KAPAA — The Warriors will have to wait one more week to see the field again. But in the meantime, they will get to see a preview of what is in store for them.
Kapaa High School’s varsity football team awaits the winner of the quarterfinals matchup between Kamehameha Schools–Hawaii and Kaimuki High School.
Kapaa (6-2 overall, 5-1 Kauai Interscholastic Federation) is seeded No. 2 in the 2018 First Hawaiian Bank Football State Championships–Division II tournament and has a bye this week.
“Getting the bye is always good. You get one free game off,” Rapozo said. “You get time to prepare — more preparing ourselves because we don’t know who our opponent is yet. But just getting time to heal, yeah, it’s just great. It’s an easier road to the championship game. You win one game, and you’re in.”
The KS–Hawaii Warriors (6-2 Big Island Interscholastic Federation) and Kaimuki Bulldogs (8-3 overall, 8-1 Oahu Interscholastic Association) will play at 7 tonight on the Big Island.
“Kaimuki kind of reminds me of the 2015 Radford team — really big and physical,” the Kapaa coach said. “And then, when you see Kamehameha-Big Island, they’re athletic. They run more of a spread, where Kaimuki is more of a power team. But when you travel, it’s hard already. I think they’re kind of even as far as the matchup this week.”
When asked if he felt Kapaa would have been seeded No. 1 if the team went unbeaten, Rapozo said no.
“I don’t think so. I think Lahainaluna being back-to-back state champions and then dominating their league, I don’t think anybody deserves to be seeded above them,” Rapozo said.
Lahainaluna, of the Maui Interscholastic League, is 9-0 this season — 8-0 in the MIL — and is the No. 1 seed of the tournament.
Lahainaluna’s one preseason game this year was a 30-10 win over Kapaa.
Rapozo will make his fourth appearance at the Division II state tournament. He previously made three consecutive appearances from 2014-16.
In that stretch, Kapaa reached the Division II championship game twice.
Rapozo attended the Hawaii High School Athletic Association coaches meeting Sunday at Aloha Stadium.
There, he meet with the HHSAA and the other coaches in the state tournaments and then addressed the media.
“It was quick — a half and hour. Just going over the rules and the format of the tournament,” he said. “After the meeting, actually, was the media time. That’s what takes a little longer.”
“The media session, by the time everyone goes through, it takes about an hour to get to all the coaches,” Rapozo added. “The first time I ever went was the hardest. But being that I’ve been there before, those meetings and the media, it went good.”
•••
Nick Celario, sports writer, can be reached at 245-0437 or ncelario@thegardenisland.com.
Next week they meet Kaimuki or Kamehameha-Hawaii.
November 17
Kaimuki will win. Save your money.