Liatama Uiliata does it all for Waipahu against Leilehua

It didn’t take long for fans on Friday to figure out Waipahu’s Liatama Uiliata is going to be a game-changer this season.

Uiliata caught a 70-yard touchdown pass, tossed a successful 2-point conversion pass and had an interception less than five minutes into the game as visiting Waipahu beat Leilehua 36-25 in a back-and-forth nonleague game.

Uiliata finished with 10 receptions for 230 yards, and added a game-sealing 75-yard interception return for a touchdown with 5:15 remaining.

“Tama is our all-around guy. If no one knew, I think tonight they know,” said Waipahu coach Bryson.Carvalho. “He does everything for us. He’s in the game 99 percent of the time. He’s going to do it all for us this season and he’s kind of our ironman guy.”

Waipahu’s Joshua Manu completed 20 of 34 passes for 317 yards and two touchdowns.

“Very trustworthy,” Uiliata said of Manu. “I can trust him with the ball and he can pass me the ball. He’s very good in the pocket, too.”

Waipahu’s defense finished with four interceptions.

The Marauders led 14-0 at halftime, but Mules backup quarterback Dustin Chow led his team to touchdowns on its first three possessions of the second half and a 19-14 lead.

“We tell our players, ‘Opportunity knocks, go ahead and answer that door.’ He answered the call for us and made some plays,” Leilehua coach Mark Kurisu said.

Waipahu (1-0) led 29-25 midway through the fourth, but Leilehua (0-1-1) drove into Marauders territory. Chow’s lofted pass to the right side was picked off by Uiliata, who weaved his way to the end zone.

“I know we needed it. I did what had to be done,” Uiliata said. “Thanks to the D-line. Good pressure.”

Waipahu scored on the game’s first possession on the 70-yard touchdown strike from Manu to Uiliata, who caught the ball down the right sideline and out-sprinted defenders to the end zone. Uiliata completed the 2-point conversion pass to I’a Fualema to make it 8-0 Waipahu with 11:00 left in the first quarter.

The Mules drove into the red zone on two of their five first-half possessions but were thwarted both times on interceptions near the goal line by Waipahu’s Uiliata and Zyon Faleiva.

Faleiva’s pick early in the second quarter set up a 95-yard drive, which culminated with Braeden Togafau’s 2-yard touchdown run to make it 14-0 with 2:58 left before halftime.

Leilehua starting quarterback Pono Arindain was replaced by Chow on the Mules’ final drive on the half.

On the opening drive of the second half, Chow drove Leilehua down the field, capping the drive with a 20-yard scoring strike to Kama Hoeppner-Corales with 9:13 remaining in the third to make it 14-6.

The Mules recovered an onside kick and scored three plays later on a 30-yard pass from Chow to Hoeppner-Corales, which cut Leilehua’s deficit to 14-12 with 9:09 left in the quarter.

On the next Mules drive, Timothy Arnold ran it in from 37 yards and Zackary Sutcharitkul made the PAT kick to give Leilehua its first lead at 19-14 with 4:39 left.

The Marauders regained momentum with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Manu to Tai Aipia-Barrett late in the third and a 1-yard sneak by Manu with 7:48 left in the game, which put them up 29-19.

Leilehua’s Camren Flemister returned the kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown to cut the Mules’ deficit to 29-25.

Leilehua’s Arindain completed eight of 16 passes for 25 yards, while Chow finished 12-for-22 for 181 yards. Both quarterbacks threw two interceptions.

The Mules’ next game is Aug. 26 at Kahuku. Friday was their only home game of the season.

“Just like any other position, it’s always going to be a competition,” Kurisu said. “Whoever can carry themselves in practice, that’s the one who’s going to get the job. It’s good to have two quarterbacks, though.”

Hoeppner-Coarles finished with five catches for 121 yards and two TD’s — all in the second half.

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WAIPAHU 36, LEILEHUA 25

Waipahu (1-0) 8 6 8 14 — 36

Leilehua (0-1-1) 0 0 19 6 — 25

Waip—Liatama Uiliata 70 pass from Joshua Manu (I’a Fualema from Uiliata)

Waip—Braeden Togafau 2 run (pass failed)

Lei—Kama Hoeppner-Corales 20 pass from Dustin Chow (kick failed)

Lei—Hoeppner-Corales 30 pass from Chow (pass failed)

Lei—Timothy Arnold 37 run (Zackary Sutcharitkul kick)

Waip—Tai Aipia-Barrett 7 pass from Manu (Uiliata pass from Manu)

Waip—Manu 1 run (Xavier Transfiguration kick)

Lei—Camren Flemister 99 kickoff return (kick failed)

Waip—Uiliata 75 interception return (Transfiguration kick)

RUSHING—Waipahu: Togafau 20-57, Manu 8-(minus 4), Team 2-(minus 2). Leilehua: Flemister 7-40, Arnold 2-38, Cole Northington 9-21, Chow 8-15, Pono Arindain 3-11, Trevin Po’opa’a 1-9.

PASSING—Waipahu: Manu 20-34-0-371, Uiliata 0-1-0-0. Leilehua: Arindain 8-16-2-25, Chow 12-22-2-181.

RECEIVING—Waipahu: Uiliata 10-230, Tai Aipia-Barrett 7-92, Saige Marienthal 2-28, Layden-Jace Rabago 1-21. Leilehua: Arnold 8-51, Hoeppner-Corales 5-121, Ryder Gonsalves 2-11, Po’opa’a 2-11, Northington 2-2, Layton Domingo 1-10.

Junior Varsity—Leilehua 40, Waipahu 14

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MAUI 16, NANAKULI 0