KAPAA — Win the Kauai Interscholastic Federation title, check. Get a first round bye, check. The Warriors had one objective since coming up short in last year’s playoffs — the Division II state championship. Now is the time to make
KAPAA — Win the Kauai Interscholastic Federation title, check. Get a first round bye, check.
The Warriors had one objective since coming up short in last year’s playoffs — the Division II state championship. Now is the time to make their run toward that end game.
No. 1 seed Kapaa (8-0) will host Maui Interscholastic League Division II champion Lahainaluna (7-5). The semifinal of the First Hawaiian Bank Football Championships–Division II state tournament is scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday at Vidinha Stadium.
“Excited, blessed, thankful to be in this situation, to compete for a state championship in our division,” said Kapaa head coach Philip Rapozo during Wednesday’s practice.
Lahainaluna edged Oahu Interscholastic Federation D2 runner-up Kaimuki, 7-0, in last week’s opening round game.
The upcoming game will be the second between the Warriors and the Lunas this year. Kapaa defeated Lahainaluna, 14-10, in a preseason game in August.
While it could favor the Warriors because of familiarity with the Lunas, Rapozo said that could go both ways as Lahainaluna, too, have learned Kapaa’s tendencies as well.
“I think that works for both teams. It’s good to know your opponent. Not much surprises,” he said. “It gives us, I don’t want to say edge, but to be familiar with them, it helps us to prepare.”
Toward the end of the KIF season, Rapozo said junior Kurt Napoleon, who had been the usual starting quarterback, and sophomore Teili Fonua had an open competition for the starting position. Napoleon will get the nod on Saturday.
“This offense revolves around our quarterback. Any offense does. It’s very important he (Napoleon) stays focused. If he stays focused, he’ll be fine,” Rapozo said. “If he didn’t step up his game, he could have lost his job. We have a really good sophomore quarterback backing him up.
“The good thing is that they push each other, but they support each other,” he added. “Teili has made Kurt a better quarterback in the last five or six weeks he’s been with us. Kurt has made Teili a better quarterback. It’s perfect for the team, and they both are for the team. That’s the great thing.”
As for Saturday’s semifinal, Rapozo believes the special teams could give Kapaa the advantage.
“For us, we know special teams is so important. We practice it religiously. People don’t realize how much we do it,” Rapozo said. “If we can win the special teams and turnover battle, I think we’ll come out ahead.”
Kapaa’s defense finished the KIF season without being scored on. Junior linebacker Mana Kupihea said in order to have the same success, the defense will have to do what it’s done all year — play assignments well.
“We’ve been watching film a lot. Taking care of our business and doing what we got to do,” Kupihea said. “Every man has to do their assignment in order for our defense to work together. That’s what we build off.”
Senior running back and receiver Justin DeForge added the offense must not commit turnovers and give Lahainaluna additional chances to score.
“It’s very important. It could be life or death situation if we turn it over at a very critical time,” DeForge said. “We just got to keep the ball safe, keep it tucked and execute.”
“I’m feeling good. I feel that we’re going to get things done. Just ready for the game,” he added.
