HANAPEPE — Christian Manera ignited the crowd with a 45-yard touchdown run with 53 seconds to play in the game to help the Lihu‘e Patriots Junior PeeWees clinch the division title with a 28-0 win over the Hanapepe Colts JPW,
HANAPEPE — Christian Manera ignited the crowd with a 45-yard touchdown run with 53 seconds to play in the game to help the Lihu‘e Patriots Junior PeeWees clinch the division title with a 28-0 win over the Hanapepe Colts JPW, Saturday.
With the Kapa‘a Eagles JPW leading the standings with a 6-1-1 record and 13 points, the Patriots JPW needed a win to claim the title. A tie would have forced a playoff for the title.
But Lihu‘e JPW came through behind two first-quarter scores, the first coming from Ryland Peahu peeling off 36 yards at the 6:51 mark. Damien Thomas Butac followed that feat with a 26-yard scamper to the end zone at the 1:58 mark.
Aaron Renaud booted successful point-after kicks after each score for the 16-0 first-quarter lead.
Keala Iwasaki added a 5-yard run to paydirt in the third quarter, rounding out the Lihu‘e win.
In other action, Bronson Laborte charged for one yard and the only score of the game to give Koloa JPW a 6-0 edge over the Kekaha Seahawks JPW in the opening game of the Kaua‘i Pop Warner Football League, Saturday at the Hanapepe Stadium.
With those results, Lihu‘e JPW finishes first with a 7-1 record and 14 points, followed by Kapa‘a with 13 points. Kekaha drops to 3-4-1 on the season for third place at seven points. Koloa (3-5, 6 points) and Hanapepe (0-8) round out the JPW standings.
The Lihu‘e Patriots JPW also earn the right to represent Kaua‘i in a playoff against an O‘ahu team on O‘ahu, the winner advancing to the National Pop Warner Super Bowl in Orlando, Fla.
Kyren Rapacon ran for five touchdowns and Kelson Andrade threw for two touchdowns to lead the Koloa Junior Midgets to a 46-36 edge over the hard-pressing Kekaha Chargers Jr. Midgets.
Facing a 21-0 deficit in the second quarter, the Chargers came alive when Acetyn Emayo, scoring four touchdowns in the shootout, found paydirt on a 45-yard run. He followed that with his second TD of the quarter, a 39-yarder with two minutes showing in the half.
Following a third-quarter pass play from Emayo to Dusty Perreira, good for 46 yards, Neno Costales ignited both the team and fans on a 23-yard scoring run at the 6:07 mark. Emayo capped the Kekaha series with the final score of the game, a 32-yard run at the 1:50 mark, as the rain started blowing in off the Kalaheo plateau.
Rapacon opened the books on a two-yard score at the 5:13 mark in the first frame and Andrade followed that on a three-yard pass to Kendall Rivera.
Andrade, described by announcer Billy DeCosta as “cool as a cucumber in the pocket,” also connected with Kalawai‘a Judd and Darrin Gerardo for point-after plays for the 14-0 first quarter bulge.
Judd opened the second quarter on a five-yard scoot to paydirt at the 7:52 mark.
That score was answered by Emayo before Andrade found Kainoa Simao on a six-yard pass play at the 4:26 mark. Andrade followed that score with a pass to Rapacon for the point-after play, only to have Emayo answer with the fourth TD in the quarter.
Rapacon opened the third quarter on a three-yard dash to paydirt, with Emayo again answering with a pass play. The seesaw continued as Rapacon scored on a five-yard scoring run at the 1:46 mark.
Rapacon opened the fourth quarter on a one-yard charge before Koloa allowed Costales and Emayo to score the final two TDs.
Clysen Agrade scored the only touchdown for the Hanapepe Colts Jr. Midgets in their 6-0 win over Lihu‘e.
Following the Kapa‘a Eagles, who clinched the Jr. Midget championship last week with a 7-0-1 record and 15 points, Koloa settles in second place with a 6-1-1 record and 13 points.
Hanapepe finishes 3-5 and six points for third place followed by Kekaha (2-6, 4 points) and Lihu‘e (1-7, 2 points).
With the completion of regular season play, the Kaua‘i Pop Warner Football League hosts the annual Shrine Game at 9 a.m. on Nov. 28, featuring four age brackets and a field goal-kicking contest.
Teams will feature the East and West in the 10-11 age bracket starting at 9 a.m. followed by the 8-9 age bracket at 11 a.m.
The field goal-kicking contest is scheduled for 1:30 p.m., followed by the 12-13 age bracket starting at 2 p.m. and the 10-11 Jr. Midgets taking the field at 4 p.m.
Proceeds from this game will be turned over to the Shriner’s of Kaua‘i.
