Having lived in Florida and Virginia, as well as other states, this writer has been around some high school bands; been around brass and wood instruments that seemed actually to walk on their own, they were played so beautifully. But
Having lived in Florida and Virginia, as well as other states, this writer
has been around some high school bands; been around brass and wood instruments
that seemed actually to walk on their own, they were played so
beautifully.
But the Kaua’i High School ensemble matches them all for its
clarity, composing and one other factor, one that it seems to share with the
football team for which it plays: Irrepressibility.
Many touchdowns into
the Red Raiders 63-0 defeat two weeks ago at the hands of Waimea, the
instruments continued to sing, to pound out hits that kept the bleachers at
Vidinha Stadium stomping and swaying.
That provided a nice parity of their
football team, slugging it out on the field to the final play. A team that,
despite being low in the area of body count, and, collectively, a bit less
talented than the island’s other two schools, competes on every down.
Based
on Waimea’s performance October 13 against Kaua’i, it seems that Friday night
against Kapa’a (2-3), the Red Raiders’ homecoming, will be the final chance for
a victory this season. True, Kaua’i (0-4) has a Nov. 3 game in Hanapepe also
remaining on its schedule, but surely the team has circled Friday night as its
best chance to score a ‘W.’
“Our boys know how important this game is,” Red
Raiders coach Kelii Morgado said. “This is a defining moment for them. They
need to see if they can bounce back from the game against Waimea.
“These
guys have to believe in themselves and come out executing.”
Eliminating
mistakes would help, too.
On October 6, at Vidinha Stadium, the Warriors
got the best of the Red Raiders in a 34-7 victory. In that contest, the teams
played a full 48 minutes, but the game ended in a 60-second span midway through
the third quarter.
At the period’s 4:38 mark, Kapa’a tailback Dahson
Gonzales rumbled 29 yards for a touchdown. The Raiders fumbled the ensuing
kickoff. The Warriors’ Kalani Miyashiro scored two plays later, at the 3:52
mark. Kaua’i fumbled on the first play of its next drive. Miyashiro scored
again, with 3:37 on the clock.
End of contest.
“You can imagine how
mine (heart) broke when all of that happened,” Morgado said. “We play so well
and then it slips away with a few errors.”
Now, however, the Raiders may be
in as good of shape as they have been since the season’s beginning. Their
injury list has been whittled down, and guys who have been playing hurt have
benefitted from the week off.
“The energy level at practice the past two
weeks has been good,” Morgado said. “We have been healing and getting over
sickness.”
The coach said senior guard Jonathan Wong, though suffering back
spasms, should be okay. Linebackers Jonah Nishi and Dustin Goias “are better.”
Quarterback Kamo’i Refamonte, who has been playing with a slightly strained
groin muscle should be in fine form, as should tackle Kaiku Jerves.
Morgado
expects that Kris Speegle will be at about 90 percent, and said center Dustin
Abrazado will play but is still suffering from turf toe.
“This week we’re
going to suit 24,” the coach said. “That’s two more players than two weeks
ago.”
All the bodies will help.
The Kaua’i offense operates on the
assumption that Refamonte will get enough protection to allow him to read the
defense.
“He needs about 2 1/2 seconds from snap to the ball leaving his
hand,” Morgado said. “He’s been getting about one second.
Whatever kind of
time Refamonte gets Friday night, he would be advised to steer clear of Kapa’a
linebacker Kalani Miyashiro.
The senior co-captain, also a vital part of
the Warrior offense, has been chewing up opponents on par with Waimea’s Brandon
Perreira.
“He’s just hitting guys all over the place,” Morgado said. “That
whole Kapa’a unit just improves every week.”
For the Warriors to win, they
just need to continue with what’s been successful the last few weeks. Namely,
running Gonzales and Miyashiro, while sprinkling in the passing game of
sophomore QB Dustin Mundon.
For the Red Raiders to win, they need to stir
up things, take Kapa’a out of its ball game and eliminate their own
errors.
