Waialua can count on Galapia to pull it down
POSTED: Sunday, August 30, 2009
Branden Galapia and the Waialua Bulldogs now have a Helmet Catch to call their own.
Much like David Tyree's clutch grab for the New York Giants in the Super Bowl two NFL seasons ago, Galapia came up with a game-changing play Friday night by using his head.
With the Bulldogs down 28-24 in the fourth quarter to Anuenue at Kaiser High, Waialua quarterback William Sacapulo-Uepa tossed a midfield bomb to a streaking Galapia.
In an Oahu Interscholastic Association White game—fast becoming a rivalry—packed with spectacular individual plays, Galapia delivered the biggest. He turned his head at the last moment to see the incoming ball, which smacked off his face mask, straight up in the air, over his shoulder and into his waiting arms.
FRIDAY
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All on the run.
He alertly finished the play for the 71-yard go-ahead score with 9 minutes, 54 seconds left. It was part of an eight-catch, 210-yard receiving game as the Bulldogs (1-2, 1-1 OIA White) picked up their first win of the season.
“;It hit my head and just bounced,”; said a laughing Galapia, also a soccer and volleyball standout. “;Lucky it went over. Just an accident.”;
Sacapulo-Uepa hit Galapia with a 47-yard TD strike on the Bulldogs' next play from scrimmage for an insurance score. On that play, Galapia caught the ball near the left sideline, made a cut and shed three tackles on his way to the end zone.
It was a great play from the 5-foot-11, 170-pound senior captain, but one that still couldn't outdo his previous grab.
“;Whatever, we take whatever,”; said Sacapulo-Uepa, who grinned and shook his head. “;We (were) reading the defense real good. They (were) giving us the middle, so I was just telling Branden just make his moves good, and I would deliver the ball to him.”;