WAIPAHU — Lele Pefua just about saved Waipahu last night, but you hardly would've noticed after the game.

All the 5-foot-8, 158-pound linebacker did was block the potential tying PAT and came with a crucial sack late in the game to help the Marauders stay undefeated in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association White by squeaking out a 20-19 win against Roosevelt at Masa Yonamine Athletic Complex.

"I couldn't have done it without the guys up front," Pefua said of the blocked PAT that came after the Rough Riders pulled to within one when lineman Apisa Manu returned a fumble 20 yards for a touchdown with 6:20 left in the game.

Later, when Roosevelt was trying to launch its comeback, he sacked Lowen Kahooilihala for an 8-yard loss in a series that was eventually stalled with 1:30 left in the game when Samson Kapuwai intercepted Kahooilihala.

"My D-line opened the hole for me," was all Pefua would say.

It was a heart-breaker for the Rough Riders (2-1 overall, 2-1 White), who trailed 20-6 before scoring twice in the fourth quarter.

"Was heart-breaking for us," said running back Ranson Tuitama, whose dirt-stained jersey reflected the kind of game it was. "We just have to move on."

It wasn't pretty, but how the Marauders (2-1, 2-0) overcame their share of adversity to hang on spoke volumes to coach Sean Saturnio.

"I was real happy," Saturnio said. "The defense played hot and cold. They got hot when we needed them to get hot. That was really important for us. It was a real team effort because we had a lot of mistakes, but there were a lot of good things, too. Our team is young and we're still trying to find out who we really are as a group."

It was sort of the same for the Rough Riders, who had their chances hurt with early turnovers. Waipahu's first two touchdowns were results of an interception and a muffed punt return.

"We had all the momentum going at the beginning and then we sputtered," Roosevelt coach Les Parrilla said. "Waipahu's a good team. I'm happy that our kids came back They showed a little fire i them, so we had a little character-building there. It was a good game. I'm hoping we see them again (in the playoffs)."

The Rough Riders went with trickery after receiving the opening kickoff when running back Tuitama took a toss to the right from quarterback Shon Fujii and fired a 52-yard touchdown pass Alex Fowler just one minute, one second into the game. The three-play drive was set up with a tosses to Tuitama to the left for 11 yards and two yards to the right on the second play. Fowler missed the PAT, but got to re-kick after a penalty, only to miss again, keeping it 6-0.

The Marauders, who didn't attempt a throw in the first half, recycled the second of two interceptions by Kaimi Haina to take the lead in the second quarter. Haina's interception in the end zone resulted in a touchback and the Marauders rolled 80 yards in nine running plays with quarterback Troy Matautia scoring on an option keeper to the left from five yards with 3:39 left in the half. Kea Palimo'o's PAT gave Waipahu a 7-6 lead into the half.

The Marauders increased their lead when the Rough Riders lost a muffed punt. Waipahu took advantage of the second-life when Matautia scored on a sneak from two-yards with 3:39 left in the third quarter. Palimo'o missed the PAT to keep it 13-6.

Waipahu padded its lead on its next series, an 80-yard drive boosted by a 62-yard run by Tyler Martin that ended with Matautia scoring his third TD on an option keeper to the right from one yard out. Palimo'o's PAT made it 20-6. with 10:25 left in the game.

But Roosevelt came roaring back on its ensuing possession when Tuitama took a pitch, broke two tackles and scored from the 3 at 7:27. Fowler's PAT pulled Roosevelt to 20-13.

Then it got hairy for Waipahu when Matautia lost the ball on second-and-12 from the Marauders' 18. Manu picked up the ball raced 20 yards to the end zone to pull within one, only to have Pefua block the PAT.

Waipahu lost the ball on its next series on a fumble with 3:52 left. But Kapuwai's interception stopped the threat at 1:30.

Palimo'o helped the Marauders with 122 yards rushing to lead all ball carriers.

ROOSEVELT (2-1, 2-1) 6 0 0 13—19

WAIPAHU (2-1, 2-0) 0 7 7 6—20

Roos — Alex Fowler 52 pass from Ranson Tuitama (kick failed)

Waip — Troy Matautia 11 run (Keo Palimo'o kick)

Waip —Matautia 2 run (kick failed)

Waip — Matautia 1 run (Palimo'o kick)

Roos — Tuitama 3 run (Fowler kick)

Roos — Asipa Manu 20 fumble return (kick blocked)

RUSHING — Roosevelt: Tuitama 17-71, Shon Fujii 4-8, Lowen Furuta-Harada 1-1, Alex Fowler 2-(minus12), Justin Otaguro (1-1), Lowen Kahooilihala 3-4. Waipahu: Troy Matautia 19-37, Jordan Ocol 1-6, Kea Palimo'o 22-122, Tyler Martin 5-74, Freemont Aguinaldo 1-2, Mike Poscalbo 1-3.

PASSING — Roosevelt: Tuitama 1-1-0—52, Lowen Kahooilihala 6-10-2—89, Fujii 4-5-1—44. Waipahu: Matautia 2-3-0—17

RECEIVING — Roosevelt: Fowler 2-62, Otaguro 4-56, Victor Kapihe 3-35, Furuta-Harada 1-15, Tuitama 1-17. Waipahu: Aguinaldo 1-8, Gordon Cox 1-9.

