HONOLULU — Kapa‘a wanted to see where they stood among the state’s best. After four quarters of a game that came down to the final drive, the Warriors head back to Kaua‘i knowing they can hang with anyone. This time,
HONOLULU — Kapa‘a wanted to see where they stood among the state’s best. After four quarters of a game that came down to the final drive, the Warriors head back to Kaua‘i knowing they can hang with anyone. This time, however, the effort came up 4 points short.
The four-time defending HHSAA Division II champion ‘Iolani Raiders came back from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat the Warriors, 17-13, at Eddie Hamada Field Saturday afternoon in Honolulu.
The Warriors — backed by a crowd that equaled, if not outnumbered, the host’s — gave the defending champions everything they had, but Kapa‘a’s first playoff appearance in 22 years ended when a Daniel Reis pass on fourth down fell incomplete.
Despite the loss, Kapa‘a Head Coach Keli‘i Morgado said the Warriors made him and Kapa‘a town proud. This was evident by the standing ovation the Warrior faithful gave the players after the game’s final whistle.
“The whole third round of the KIF, the playoff game, the Pearl City game, the atmosphere on the Eastside was electric,” Morgado said. “I’m so proud of these kids. They created that buzz.”
The Warriors really had the crowd buzzing when they jumped out to a 13-0 lead in the second quarter. Kapa‘a kept the ball on the ground and wore down the Raiders front line.
Three of the Warriors first four drives were for over 40 yards. The last of those two resulted in touchdowns.
The first came on a one-yard John Das quarterback keeper that completed an 81-yard drive. Bronson Aiwohi, kicking for Kapa‘a because kicker Jonathan Paleka was on the Mainland, missed the extra point attempt.
The Warriors second score was set up on ‘Iolani’s ensuing drive by Keane Agoot.
The Kapa‘a defensive back intercepted a Reece Foy pass on the Raiders’ 40-yard line, giving Kapa‘a the ball back with momentum.
The Warriors didn’t take long to capitalize, as Das hit Aaron Baltazar on a play-action bootleg from 18 yards out to give the Raiders — after an Aiwohi PAT — the 13-0 lead.
“I don’t know what they (‘Iolani) thought, but I think we earned some respect in that half,” Morgado said.
But a team doesn’t win four straight state titles without being able to come from behind a time or two, Morgado said, and that’s just what the Raiders did.
The Raiders chipped in a field goal before the half ended to cut the lead to 10, and came out firing in the second half.
‘Iolani started the half with the ball, and seven plays later Tanner Nishioka cut into the Warrior lead with a two-yard scoring run.
The Raiders struck again on their next possession, this time after an 87-yard drive was capped by another Nishioka scoring run from five yards out to go up 17-13.
“At the half I told the guys that this team can come back roaring in a flash and don’t be shocked when they do,” Morgado said. “They have done it against the best teams in the state.”
With the lead in tow, the Raider defense halted the once successful Warriors running attack. The Raiders didn’t change much, Das said, they just flat-out played better in the second half.
“The thing is they didn’t really actually adjust,” he said. “They just played ball better than us. We tried to run but couldn’t find a hole.”
Das said he would have liked to throw the ball a little more in the second half. Morgado said with the Raiders focusing on the run game, passing lanes opened up, but the Warriors just didn’t pounce on them.
“In hindsight I maybe should have done some more play-action and thrown the ball,” Morgado said.
Kapa‘a had one last opportunity late in the waning moments of the fourth quarter after forcing the Raiders to punt. But the kick was downed inside the Kapa‘a 5-yard line, and after three plays the Raiders faced a fourth and 10 from the 1-yard line.
Reis, who came in at quarterback with Das at receiver to give the team another look, overthrew a streaking Das and Kapa‘a turned over the ball.
Das finished the game 12-14 passing for 145 yards. He also rushed for an additional 79 yards. Aiwohi, who filled in for Syndrek D’Sio for most the game, added 74 yards of his own.
For the Raiders, running back Jordan Lee carved up the Warriors with 119 yards on the ground.
Morgado said it was ultimately the speed of the Raiders that caught up to his defense.
“It’s hard to prepare for speed like that,” he said. “They’re the fastest team we’ve seen all year.”
The loss ends the Warriors season in a place it hasn’t gone since 1989. The Warriors won their first KIF title in 22 years, beat Pearl City in the quarterfinals and nearly knocked off a D-II powerhouse in their most successful season since the first Bush administration.
Morgado said the Warriors wanted to come out of Saturday’s game with a win and have their tickets punched for next Saturday’s D-II state championship game. But he said the Warriors did something that was just as important. They changed the mentality of Kapa‘a football.
“I told this team four years ago when I took over that the goal was to not just win football games, but to change the culture,” Morgado said. “Once you give kids structure and teach them how to succeed, they’re capable of anything. It’s an exciting time to be a football player on the Eastside.”
