Kapa‘a opens up the KIF preseason

When you think of the Kapa‘a Warriors and football, physical toughness is usually the first concept that comes to mind. That gritty type of play will be on display on Friday night as the Warriors grab the spotlight in the first preseason football contest of the year.

Kapa‘a High School varsity football head coach Wes Kaui and his group of overachievers look to gain more game-time experience against the Waialua Bulldogs on Friday night at Vidinha Stadium.

The junior varsity contest starts at 5:00 p.m., and varsity action follows at 7:35 p.m.

“Going into this game we want to get better, attain some much needed reps, and give more players experience,” Kaui said.

It’s been a while since the KIF title made its way up the hill into the hands of the Kapa‘a Warriors. In fact, Kapa‘a has seen 15 years come and go without a KIF crown.

The last title run started back in 1987, which gave the Warriors a bid for team of the 80’s, with three straight championships from ‘87 to ‘89, which featured the Aguanos. Before that, the Warriors had a similiar drought, dating back to 1975.

However, coach Kaui doesn’t see the lack of championships as a knock to the Warrior program. Instead, being accountable and letting the player’s know that football is just a game and learning life’s lessons from football is the most important thing for the player’s to learn. “I just try to teach the boys to make the right decisions and to improve every time they step onto the field,” Kaui said. With nine seniors, who played on the varsity level since the tenth grade, the Warriors and coach Kaui, who’s in his third season, have grown together and gained some invaluable experience, which will hopefully turn into a successful 2004 season. “If we keep our focus and minimize our mistakes, we should be fine,” Kaui said.