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Fagaitua and Tafuna dominate the Sharks in a high scoring victories

Saturday morning’s football for Samoana High School was just not a day to get out of bed — suffering a loss in the Junior Varsity Division against the Warriors, followed by their record marking defeat in the Varsity Division against the mean beast from the East — Fagaitua Vikings.

“Huddle” coverage of the 2012- 13 ASHSAA football season is brought to you by Coca-Cola and Powerade, distributed exclusively by GHC Reid & Co. Ltd. ‘Oloa O Leala’, Your Family of Fine Beverages.

Saturday Football Morning

JUNIOR VARSITY

Samoana 16 – Tafuna 36

Wayne Filiga sent the Sharks on the early attack in the first quarter against the Warriors, with just 6:29 into the game, and Filiga entered the end zone to score the first touchdown of the game. Tafuna tried to come back on defense and deny the two point conversion, but were disappointed when Filiga again on the counter attack entered the end zone for the first 8 point lead.

Warriors finally scored late in the first, with just 20 seconds remaining and Frank Mauigoa of Tafuna lead the Warriors to their first end zone possession with a third down situation that was held on the Samoana’s 2-yard line. Their two point conversion was no good when Tupufia Shalhout was taken out of bounds by Logan Tago of Samoana that brought the Warriors back with a two point trail.

2:47 remaining in the second quarter of the game, and Tafuna’s Mauigoa again works his ground game from Samoana’s 45-yard line, Mauigoa not finding an open receiver, was forced to run with the ball, and scored Tafuna’s second touchdown of the game. Tafuna was leading 8 – 14 after the good two point attempt by Garrett Seumalo.

Then just before halftime, the crowd on Tafuna’s side started to get heated, when they saw that there was 14 seconds remaining on the clock, and Tafuna was in possession of the ball, with a third and goal possession on Samoana’s 9-yard line, and Mauigoa fired a pass out to Seumalo who was tackled out of bounds by Tago of Samoana, and was suppose to stop the clock to 7 seconds. But when the crowd saw the clock still ticking down, Tafuna’s sideline went ballistic with the judgment of Head Official Michael White.

Despite sideline antics, the game continued into the the second half of the game. 6:15 into start of the second half, and Mauigoa hooks up with Seumalo again with a 17-yard touchdown pass that had Tafuna extending their lead 8 – 22 after the two point conversion by Mauigoa.

Opening up the last quarter of the game, 9:52 remaining in the ball game, and Tafuna sent #17 up the middle from Samoana’s 20-yard line for another Warriors touchdown.

It’s 3:20 left to play in the ball game, and Tafuna again finds another fortunate opportunity on Samoana’s 8-yard line, and Mauigoa scrambles out of his pocket to find #5 wide open for another touchdown situation for the Warriors, and with the two point conversion provided by Travis Seui, Tafuna knocked it up to 8 – 36.

The Sharks however had the final word despite the loss: Samoana fans were not happy to see that the Sharks never made a comeback, but were surprised when Ronhen Tui led the Sharks to the Warriors 1-yard line with just 8 seconds remaining in the ball game, and Tui sent Paula Mafi up the middle to score Samoana’s second TD of the game, to finish up the game 16 – 36.

SAMOA NEWS JV PLAYER OF THE GAME: Navy Mulipola

Samoa News selected the hard working sophomore from Malaeimi, Navy Mulipola who is a captain of the Warriors JV squad, commanding on both sides of the ball. He plays starting offensive tackle, and starting defensive tackle. In this game he racked up 11 solo tackles, 8 assists, 1 sack, and 4 tackles for losses.

VARSITY

Fagaitua 50 – Samoana 13

The opening quarter of the Varsity Division didn’t quite go too well for Samoana, with the Vikings scoring three times for their lopsided win.

The first is a first play pick off on their own 20-yard line, a pass from Shark Tafatafa Sataua intended for Ronnie Mase, was immediately picked off by Viking “Iron Man” Howard Tautu, which he returned for the opening touchdown of the game, with just 11:51 into the first quarter. The field goal conversion by Tuvalu was good enough for the first 8 point lead of the game.

Then, 10:30 still in the first quarter, and the Vikings stuck again from the Sharks 15-yard line, Lomitusi Ta’ala sent David Alo with the toss play that took Alo to the end zone for his first touchdown of the game to send the Vikings with their early 14-point lead after the field goal conversion by Tuvalu.

And still in the first quarter, Samoana continues to have trouble trying to get their offense to form up, Fagaitua was on the verge of scoring again with 5:34 remaining, Fagaitua sends the “Iron Man” to the end zone from Samoana’s 2-yard line, Tautu with a good hand off scored his second touchdown of the game, extending Fagaitua to a 21 point lead after the field goal conversion by Tuvalu.

7:11 into the second quarter of the game and Sataua fired out his second intercepted pass of the game, this time picked off by Peni Tuvalu, the kicker/safety of the Vikings, and Tuvalu returned it all the way to the house to record a 34-yard interception for a touchdown.

Late in the second, 2:05 remaining in the first half of the game and Ta’ala fired out a pass to “Superman” Aloese Su’a, who took off from Fagaitua’s own 25-yard line, and stormed all the way down field to record another Vikings touchdown which sent them to half time with the score 35 – 0.

Opening up the second half of the game was the announcement made by Head Official Segio to have the “Mercy Rule” in effect. Samoana never gave up hope on trying to find a way to score, as they brought in “Low Rider” Antwon Washburn for the first time in the game, and he was hard to bring down.

Washburn came out with a determined mindset and in his second play of the game, Washburn races to the end zone for Samoana’s first touchdown of the game. Their two point conversion hand off to Washburn again was denied by the “Iron Man”, who broke through the middle and stopped the play in the back field, to bring Samoana back to trail the Vikings 35 – 6.

In the third quarter, Samoana finally starting to catch on to an idea of how to make it to Fagaitua’s red zone, and indeed Sataua lead the Sharks to a threatening situation on the Vikings 1-yard line. Fagaitua was waiting for Washburn but instead Sataua rolled to the opposite side of the play with the ball to score another Sharks touchdown that brought life back to the Sharks now trail the Vikings 35 – 13 after the field goal conversion by Kaleopa.

But it was not to be a Sharkfest — the last two touchdowns of the game belonged to the Vikings.

3:35 remaining in the third, and Ta’ala brought the Vikings voyage to the Sharks 4-yard line. Their second down reception there, and Ta’ala sent “Misty Man” up the middle for his first touchdown of the game, and six point added to the Vikings side of the scoreboard, and with the good two point conversion by Ta’ala, Fagaitua was way ahead with the 43 – 13 lead.

7:15 in the last quarter of the game, and Fagaitua again spotted an ideal opportunity on the Sharks 20-yard line. Samoana thinking pass, but Fagaitua did the opposite when Ta’ala sent Anthony Tovio straight up the middle with the counter hand off to score the last touchdown of the game. The field goal conversion by Tuvalu was good enough to seal off their big victory, as the Vikings went back to the east with a reason to celebrate, after their 50 – 13 victory.

SAMOA NEWS PLAYER OF THE GAME: “Iron Man” Howard Tautu

Samoa News selected Senior Middle Linebacker and Running back for the Vikings, Howard Tautu for his outstanding performance on both defense and offense. Tautu racked up the sheet with 2 Interceptions, 1 Interception for a touchdown, 1 ground attack touchdown, 8 yards per carry, 13 solo tackles, 6 assists 3 tackles for losses.