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Varsity Sharks & Warriors victorious in Wk 4 of 2018 ASHSAA Football

Tafuna’s offensive linemenLeone Lions Ben Tikeri returning this kick offAvory Seumanutafa of the Blue Empire dragging a defender with him  Samson Tupuola and was batted away by Sene Isileli Jr. during the opening half of their varsity match up last Saturday
tony@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — This past weekend concluded the fourth week of the 2018 American Samoa High School Athletic Association (ASHSAA) football, as they’ve now joined forces with the Jr. Prep Sports and ASG in hosting this year’s season.

During the live Friday Night Lights action between the Tafuna Warriors and the Leone Lions, the Warrior Nation held the fort down from the start of this one, as they collected a 3 - 0 record after they defeated Leone in a 44 - 22 victory; while on Saturday, Head Coach Pati Pati and the Blue Empire recorded the most touchdowns in a game after its hot and scorching match up against the Nu’uuli Wildcats where the Sharks mastered their ‘Air Attack’ in a whooping 68 - 32 victory.

Coverage of 2018 ASHSAA Football is proudly sponsored by Congresswoman Aumua Amata, and brought to you by Samoa News.

(See tomorrow’s Samoa News issue for the Junior Varsity & JPS Division story and photos also sponsored by Congresswoman Aumua Amata.)

TAFUNA WARRIORS 44 – LEONE LIONS 22

Head Coach Kevin Magalei and his 3 - 0 Warriors have yet to be defeated in divisional competition. They are led by the Sophomore Quarterback Francisco Mauigoa, who has made a name for himself in the varsity division as the most threatening passer in the league.

It is Mauigoa’s precise throwing abilities that played a key role in the ground game that helped the Warriors win their third victory. Warriors Koison Ozu, Panapa Filoiali’i, Herman Sufia and Frank Mulipola with hand-offs and passes from Mauigoa contributed to the first half of play — allowing Tafuna to secure a 22- 6 lead.

The Lions only touchdown in the first half came from quarterback MJ Danielson with the help of Leone’s offensive unit and Irvinson Ta’ase. Their extra point conversion was denied.

Leone came back into the second half to flip the script on the Warriors as their hard count paid off along the way in their running game – Tafuna getting penalized as well on encroachment and more helped the Lions move the chains downfield to kick off the second half of the match.

In the third quarter, Leone scores with a pass from Danielson to find Antwan Legget wide open down for their second TD of the game on a 64-yard pass reception that went for six. Their two-point attempt was good securing the Lions to trail the Warriors 22 - 14.

Tafuna answered Leone’s running game with a more conventional offense in the second half and also stuck to the running game with Ozu, Ben Tuimaseve, and Filoiali’i moving the chains downfield slow and steady, to score with a Mauigoa TD. The 2-points were denied when the Lions Eddie Siaumau and a host of Lions in the backfield brought down Mauigoa — but the Warriors were still ahead 28 - 14.

Leone replied soon after — again with Danielson and another quarterback keeper for a Lion touchdown, and their two-point attempt was a go to move in closer — now only 6 points from the Warriors.

But, Tafuna’s defensive hold intensified in the final quarter of the game, as Leone’s long passes got picked off left and right by Alex Peric who recorded four interceptions in the match, at the same time, Mauigoa and his offense put the pedal to the metal and floored it to the end of this one.

Two more TDs by Mauigoa, with successful two-point conversions by Mauigoa and then Tuimaseve  — unanswered by the Lions — brought the Warriors to victory over Leone — 44 – 22.

SAMOANA SHARKS 68 – NU’UULI WILDCATS 32

Leading the Blue Empire to their second straight victory of the first round was Quarterback Anthony Feala and his ‘Air Attack’.

Aided by Avory Seumanutafa and Kobe Lefiti, Feala brings Samoana’s its first 8 points, against the Wildcats, who answer with Jerry Isaako and his offense forming up in a shotgun pistol formation, and with a long pass to Jeffery Tago secure their first TD of the match.

Wildcats second TD is another spectacular play, with the Sharks defender straight up burned by David Talaga on a post route to the end zone after receiving the pass from Isaako for a 90-yard touchdown reception. The two-point conversion had Nuuuli take the lead 14 - 8.

Quarterback Feala and his offense reply with a 20-yard quarterback keeper that put six more on the Sharks side of the board. Their two-point attempt was batted away by Sene Isileli Jr. of Nu’uuli, tying the game at 14 - 14 in the first quarter of play.

Samoana takes the lead back in the game with a TD, resulting from a Wildcats15-yard penalty for pass interference – Feala fires a bullet to Lefiti who hauls it in and is en-route to the end zone. Sharks take the lead 20 – 14, with their 2-point conversion denied.

The second quarter sees three more TDs from Samoana, with only one answered by Nuuuli.

For Samoana, its a 50-yard pass to to Fitu Amata Jr. from Feala, giving Mahonri Lotulelei the op to bulldoze his way in for his first TD of the game, but no two points as Isileli Jr. of the Wildcats once again bats it away. The second is a quick pass from Feala to Amata Jr. to score, extending their lead 32 - 14. The third is another Feala 50-yard pass to Amata Jr. who scores a TD just before halftime. Their two point attempt is a successful pitch play out to King Letufia Moe securing their lead of 40 - 20 into half time.

Nuuuli’s only answer in the second quarter comes with an Isaako long pass to Talaga who not only beats his defender, but hauls in the pass to score his second TD of the game. Sharks’ Douglas Asuega intercepts their two-point attempt inside the end zone — but Nu’uuli is back to trail the Sharks 32 - 20.

The second half of play opened up with a huge defensive play by Samoana – Nu’uuli second down and goal inside the red zone as they were setting up to score, a pass from Isaako intended for Tago was intercepted by Jeff Daniel Fa’alogo of Samoana who turned up the boosters and returned that interception all the way back to the end zone. Unfortunately for Fa’alogo as he was celebrating his six, White Hat Official Vaovasa called it back due to a clipping penalty.

Nu’uuli’s following offensive possession didn’t fall short – Isaako shuffles a pass to Talaga as Talaga secured his third touchdown catch of the day to bring the Wildcats back to trail the Sharks 40 – 26.

Sharks early in the fourth quarter of play, distance their lead 52 – 26, when Fano scores his first TD of the day, and Lefiti scores another Sharks TD in a 30-yard reception.

However, the Wildcats refuse to remain silent — and Joseph Mauga storms his way to the sidelines and is well on his way to the end zone to score a 30-yard reception for Nu’uuli bringing them back to trail the Sharks 52 - 32.

But the Sharks just can’t be stopped — Feala led the Sharks to two more TDs with a pass to Amata Jr. and a run to Fano to seal the deal in the final quarter of the match as they win 68 - 32.