Waipahu star running back Alfred Failauga entered Friday’s matchup at Castle 396 yards short of Vavae Malepeai’s state career rushing record.
By the time the night was over, Failauga had almost got it done in one game.
Failauga racked up 342 yards on 31 carries and five second-half touchdowns to lead the Marauders (1-1) to a 42-28 victory over the Knights (0-2). He is now just 56 yards shy of Malepeai’s mark.
“I wasn’t doing too good in the first half, but that’s just how life is,” Failauga said. “You’re gonna have ups and downs, but it’s about the way you’re gonna turn around and bring up the team. I always trusted my line through the process. Together as a team, we’re going to get better.”
In a rematch of the 2018 OIA Division I championship, defending D-I state titlist Waipahu had no trouble moving the ball in the first quarter. The Marauders won the coin toss and opted to defer, then went on to score on their first offensive possession when Solofa Setu took a screen from Cody Marques and jetted 70 yards to the end zone.
On the team’s second offensive possession, Failauga fumbled at the Castle 7 with 3:20 left in the first. The rest of the Marauders recovered nicely on their next offensive possession, stretching the lead on Marques’ and Setu’s second touchdown connection of the day.
The Knights cut into the lead with Chazz Tom’s 5-yard rushing score with 57 seconds left in the first half.
The Marauders went scoreless in the second quarter due to a rash of penalties and sacks given up despite three possessions in Castle territory. Failauga was sitting on 59 yards on 10 carries at the break.
Logan Lauti muffed the second-half kickoff for Waipahu, giving Castle the ball at the Marauders’ 12 to start the second half. Trailing 13-7, Castle decided to go for it on fourth-and-1 from the Waipahu 4, but linebacker Fiva Tulafale made the key stop for the visitors.
“It was huge. I think our defense really stepped up,” Waipahu coach Bryson Carvalho said. “When we played assignment football and stuck to what we needed to do, the kids did amazing.”
From there, it was all Failauga. The carries and yards came in bunches, and the senior scored on touchdowns from 22, 18 and 8 yards to go along with a pair of 3-yard scores.
“The record would be great,” Failauga said. “Respect to all those players on top there. Hats off to all of them. If I break the record, that would be really mean a lot for my family and my community, and my friends and everyone out there who believed in me.”
Facing a 35-point running-clock deficit, Castle fought back with three fourth-quarter touchdowns from quarterback Mana Kahoopii to claw back into the game.
Failauga closed the scoring with his fifth touchdown of the day. The next time he takes the field, history awaits.
“It couldn’t happen to a better person, that’s the satisfying thing about it,” Carvalho said of Failauga. “At the same time, even though he’s in arm’s reach of it, he’ll always credit it to the entire team, the offensive line.
“That’s what I love about him. He’s a complete team player.”
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Waipahu 49, Castle 28
At Castle High
>> Waipahu (1-1, 1-0) 13 0 22 14 — 49
>> Castle (0-2, 0-1) 0 7 0 21 — 28
Waipahu — Solofa Setu 70 pass from Cody Marques (Brycen Amorozo kick)
Waipahu — —Setu 13 pass from Marques (kick failed)
Castle — Chazz Tom 5 rush (Cheydon Costa kick)
Waipahu — Alfred Failauga 22 rush (pass failed)
Waipahu — Failauga 18 rush (Marques rush)
Waipahu — Failauga 3 rush (Failauga rush)
Waipahu — Failauga 8 rush (Amorozo kick)
Castle — EJ Dydasco 29 pass from Mana Kahoopii (Costa kick)
Castle — Jonah Figueroa 44 pass from Kahoopii (Costa kick)
Castle — Kala Matthews 20 pass from Kahoopii (Costa kick)
Waipahu — Failauga 3 rush (Amorozo kick)
RUSHING — Waipahu: Failauga 31-342, Austin Pola 2-17, Marques 7-0. Castle: Tom 11-21, Kahiau Kanoa 5-18, Kila Kaio 11-(minus-1), Mana Kahoopii 3-(minus-17).
PASSING — Waipahu: Marques 9-12-0-213, Jacqson Aiu 1-2-0-6. Castle: Kahoopii 10-12-0-185, Kaio 10-18-1-86.
RECEIVING — Waipahu: Setu 4-128, Jovan Gooman 2-46, Aston Contado 1-33, Justin Reyes 1-7, Alema Slade 1-6, Failauga 1-(minus-1). Castle: Matthews 6-122, Jonah Figueroa 6-74, Kanoa 3-9, Logan Albinio 2-9, EJ Dydasco 1-29, AJ Igafo 1-19, Damien Muraoka 1-9.
