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Sunday, November 04, 2007

Tyler Tuiasosopo sparks late rally for Mariner (Everett, WA)

By JON SAPERSTEIN

SPECIAL TO THE P-I

EVERETT -- Tyler Tuiasosopo's high school career was on the brink of being over Friday night. But he pulled it back.

Mariner's senior quarterback brought the Mauraders back from a 10-point, fourth-quarter deficit to a 21-17 victory over Kentridge in the 4A state-qualifying round at Goddard Stadium.

"Losing does enter the mind when you are down by that much going in the fourth quarter," said Tuiasosopo, cousin of another local quarterback, Marques Tuiasosopo, known for fourth-quarter heroics at the University of Washington. "They had the momentum, and Kentridge brought pretty much their whole school and they were going crazy."

Almost all of Tuiasosopo's face was covered in eye black under his blue Mauraders helmet.

His intensity held Mariner (8-2) together in the huddle as time ticked down in the final quarter.

"I saw guys hanging their head, and that's why I wanted them to look at me to have that leadership that we are going to pull this one out," he said

With a perfect pump fake to freeze the defender, his 43-yard touchdown pass to senior Joey Dillon gave Mariner its first lead of the game with 4:48 remaining.

Although Tuiasosopo struggled in the first half, completing just 4 of 11 attempts, the second half was a different story.

He had the patience and accuracy to hit wideout Tevin Dillon on a well-executed 14-yard hook-and-lateral play that ended up with running back Matt Jones being tackled on the Kentridge 1-yard line.

That play set up Mariner's second touchdown early in the fourth quarter.

Tuiasosopo passed for 117 yards and two touchdowns. His most important completion was an 11-yarder on fourth-and-10 to extend the final scoring drive.

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