Utqiaġvik’s Sione Tuifua scores go-ahead TD for Morningside in NAIA playoff victory

by | Dec 4, 2021 | Football

Sione Tuifua

Sione Tuifua of Utqiaġvik scored the go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter to help No. 2 Morningside beat No. 4 Northwestern 28-19 in the NAIA Football Championship Semifinals.

The senior tight end caught a 7-yard TD one play after hauling in a 21-yard reception, giving him the final 28 yards of an 80-yard scoring drive that put the Mustangs ahead 21-16 with 6:34 left in the third quarter.

Tuifua, of Barrow High fame, finished the national semifinal with three receptions for 33 yards and a score.

Morningside improved to 13-0 on the season after beating Northwestern (12-2) for the second time this year.

Morningside advanced to the Dec. 18 NAIA championship game against No. 3 Grand View, which upset No. 1 Lindsey Wilson 34-28 in the other national semifinal.

This will be Tuifua’s third trip to the national championship game. He was also part of the 2018 and 2019 title teams.

In 2019, the Alaskan caught a 6-yard TD pass at the end of the second quarter in a 40-38 win over Marian.

This season, Tuifua has posted career highs in receptions (21), yards (217) and TDs (5) en route to earning second team all-league in the Great Plains Athletic Conference. He has scored TDs in back-to-back games for the second time this year.

The 6-foot-3, 24-pounder has 45 receptions in 45 career games with eight TDs.

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