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Samoana becomes first team to shut out the Wildcats

The playmaker for the Wildcats, Iosefa Mauga is stopped immediately by a host of Samoana Sharks behind the line of scrimmage for a loss during the third quarter of their varsity match up last Saturday morning. Samoana’s defensive unit shut out the Wildcats completely in a 49-0 victory, the first team to ever shut out Nu’uuli this regular season.  [photo: TG]Fitu Amata catching the opening touchdown pass of the game, early in the first quarter of their match up against the Nu’uuli Wildcats last Saturday morning at the Veterans Memorial Stadium. Amata led the Sharks to a 28-2 victory over the Wildcats.  [photo: TG]The leader of the Sharks defensive unit, the ‘Hammer-Head Shark’ Daniel McMoore, led Samoana’s defense in a complete shutdown of the Wildcats during last week's matchup. The only two points of the game were given up by their offense during the final quarter of play.  [photo: TG]Koa Leama of Nu’uuli devoured John Uga’itafa behind the line of scrimmage for a huge loss on a quick receiver pass play. Leama read this one, and came in for the stop in the second quarter of their JV game last Saturday morning.  [photo: TG]Jr. Tanielu of the Sharks scrambling with the ball after not finding an open receiver - one of the most vulnerable times for any defensive unit. Tanielu is one of the most dangerous running quarterbacks in the ASHSAA league. [photo: TG]
tony@samoanews.com

The Samoana Sharks defeated the Nu’uuli Wildcats in both divisional competitions last weekend, during the 9th week of the American Samoa High School Athletics Association's (ASHSAA) current football season.

The Sharks varsity defense did what no other team has done so far this season. That is, completely shut out Joseph Mauga and the Wildcats offense.

Samoa News coverage of the 2017-18 ASHSAA football games is sponsored by Congresswoman Aumua Amata.

Head Coach Pati Pati and the Blue Empire had another victorious weekend, as they prepare to play in their final match of the regular season this Saturday against the Faga’itua Vikings.

In the JV division, Junior Tanielu showed off his throwing abilities in a 28-2 victory. Meanwhile, Nu’uuli superstar Joseph Mauga, who scores at least two touchdowns in each of their games, wasn’t able to score at all against Samoana’s defensive front, evident in a 49- 0 shutout.

 VARSITY DIVISION

SAMOANA 49, WILDCATS 0

Principal Tupa’i Rod Atafua led the Sharks offensive unit in the last two games. He and Anthony Feala have clicked in an unstoppable offensive rhythm.

6:25 in the opening quarter of the match and Feala leads the Sharks inside the red zone for a threatening first down situation. From there, Feala fakes a hand off to Mikaele and quickly looks up to fire a bullet pass down the middle to Moses Michael Samia for the opening touchdown of the game.

The field goal conversion by Elliot Lelei was good enough to secure an early 7-point lead.

5:22 still in the opening quarter of play – Samoana second and long from Nu’uuli’s 25-yard line, and Feala drops back to fire a long one to Elliot Lelei who was on a seam route and caught the pass en-route to the end zone for Samoana’s second touchdown of the game.

The field goal conversion by Lelei was good and extended the lead 14-0.

3:42 in the second quarter of play, and Feala changes pace. Samoana, keeping it on the ground, opted to go with their workhorse, David Mikaele, who muscled his way for the Sharks into the red zone. From there, Feala sent Samia straight up the middle with a 10-yard touchdown reception, their first on the ground game.

The field goal conversion by Lelei was good and increased the lead 21-0.

Not too long after that, 2:21 still in the second quarter, Samoana’s first down from their own 30-yard line.

Feala looked outside and fired a quick wide receiver screen play to Lelei, who turned on his boosters and beat a three-man coverage on his way to scoring his second touchdown of the game.

But that's wasn't the end of it. Samoana took it all the way to the last seconds of the first half.

Five seconds remaining in the 2nd quarter, and Feala fires a solid pass to the middle, right to Alex Te’o who caught it on his way to the end zone for another Blue Empire touchdown.

Opening up the second half was a stunning defensive performance by the Nu’uuli Wildcats, as Iosua Hemingway and Dennis ‘Da Man’ Enoka led Nu’uuli to nearly shutting out the Sharks in the third quarter of play.

But then the Sharks came back. With just 3 seconds remaining in the third quarter, Samoana fixed up a strategy that once again put them in the end zone.

In a desperate 4th and long from Nu’uuli’s 15-yard line, the Sharks were in field goal formation and faked a field goal as Zephaniah Pati rolled out with the rock to find Antonio Pule in the end zone for another Sharks touchdown — this time, from special teams.

Lelei's field goal kick widened the lead 41-0.

4:04 remaining in the ball game, and Feala again faked out the Wildcats with the running game. After a run by Mikaele and Lewis Malala Jr., Feala opted to go with another quick pass to Alex Te’o for their final touchdown of the game, closing this one off with a 49- 0 victory, courtesy of the Blue Empire defense, with their outstanding containment and overall outstanding performance.

JUNIOR VARSITY

SAMOANA 28, NUUULI 2

It was that ‘Air Attack’ that opened things up for the Sharks, as their offensive unit led by quarterback Jr. Tanielu didn’t hesitate to put the opening touchdown pass in the hands of Fitu Amata.

8:54 into the opening quarter of the match, and Samoana was playing a second and long situation from their own 20-yard line.

From there, Tanielu looked to Fitu Amata for the quick slant pass down the middle as Amata was en route for a long 80-yard touchdown reception for the Sharks to open things up.

The two-point attempt was a pitch play out to Paul Fano; but it was stopped immediately by Koa Leama of the Wildcats for a loss.

Not too long after that - 5:26 still in the opening quarter of the game, and the Sharks who were again inside the red zone, managed to convert after Tanielu threw a bomber over Avery Seumanutafa, who secured the catch for his first touchdown of the game.

The two-point conversion was a roll out pass to (#43) which put them ahead, 14-0.

5:46 into the second quarter of play and Tanielu showcases the strength of his throwing abilities, when he fires a long pass from midfield to Seumanutafa who turned it up for six.

The two-point conversion was a roll out pass to John Uga’itafa, which extended the lead 22- 0.

Touchdown #4 for the Blue Empire came in the third quarter.

Samoana third down from Nu’uuli’s 25-yard line, and Tanielu fires a solid pass to Paul Fano, beating a two-man coverage in the air, as he secures the pass for Samoana’s final touchdown of the game.

The ‘Hammer Head Shark’ Daniel McMoore and his defensive unit shut down Nathaniel Maea and Nu’uuli’s defensive unit, allowing zero points into the final quarter of play.

The only two points for the Wildcats came from a defensive effort in the final quarter of the game when Koa Leama sacked Jr. Tanielu in the end zone for a safety, which put the Wildcats on the board.