HANAPEPE — Jayson Hawthorne’s boot found the uprights to give the Kapa‘a Eagles Junior Midgets the division title Sunday during the Kaua‘i Pop Warner Football League games at Hanapepe Stadium. The Eagles came back from an early Lihu‘e Patriots’ touchdown
HANAPEPE — Jayson Hawthorne’s boot found the uprights to give the Kapa‘a Eagles Junior Midgets the division title Sunday during the Kaua‘i Pop Warner Football League games at Hanapepe Stadium.
The Eagles came back from an early Lihu‘e Patriots’ touchdown when the Pats’ quarterback Skyler Sadora found Jasper Jacinto in the end zone with a 27-yard aerial.
But the failed point-after came back to haunt the Patriots as the Eagles answered with 1:32 showing in the opening quarter when Leighton Moniz capped a nice scoring drive with a four-yard plunge to paydirt. Hawthorne’s PAT moved the Eagles to an 8-6 lead, a margin it never relinquished for the remainder of the game.
With 1:32 showing in the first half, Jayden Palenapa-Likelio found the end zone following a three-yard scamper, the PAT boot failing for the 14-6 Eagle bulge at the half.
The Patriots answered midway through the third stanza when Christian Manera broke open for a 25-yard run to paydirt, but the two-point PAT boot failed to keep the Patriots on the short end, 14-12.
Keon Orlando answered the Patriot TD on the ensuing kickoff, snagging the ball and running it back 75 yards for an Eagle touchdown. Another failed point-after saw the lights settle at 20-12 in the Eagles’ favor.
With a full quarter left to play, Lihu‘e struck early when Franklin Passi found the end zone following a 12-yard run at the 8:43 mark.
But the point-after boot failed and the Patriots settled for the 20-18 deficit.
“We have one more weekend of KPWFL games remaining to wrap up a very successful season,” said Sherri Agosto of the KPWFL Executive Board. “Nov. 11 marks the last day of our season games, but the Hanapepe Colts Junior Pee Wee travels to Maui this weekend to start the state JPW semifinals. The Lihu‘e Patriots JPW will also travel to Maui to play in the Maui Bowl games.”
The Hanapepe Colts earned the KPWFL JPW title on Oct. 20 when Ryno Banasihan scored two touchdowns to give the Colts a 13-0 win over the Kapa‘a Eagles JPW at Hanapepe Stadium, his second TD coming with just 44 ticks remaining in the highly-defensive matchup and being graced by Alika Huddy’s point-after boot.
JPW Hanapepe 13, Koloa 6
The title win gave the Colts an undefeated record of 6-0 and on Sunday, despite a strong challenge by the Koloa Redskins JPW, the champion Colts prevailed, 13-6 when Banasihan topped the win in the final period with a six-yard touchdown run, the PAT failing.
Earlier in the day, the Redskins drew first blood when its quarterback Trey Taba plucked a Colt pass and ran it back 75 yards for the opening score at the 4:53 mark in the first quarter.
The Colts recovered and, with just 35 seconds showing in the half, its QB Lacin Montemayor found Naikoa Simao in the end zone with a 15-yard scoring pass. Banasihan made the difference, running in the PAT for the 7-6 go-ahead at the break.
Following a scoreless third frame, Banasihan put the game away on his six-yard score.
“We’re going to be on Maui, so we’ll be watching the Hanapepe game,” said Chris Simon, president of the Lihu‘e Pop Warner Association, while tending the coaches’ box during the JM title game. “Hopefully, they can win on Maui so when they come to Kaua‘i, everyone can come out to support them.”
Although the Patriots don’t know who they will play on Maui, they are scheduled to take the field at 9 a.m. followed by the Colts’ game starting at 11 a.m. on Maui, Agosto said.
MM Lihu‘e 20, Kekaha 2
The Patriots opened on a high note Sunday when its Mitey Mites were a 20-2 winner over the Kekaha Titans, Sean Mullikin putting the Pats on the board with a 30-yard TD early in the opening quarter.
Doza Kaleiohi found paydirt at the 9:46 mark of the second period with a 9-yard run and Makana Degracia’s point-after play gave the Patriots a 13-0 lead at the half.
With six minutes showing in the game, Kekaha got on the board when Barak Aviguetero claimed a safety by dropping the Lihu‘e ball carrier in the end zone.
But 15 ticks later, the Pats answered when Javan Orial pounced on a loose pigskin and returned it 60 yards for the score, Kaleiohi doing the point-after honors for the 20-2 final.
JPW Lihu‘e 21, Kekaha 6
Following a frustrating season with an elusive “W,” the Lihu‘e Patriots JPW marked a 21-6 win over the Kekaha Titans behind two touchdowns from Junah Corpuz.
Following the heartbreaking 2-point loss by the Patriots JM, the Patriots JPW brought the crowd to life when Isaiah Aquias corralled the opening kickoff and, behind a nice block from the middle to open the avenue, ran the kickoff 55 yards for the score, Corpuz slanting left on the point-after for the 7-0 lead with less than 10 ticks shaved off the clock.
The Titans got a break at the 2:39 mark when Bryson Kapahu snared a loose ball and scrambled 42 yards to return the pigskin for a touchdown, the point-after failing to keep the Titans wanting at 7-6.
But the Patriots unleashed Corpuz with 1:14 showing in the first quarter for a 25-yard jaunt to the end zone, Corpuz finishing off the score with the PAT for the 14-6 lead after one quarter of play.
With 2:47 left in the half, Corpuz closed the victory on a 42-yard touchdown run, Shiloh Louis-Kaneakua Jr. doing the point-after for the 21-6 final.
MM Koloa 20, Hanapepe 0
In a redemption of its earlier JPW loss, Braden Galas scored three touchdowns to give the Redskins a 20-0 win over the Colts in the Mitey Mite matchup.
Galas lit up the boards at the 7:53 mark in the first quarter on a 48-yard romp to paydirt, the point-after honors being done by Kainalu Aguano for the 7-0 bulge.
With 2:47 showing in the half, Galas, the Redskins signal-caller, hit Joey Samms on a three-yard pass for the 14-0 halftime lead.
Following a scoreless third period, Galas capped the win with 2:12 showing on a two-yard charge to paydirt for the 20-0 final after the point-after failed.
Agosto said following Sunday’s games, which start at 8 a.m., the annual Shriner’s Bowl benefiting the Kaua‘i Shriners and the Shriner’s Hospital, will be played on Nov. 17.
Sunday’s games will be played at Hanapepe Stadium with the Lihu‘e Patriots Mitey Mites meeting the Koloa Redskins followed by the Kapa‘a Eagles Mitey Mites taking on the Kekaha Titans at 10 a.m.
The Koloa Redskins Junior Midgets will take on the Lihu‘e Patriots in the noon game and the Unlimited division between Kekaha and Hanapepe will close the day starting at 2 p.m.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
