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Monday, October 2, 2000

Fuamatu-Ma‘afala
finds end zone

Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala scored his first regular-season NFL touchdown since 1998 yesterday, helping the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 24-13 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Fuamatu-Ma'afala capped a 10-play, 53-yard drive by bulldozing five yards through the middle of the Jaguars' defense with 41 seconds left in the first quarter to give the Steelers a 7-3 lead.

The effort helped the Steelers win their first game of the season after four defeats.

The former St. Louis School player from Kalihi had 51 yards on seven carries and 39 yards on two receptions.

His play augmented Jerome Bettis' 97 yards on 28 carries.

Fuamatu-Ma'afala also set up Bettis' second touchdown with a 12-yard run to the Jacksonville 3-yard line in the third quarter.

In his injury-plagued 1999 season, Fuamatu-Ma'afala didn't score and carried just once for four yards.

But in 1998, when he was drafted in the sixth round out of the University of Utah, he had two rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown.

Molokai native Kimo von Oelhoffen, a defensive lineman, made four tackles for the Steelers.

Former Mililani High and University of Hawaii lineman Ma'a Tanuvasa had two tackles for the Denver Broncos and committed a roughing-the-passer penalty that led to a Patriots touchdown in New England's 28-19 victory

Former Leilehua High and University of West Virginia running back Adrian Murrell had one reception for six yards for the Washington Redskins in their 20-17 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Former Kahuku High and Brigham Young University tight end Itula Mili has started the first four games for the Seattle Seahawks, but he will yield that spot tonight as the Seahawks play at Kansas City. Regular starter Christian Fauria has recovered sufficiently from his hamstring injury to be reinstalled in the starting lineup.

Mili's 11 receptions (129 yards, 11.7-yard average, one touchdown) rank second on the Seahawks to running back Ricky Watters' 12.

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By Pat Bigold, Star-Bulletin