JV score — Waipahu 27, Roosevelt 8.

KAIMUKI 26, KAISER 0

Justin Paderes scored on runs of 24 and 7 yards, and Christopher Etuale returned the second-half kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown as the visiting Bulldogs beat the Cougars in an OIA White game.

KAIMUKI (3-1, 3-0) 0 6 20 0—26

KAISER (0-3, 0-2) 0 0 0 0— 0

Kaim — Justin Paderes 24 run (kick failed)

Kaim — Christopher Etuale 95 kickoff return (Tavita Aholelei kick)

Kaim — Paderes 7 run (Aholelei kick)

Kaim — Romnick Pagurayan 19 pass from Kapono Kaiwi-Barrionnebo (kick blocked)

RUSHING — Kaimuki: Paderes 16-89, Aholelei 4-19, Joshua Gacusana 9-61, Nainoa Hiapo 3-19, Kaiwi-Barrionnebo 4-4. Kaiser: Cal Tashiro 6-(minus 36), Nainoa Kam 7-16, Laakea Awong 5-(minus 4), Jesse Kauhola 2-2, Matt Juntilla 3-11,

PASSING — Kaimuki: Kaiwi-Barrionnebo 7-17-0-121, Hiapo 0-3-0-0. Kaiser: Tashiro 1-5-1-17, Awong 1-5-1-1, Kam 0-1-0-0.

RECEIVING — Kaimuki: Etuale 2-66, Chris Fiamate 2-26, Aholelei 2-10, Pagurayan 1-19. Kaiser: Kam 1-17, Micah Milho 1-1.

OIA RED EAST

CASTLE 27, MOANALUA 13

Blake Rapozo completed 23 of 29 passes for 218 yards and two touchdowns, and Thomas Ilae caught a 45-yard TD pass and ran one yard for another score to lead the host Knights over Na Menehune in an OIA Red game.

MOANALUA (1-2-1, 0-2) 0 7 0 6—13

CASTLE (2-2, 2-0) 0 14 13 0—27

Cast — Thomas Ilae 45 pass from Blake Rapozo (kick failed)

Moan — Michael Garringan 5 run (Justin Watanabe kick)

Cast — Ilae 1 run (Kawehi Sablan run)

Cast — Bronson Kekahuna 14 pass from Rapozo (Kevin Aipia kick)

Cast — Sablan 3 run (kick failed)

Moan — Eric Quinn 40 pass from Jordan Monico (run failed)

RUSHING — Moanalua: Garringan 8-28, Monico 16-47, Emanual Vierra 6-25, Steven Sedenio 1-(minus 20), Pono Tiave 2-(minus 2). Castle: Maui Enos 3-34, Sablan 10-20, Kekahuna 5-8, Ilae 1-1, Breydan Torres 1-2, Jonah Estrella 1-3, Chauncey Kruse 1-2, Trayce Martinez 1-2, Rapozo 7-(minus 27).

PASSING — Moanalua: Monico 9-16-0-122. Castle: Rapozo 23-29-0-218.

RECEIVING — Moanalua: Quinn 3-69, Vierra 3-15, Tiave 1-8, Elijah Cruz 1-24, Garringan 1-6. Castle: Kekahuna 8-62, Torres 8-82, Nainoa Haitsuka 2-7, Sablan 2-12, Kainoa Aki 1-(minus 5), Ilae 1-45, Martinez 1-15.

JV score — Castle 41, Moanalua 7

Reported by Randall Kobashigawa

MIL

KAMEHAMEHA-MAUI 27, TROJANS 19

Gordon Camara ran for two touchdowns and Aronne Santos threw TD passes of 12 yards to Pilly Pacheco and 16 yards to Keith Flores as the host Warriors used a 21-point second quarter to beat the Trojans in a Maui interscholastic League game

TROJANS (1-2, 0-1) 7 6 6 0—19

KAMEHAMEHA (1-1, 1-0) 0 21 6 0—27

Tro — Pilly Pacheco 12 pass from Aronne Santos (Thomas Cortez kick)

KS — Chase Dell 17 run (Shawn Villalon kick)

Tro — Keith Flores 16 pass from Santos (kick failed)

KS — Gordon Camara 14 run (Villalon kick)

KS — Ryan Pali 24 run (Villalon kick)

KS — Camara 1 run (kick blocked)

Tro — Patrick Wilhelm-Ioane 49 run (run failed)

JV score — Kamehameha-Maui 41, Trojans 6

Reported by Rodney Higa

BIIF

KEALAKEHE 17, KEA'AU 13

Host Kealakehe beat Kea'au in a Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division II game.

KONAWAENA 25, KAMEHAMEHA-HAWAI'I 20

The visiting Wildcats held off the Warriors in a BIIF game.

KIF

KAUA'I 42, KAPA'A 0

The Red Raiders (3-0, 1-0) opened the Kaua'i Interscholastic Federation season with a rout of the Warriors (2-1, 0-1) at Vidinha Stadium. Kaua'i defeated Kapa'a, 34-6 in the junior varsity game.

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.