'Aiea might have paid a price for its 24-3 win against Roosevelt last night in a nonleague high school football season opener at the Rough Riders' Ticky Vasconcellos Stadium.

Na Ali'i senior quarterback Freddy Taliulu injured his right (throwing) shoulder on the last play of the first half. The severity of his injury wasn't known last night, as the team awaits a doctor's diagnosis, 'Aiea coach Wendell Say said. Junior Chucky Kaahaanui replaced him in the second half.

"Chucky stepped in," Say said. "He's a good quarterback. We were looking at possibly using two quarterbacks. With Freddy out, Chucky's going to have to take the load. The backup now will probably be (running back) Titan (Otto-Titan Salausa) or we'll bring up one of the JV kids ... Even if he wasn't hurt, we would've made the change already because we were looking at giving Chucky some reps."

If Taliulu, who was 9 of 18 for 98 yards, including a 19-yard first-quarter TD to Matt Faalele, isn't available, Kaahaanui will start 'Aiea's O'ahu Interscholastic Association White season opener against Kalani Saturday in the experimental afternoon start at 'Aiea.

Kaahaanui was 2 of 8 for 85 yards, including a 24-yard TD pass to Kekoa Thompson in the third quarter.

Behind new offensive coordinator Bobby George, the former Saint Louis all-state quarterback, 'Aiea engineered an 11-play, 46-yard drive in which it had two fourth-down conversions before Taliulu hit Faalele on the 19-yard TD on third-and-11 with 1:18 left in the first quarter.

'Aiea's next score came after a bad snap from punt formation by Roosevelt put Na Ali'i at the Rough Riders' 21. A pass interference penalty against Roosevelt put 'Aiea at the 9, where it used a double tight end formation with lineman Lawrence Lagafuaina (6 feet 1, 310 pounds) serving as lead blocker on the first two downs for Salausa. But on third-and-goal from the four, Lagafuaina just bowled his way in for the score with 7:04 left in the half to make it 12-0.

'Aiea opened the second half with a quick scoring drive that ended with Kaahaanui's 24-yard TD pass to Thompson.

Later in the quarter, Anae Vaa's 88-yard punt return for a TD made it 24-0.

The Rough Riders avoided the shutout on Brad Pena's 30-yard field goal with 4:03 left in the game.

Roosevelt alternated Matthew Lono-Holani and Tai Rasmussen at quarterback. The Rough Riders' offense labored, managing just eight first downs, but three by 'Aiea penalties.

"Tonight was a good opportunity to see who would step up to the forefront," said first-year Roosevelt coach Pat Silva, who returned to coaching for the first time since 1996 when he was at Castle.

Lono-Holani (13 yards) and Rasmussen (52) were sacked a combined seven times. Lagafuaina and Api Foumai — both Division I prospects — each had two sacks.