LIHUE — Several hundred people braved the threat of showers to watch Kapaa edge past the Kauai High School alumni, 21-13, Saturday night. Next up, Kapaa will take on the Waimea alumni Saturday. But the team earned the right to
LIHUE — Several hundred people braved the threat of showers to watch Kapaa edge past the Kauai High School alumni, 21-13, Saturday night.
Next up, Kapaa will take on the Waimea alumni Saturday.
But the team earned the right to play the Menehune with the victory, even though Kapaa got off to a wobbly start, losing the ball on the opening kickoff return.
Kauai’s Dayson Nanbu was ready, pouncing on the football on the Kauai 38-yard line to set up the opening score.
Alika Rosa, being called on to do running duties for the Kauai alumni, found the end zone on a 5-yard scoot with 10:03 in the first quarter. Raym Jerves kicked the point after for the early 7-0 lead.
Kapaa answered late in the period, breaking the plane with just 42 ticks left in the period, and followed its opening score with two touchdowns in the second quarter for a 21-7 lead at the break.
Ashkon Kuhaulua, the Kapaa signal caller, kept the ball for a touchdown and passed for another, the third score coming on a defensive turnover.
Kapaa got on the scoreboard when Kuhaulua kept the ball for a 1-yard touchdown, doing the point-after boot honors to deadlock the match, 7-7.
As the quarter ticked down to the half, Kapaa’s Preston Keough went high to pluck a Bradson Hiranaka, the Kauai quarterback, pass at the Kauai 30-yard line, running in the ball for a touchdown with 3:46 remaining in the half.
Kapaa put its final numbers on the board with just 16 ticks showing in the half when Kuhaulua lobbed the ball to Kamalu Umu, who outran two Kauai defenders to the end zone on the 12-yard scoring play.
Kuhaulua did the point-after boot, his third successful kick, for the 21-7 lead.
The drive was set up on a crucial fourth-and-one situation where Kauai opted to go for the first down on its own 46-yard line.
As the two walls collided, the pigskin got nowhere, turning control over to Kapaa with 1:37 showing in the half.
Kauai, struggling against the big and powerful Kapaa defense, was able to get its second score on the board late in the game when Aren Racca capped a hard-fought drive with a 1-yard touchdown with 4:23 showing in the game. The Jerves point-after kick went wide right for the 21-13 final.
With the win, Kapaa will face the Waimea alumni, who is looking for its second win in as many years, Saturday night at Vidinha Stadium with the kickoff starting at 7 p.m.
Tickets for the game between the Waimea alumni, last year’s winner, will be available at the gate, said Noeau Lindsey of the Alumni Football league.
“Tickets, a donation of $10 each, are also available from any of the players on the team, but until tonight, we won’t know who will play Waimea,” Lindsey said. “People have a week to pick up tickets from any of the Waimea players.”
Players interested in playing for the alumni football league can sign up on www.alumnifootball.com.
