Kaua‘i High School wrapped up its third pre-season football encounter with a goodwill showing against visiting Kwansei High School, Monday afternoon. Playing before fans who were admitted free, the Red Raiders fielded both its varsity and junior varsity program in
Kaua‘i High School wrapped up its third pre-season football encounter with a goodwill showing against visiting Kwansei High School, Monday afternoon.
Playing before fans who were admitted free, the Red Raiders fielded both its varsity and junior varsity program in a controlled scrimmage, in which no score was kept.
Ross Shimabukuro, athletic director for Kaua‘i High School, was pleased with the JV showing over the Japanese team who earlier handed Na Ali‘i of King Kekaulike a 46-20 drubbing on the Valley Isle, Friday.
“They (Kwansei) don’t have a JV team, so to have our JV boys hold their own against them is pretty good,” Shimabukuro said.
Kaua‘i’s program is also coming off a victorious weekend, having its JV team shut down Hilo, 30-0, before the varsity squad blanked the Vikings 40-0.
As both squads went through four 10-down series, Ralph Suniga, the announcer for Kaua‘i High School, pointed out the Kwansei Fighters are second in their district in Japan after winning the Japanese Spring National Championships.
“When we played them in 1971, we lost,” Shimabukuro said. But since that initial game, Kaua‘i has improved its performance to where they ended winning a few games against the visiting Japanese.
“They really like Kaua‘i,” Shimabukuro said. “They played on Maui this weekend, but when they had an opportunity to come here, they jumped on it.”
Shimabukuro is trying to re-establish the connection between Kwansei and Kaua‘i high schools that was set up in the 70s.
Paleku Yasay was able to break out on several running plays during the JV encounter with QB Trey Shimabukuro connecting for a TD on the JV’s opening series.
Similarly, the varsity matchup saw Micah Alayvilla break out, and on a second effort, pulled for yardage against the tall Japanese defense.
Andrew Renaud was able to get a long pass off to Tyrus Ceria-Lux along the sidelines, but the play failed to yield a score on the Raiders’ opening series.
The Monday’s scrimmage ends the Kaua‘i High School pre-season schedule. Kapa‘a and Waimea will conclude its pre-season showing this weekend as Kapa‘a hosts Coronado and Waimea will host Ft. McMurray, a 37-12 victim of the Trojans on Maui.
