HANAPEPE — The Hanapepe Colts and the hosting Lihue Raiders emerged victorious following a day-long series of seven football games presented by the Kauai Pop Warner Football League at the Hanapepe Stadium on Saturday.
Due to weather concerns from the recent Hurricane Lane and schedule juggling, the games hosted by the Lihue Raiders settled at Hanapepe Stadium while the Kauai Youth Football League unfolded its day’s schedule of youth football at the Vidinha Stadium.
The Colts opened the marathon day of football in Hanapepe when its Flag Football program were a point better, 44-43, over the Kekaha Titans who spoiled the Colts’ record during the junior varsity matchup when Makana Castillo ran in the sole touchdown of the match, and Haweo Akeo booted the point-after in the first half for the 8-0 final score.
Hanapepe, finishing the day 3-for-4 in the win column, picked up its second win in the Mitey Mite division games when Kanoa Naumu ran for touchdowns of 17 yards and 21 yards, and added three PAT run-ins to lead the 34-0 shutout over the Titans that triggered the running clock in the second quarter.
Kaena Henderson added a 13-yard touchdown, Kepa Pablo chipped in an 18-yard score, and Kailen Henderson, also adding a PAT run on the opening TD, iced the win on a two yard scoring run.
Kulea Kauwe sparked the Colts’ final win, 28-0, over the Koloa Rams by tapping paydirt twice — a 21-yard run, and an eight-yard run — during the Junior PeeWee division matchup. Nohili Ragragola’s foot split the uprights on the PAT following Kauwe’s first TD for an early 8-0 bulge.
Connor Mullikin found paydirt at the end of a four-yard scoot for the 20-0 halftime lead after the PAT failed in the second quarter.
Cooper O’Laughlin lit the running clock in the third quarter on a 40-yard breakaway to paydirt, the score being graced by Connor Mullikin’s PAT boot for the 28-0 final.
Takazee Thomas opened the Lihue Raiders’ series with two touchdowns in the second quarter for the 12-0 win over the Kapaa Eagles in a Mitey Mite division match.
The win came on the heels of the Flag Football division game where Lihue was a 24-18 winner over the Kapaa Eagles.
Kapaa Eagles got its taste of victory when quarterback Nash Burkart ran for two touchdowns and passed for one in the Eagles’ 39-0 shutout over the Raiders in the junior varsity finale.
Lehia Tihada lit up the scoreboards on a 30-yard touchdown with Nainoa Melchor running in the PAT for the first of two TDs in the opening stanza. The PAT run primed Melchor for the Eagles’ second score, a 12-yard run, with Burkart doing the PAT honors for the 14-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Burkart announced the second stanza with a 44-yard run to paydirt for the first of three TDs in the second quarter. He followed that score with a pass to Eli Nikolas for the second score that was graced by Nainoa Simmons doing the PAT honor for the 27-0 margin.
Simmons triggered the running clock on a 20-yard score, and Burkart put the game to bed in the final quarter with a 62-yard run for the 38-0 final.
Games for the Kauai Pop Warner Football League continues Saturday when the Lihue Raiders and Kapaa Eagles host six football games starting with a Flag Football matchup at 7:30 a.m.
In consideration of the endangered sea bird fledging season that starts Sept. 15 and runs through Dec. 15, the final game of the day will kick off at 3:30 p.m.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
What’s the outlook? More kids. Not sure. 15, 16, & 17