first touchdown. Vidinha fired a quick pass to Jason Ganiron, who slashed through the secondary for a 7-yard TD with two minutes left in the first half for a 6-3 lead.
Three plays into the second half, Waianae linebacker Nakoa Gouveia intercepted a Vidinha pass near the sideline and raced home for a 48-yard return. The Seariders led 10-6 with 11:09 to go in the third quarter.
The ensuing series seemed promising for Waipahu, which recovered an on-side kick, then added 15 yards on an unsportsmanlike conduct call against Waianae. With the ball at the Waianae 40-yard line, Waipahu was whistled for a personal foul after a run play. A punt snap was dropped by punter Evan Baptista, who was sacked, giving Waianae the ball at the Marauders’ 35-yard line.
A key fumble recovery and a 15-yard run on third down by Kona Maxwell kept the drive alive. Ferreira’s 21-yard field goal stretched the Seariders’ lead to 13-6 with 5:05 remaining in the third quarter.
With Pacheco and Kealii Sione alternating at running back, the Marauders drove deep into Waianae territory. With first and goal at the 4, Pacheco fumbled and Deegan Anduha recovered for Waianae at the 8-yard line to end the threat.
Waianae returned the gift moments later on a snap over the head of punter Xavier Kekahuna, who dove on the loose ball at the Seariders 14-yard line.
After a bad snap and no gain on first down, Vidinha had three incompletions, including a near-touchdown pass to wide receiver Jayvren Pinera, who was just barely out of bounds.
Waianae’s next series also ended with a bad snap. This one bounced to Kekahuna, who gathered the pigskin, took a hard shot and was tackled at the Seariders 26-yard line with 7:08 remaining.
Three plays later, Pacheco broke two tackles, leaped out of the arms of another defender and raced to the end zone for a 17-yard TD. The kicker, Baptista, pulled the PAT kick against heavy pressure, and Waianae hung on to the lead, 13-12, with 6:30 remaining.
Waianae’s offense stalled again, but with a new snapper and Kekahuna now at left guard, quarterback Kahalewai Sapigao lined up just 8 yards back to punt. His 12-yard punt was downed at the Seariders’ 30-yard line with 5:28 left.
Six plays later, Ezekiel Stewart’s 25-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide left with 2:14 to play.
It was far from over. Waianae committed its third illegal procedure penalty of the fourth quarter to go with an illegal block and a holding call, plus the two bad punt snaps.
Kahalewai Sapigao lined up to punt on fourth and 3, but instead of punting, opted to try to run for a first down and was brought down for a 7-yard loss.
Three plays later, Pacheco barreled up the middle for an apparent 12-yard TD, but two flags were on the ground. Officials ruled the play good, with an unsportsmanlike call on Waipahu after the score.
Waipahu converted the 2-point conversion for a 20-13 lead with 59 seconds left.
Waianae was called for a personal foul on the ensuing kickoff return. Jacob Wilson sacked Kahalewai Sapigao as Waianae was unable to enter Marauders territory in the final minute.
Extra point
The game was originally scheduled at Waipahu. Because the access road into the athletic complex is under construction, the TV trailer could not get to the field, which led to moving the game to Pearl City.
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At Bino Neves Stadium
Waianae (0-2) 3 0 10 0 — 13
Waipahu (2-1) 0 6 0 14 — 20
WAIN—FG Brysen Ferreira 24
WAIP—Jason Ganiron 7 pass from David Vidinha (run failed)
WAIN—Nakoa Gouveia 48 interception return (Ferreira kick)
WAIN—FG Ferreira 21
WAIP—Tristan Pacheco 17 run (kick failed)
WAIP—Pacheco 12 run (Titan Figueroa pass from Vidinha)
RUSHING—Waianae: Alika Idica Jr. 22-106, Maximus Kahalewai Sapigao 11-51, Kaipo Lujan 4-1, team 2-(minus 47). Waipahu: Pacheco 17-98, Kea Sione 4-28, Kai Sione 3-7, Vidinha 3-1.
PASSING—Waianae: Kahalewai Sapigao 17-31-0-142. Waipahu: Vidinha 11-23-2-129.
RECEIVING—Waianae: David Maxell 6-80, Caleb Watanabe 4-18, Jaylum Pelen 2-15, Slater Kaleiohi 2-13. Waipahu: Alzen Etrata 2-49, Figueroa 5-34, Jayvren Pinera 2-30, Pacheco 1-9.
JV—Waianae 60, Waipahu 0
