LIHU‘E — Facing a third and long, down 13-9 with just over 2 minutes to play, the Kaua‘i Red Raiders season almost ended winless with a sack in the backfield. Instead, quarterback Trey Aguano shook off multiple defenders, ran 26
LIHU‘E — Facing a third and long, down 13-9 with just over 2 minutes to play, the Kaua‘i Red Raiders season almost ended winless with a sack in the backfield.
Instead, quarterback Trey Aguano shook off multiple defenders, ran 26 yards into the endzone and gave the Red Raiders a 16-13 win over the Kapa‘a Warriors, forcing the Warriors into a one-game playoff against the Waimea Menehune.
The game, which began in the fourth quarter with the Warriors leading 7-6, was the continuation of a Sept. 17 game that was postponed due to darkness.
“This helps a lot,” Kaua‘i head coach Corey Aguano said of Kaua‘i’s first win. “We have good kids. We had a rough year. The underclassman need to remember this feeling and bring it back next year.”
Several times this season, the Red Raiders have stayed close in games, only to have their opponents come up with late minute back-breaking scores.
It was heading that way again for the Raiders after Kapa‘a quarterback John Das scampered for a 23-yard touchdown run to give the Warriors a 13-9 lead late in the quarter.
The Raiders got the ball back on their own 20 and drove down the field before stalling at the Warrior 26. Two incomplete Aguano passes quickly brought up third and 10.
On ensuing play, the Kaua‘i play broke down and Aguano was swarmed by Kapa‘a defenders. It looked as if he was wrapped up, but managed to escape, broke up field and with the help of some stellar blocking, made it to the endzone for the score.
“I was just thinking, ‘It’s third and 10. I got to make a play,” Aguano said. “When I saw the endzone I was thinking, ‘We’re going to win this.’”
Triston Bukoski, who had a touchdown catch last Saturday against Kapa‘a, laid down the last block allowing Aguano to score.
“It was an epic play,” Bukoski said. “We thought (Aguano) was down but then he started running. He came my way and I saw there was one man to block and knew I had to get it.”
The 8-time defending KIF champions were 0-5 heading into Tuesday and the players and coaches have faced criticism all year. While winning one game won’t make up for a tough year, it’s certainly a step in the right direction.
“With all of the losing and not having the community behind our back at some points, ending on this note is just amazing,” Bukoski said.
Kapa‘a, who could have clinched the KIF title with a win, will now have to play a winner-take-all game against the Waimea Menehune on Saturday.
“They beat us,” Kapa‘a head coach Keli‘i Morgado said. “They played well. Our offense played well. We executed our game plan. They just did it better.”
Morgado was uneasy about Tuesday night’s game heading in.
“I didn’t like playing just one quarter,” Morgado said. “You don’t have time to play a whole game. That’s not the nature of football. It shouldn’t be a sprint like that.”
The sprint almost went in the Warriors favor.
Kapa‘a got the ball for the first time after Kaitlyn Rapozo drilled a 36-yard field goal for Kaua‘i, giving the Red Raiders a 9-7 lead. The Warriors wasted no time moving the ball down field, with Das paving the way on the ground before his eventual 23-yard score.
But instead of the Red Raiders failing to convert after a soul-crushing score, this time it was Kapa‘a.
After the Aguano touchdown run, the Warriors got the ball back on their 32-yard line with two minutes to play. The Warriors faced a quick fourth and 19 situation, but Das managed to shake a few defenders before throwing a strike into the arms of Reese Hicks-Whetsel to pick up the first down.
That completion — to the Kaua‘i 43-yard line — was followed by another fourth down attempt by the Warriors. As Das dropped back on fourth and seven and took off down field, it looked like the Warriors were once again going to pick up the first. But for the first time all season, the Red Raiders made the stop that counted the most. Das was tackled inches from the first down line, forcing a turnover and ending the game.
“They played lights out today,” Morgado said. “I’ve seen this coming all year. They’ve been better and better each week. That’s big for them.”
Now the Warriors will have to prepare for another game this week against the well rested Menehune. In the teams’ three meetings this year, the Warriors won twice. The time and location of the game will be decided today at the weekly KIF meeting.
The game will have the added pressure of win or go home for the Warriors, but after Tuesday, Morgado said at least Saturday will bring a sense of normalcy.
“Today was just about as stressful as it can be,” he said. “We beat (Waimea) two of three times and we feel good about our chances. It’s just unfortunate we didn’t get it done today.”
• Tyson Alger, sports writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 237) or by emailing talger@ thegardenisland.com. Follow him on twitter.com/tysonalger.
