The Wailoa Razorbacks

Sports fascinate the masses be­cause of the competition. One can never say it enough. If winning didn't matter, they wouldn't keep track of the score, but there are certain battles in which both teams exert equal effort. Both teams de­serve to win, but neither deserves to lose. That was the case in the Sept. 18 contest between the Wailoa Ra­zorbacks and the Waiakea Nakoas.

Waiakea held a 12-6 advantage After a tough-fought first half, both rushing attacks were mov­ing the ball effectively. In the third quarter, quarterback Kaale Tio­gangco's second touchdown of the game came via the ground as well. The score tied the game at 12. The ensuing extra point was blocked. The game entered the fourth quar­ter with the two teams still tied.

Waiakea continued to use sweeps and off-tackle plays to move the ball downfield. The squad eventu­ally found pay-dirt, rushing the ball

into the end zone to take a

18-12 lead with a little under three minutes left in the contest. My brother, Head Coach Mike Bron­son, and I looked at each other and knew that we had to give our team the best chance to move the ball.

Tiogangco came to the side­line slightly frustrated, but when I let him know that he had the chance to score the game-winning touchdown, his entire demeanor changed. He wanted it so bad. I knew he would. It's every quar­terback's dream, and he marched his team down the field. Behind the ground work of Tiogangco and Kason Gonsalves-Kamali‘i, along with the assistance of 20 yards in penalties, we moved the ball into the red zone. With slightly over thirty seconds left, Tiogangco found the end zone again for his third touchdown plunge. The en­suing extra point was the ball game. With the win on the line, my brother and I called a short passing play. Our reasoning was if the play broke down "Ale Boy" could just run for it. The young quarterback saw a player open and let it go, but there wasn't enough air under the ball. It was tipped and landed in­complete. After the game, he told us that he could have run it in. My brother and I both knew he could have too. I told him we made the wrong call, and next time, we would trust him. His three touch­down performance, which includ­ed two dropped touchdown pass­es, gives him five on the season.

Both teams played great foot­ball. The offenses moved the ball with consistency. The defenses made some big plays, including two strips and fumble recover­ies by Tiogangco and Gonsalves-Kamali‘i. The crowd was in a continuous frenzy. It didn't feel like a Pop Warner game. I think this is why they don't have over­time rules in on this level. If there was ever a game that neither team deserved to lose it was this one, and the football gods decided it was fate. 18-18. Enough said.