HANAPEPE — Waimea sophomore Caleb Ephan plucked a Koa Ellis Jr. pass with 13 seconds left to ice a 26-21 Waimea win over Hawaii Preparatory Academy Saturday night at Hanapepe Stadium. Billed as a preseason game, the battle between Ka
HANAPEPE — Waimea sophomore Caleb Ephan plucked a Koa Ellis Jr. pass with 13 seconds left to ice a 26-21 Waimea win over Hawaii Preparatory Academy Saturday night at Hanapepe Stadium.
Billed as a preseason game, the battle between Ka Makani and the Menehune quickly turned into a game that looked fitting for the playoffs as the crowd of several hundred fans cheered wildly for both squads throughout the contest.
The victory gave head coach Jason Caldeira his first win after taking over the program. The Waimea victory was also the KIF win over the weekend.
Kapaa dropped an 18-16 heartbreaker to Lahainaluna at Vidinha Stadium and the Konawaena Wildcats beat Kauai, 14-6 on the Big Island.
The Menehune clawed back from a 14-0 deficit for the win.
On Waimea’s first possession, the 29-yard drive ended when HPA’s Caleb Kagawa pounced on a loose ball at midfield The ensuing drive gave HPA its first touchdown when Ellis found Justin Perry on a 3-yard score.
Kanai Gaughen triggered the second score after recovering a fumble coming on a 4th and 1 for Waimea. Gaughen scooped up the loose ball and ran it back 47 yards for the score and a 14-0 lead after the point after kick.
But Waimea turned the tables in the second quarter. Theron Shigematsu recovered a fumble on the Waimea 41-yard line with 9:19 showing in the half.
Waimea quarterback Patrick Keamoai-Strickland fueled the drive on passes to Cody Taniguchi and Neno Costales for 39 and 16 yards, respectively, landing the ball on the HPA 4-yard line where Jaycob Rapanot punched it in with 8:22 showing for the 14-6 deficit at the break.
Waimea put up two touchdowns in the third quarter to go up 20-14 before HPA answered in the final period on a 2-yard score by Alex Brost whose PAT boot put Ka Makani up 21-20 with 3:58 showing.
Waimea got its final chance with 1:31 left, taking control at its own 19-yard line.
Keamoai-Strickland found his two receivers, Costales and Taniguchi, on passes of 12 and 50 yards, respectively, as the clock ticked away. Corr pulled in another 11-yard pass amidst a wildly cheering crowd on the HPA 9-yard line for a first-and-goal situation with 46 seconds left. Costales caught the final 9-yard pass for the game’s final score for the 25-21 win.
