Kauai High School clinched the Kauai Interscholastic Federation football championship and placed three on the KIF football all-star team. Tommy John Cox, the junior varsity coach in the 2011-2012 season, agreed to lead the varsity squad for the 2012-2013 season.
Kauai High School clinched the Kauai Interscholastic Federation football championship and placed three on the KIF football all-star team.
Tommy John Cox, the junior varsity coach in the 2011-2012 season, agreed to lead the varsity squad for the 2012-2013 season. He took the Red Raiders to an undefeated season, and the KIF title, including navigating his troops in three close games over Kapaa High School.
The successful tour continued by holding off the Pearl City Chargers last week during the First Hawaiian Bank Hawaii High School Athletic Association, Division II quarterfinals at Vidinha Stadium.
Then, the Red Raiders defeated No. 2 seed Iolani on Oahu Saturday to qualify for the title game against Kaiser High School.
Reggie McFadden, the go-to running back, got the nod as KIF’s Offensive Player of the Year and was named the running back on the offensive all-star team.
The Kauai High School senior was joined on the other end of the ball by senior James Bukoski, both serving as the Red Raiders’ leaders on the field. Bukoski was named Defensive Player of the Year as well as a linebacker on the all-star team.
Kapaa’s Turtle Kuhaulua, demonstrating his versatility on the field for the Warriors, got nods for both the offensive and defensive teams.
Kuhaulua, who doubled as Warrior quarterback Fresno Masaniai following an injury to the Kapaa starting signal caller during the season, was also key as a special teams player on offense and the go-to punter.
As a senior at Kapaa, Kuhaulua was one of several players to earn two spots on the all-star team.
Kelson Andrade earned the spot as quarterback, rising above the field of well-qualified signal callers, including Kuhaulua, Masaniai, Russell Moe and Malu games of Waimea High School.
Offensive linemen included Devan Ferreira, Jared Astrologio and Clint Matias of Kauai High School. The trio was joined by Maka Ah Loo of Kapaa and Drake Kaohelaulii of Waimea. Of note is the youthfulness of the offensive line as Ferreira is the sole senior, all others being juniors.
Kalawaia Judd is the sole junior in a field of four receivers on the all-star squad.
Other receivers include Pono Bukoski of Kauai, Kanai Kahoonei-Thronas and Kaikea Sonoda from Kapaa.
Pono Bukoski also got the nod as the kicker on the offensive team.
Kanoa Iwasaki, a senior at Kauai, earned the nod as offensive utility player, the versatile Red Raider filling capable slots as special teams kick returner as well as serving as the backup quarterback for Andrade.
The defensive line was split between Kauai and Kapaa, each school fielding two players on the D-line.
Keanu Hanohano, a senior, and Lai Matia, a senior, got the nods for Kauai, joined by Shiloh Begley, a senior, and Rusty Ah Loo, a senior, from Kapaa.
Youth also dominated the defensive linebackers as Bukoski, a senior, was joined by Mosese Fifita, a Kapaa sophomore, and Kelii Efhan, a junior at Kauai.
Kaiea Iwasaki, displaying moments of greatness as a special teams kick returner for Kauai, got the nod as one of four defensive backs.
The Kauai senior is joined by Daniel Alonzo, a Kapaa senior, Acetyn Emayo, a Waimea senior, and Leevi Bethel, a senior at Kapaa.
Brooks Bethel, a junior at Kapaa High School, got the nod as the defensive utility.
• Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
