LIHUE — The Warriors got a shutout win to hand the Red Raiders their first loss of the season.
Kapaa High School’s varsity football team defeated Kauai High School, 20-0, Friday night at Vidinha Stadium.
“Like I said in the beginning of the year, it’s going to be a drag-out season,” said Kapaa head coach Philip Rapozo. “I thought we had a great week of practice. Everybody was focused. We knew what was at stake. They responded, and I’m so excited about that.”
Kapaa (3-2, 2-1 KIF) scored two touchdowns in the second quarter to head into halftime with a 17-0 lead.
Warriors senior running back Ryno Banasihan scored Kapaa’s first points on an 18-yard run. Later on, senior receiver Lanakila Pagtolingan hauled in a 15-yard pass from junior quarterback Kahanu Davis for a touchdown.
“My O-line just did a great job. Fat holes as usual, and I just took the ball in,” Banasihan said of the score.
Banasihan ended the game as Kapaa’s leading rusher with 104 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries.
Warriors sophomore rusher Baba Na-o ended with 68 yards rushing, including a 33-yard dash, on 12 carries.
“You know, we were just all mad we didn’t pull through in the first one,” Banasihan said, referring to when Kapaa lost to Kauai in their first league encounter on Sept. 7, 13-3.
“We just worked as hard as we could. It felt more competitive, too, in practice,” Banasihan continued.
Early in the third quarter, Warriors senior kicker Chysen Lagunes-Rapozo booted a 45-yard field goal to extend Kapaa’s lead to 20.
“I think this is our best game we played all year, and I think we’re getting better every week. That’s the thing,” Rapozo said. “You want to get better every week. I don’t think we’re at our peak yet. So, that’s the great thing, but I don’t think those other guys have peaked, too — both Kauai High and Waimea. It makes for interesting football.”
Early in the fourth quarter, Kauai (5-1, 3-1 KIF) marched deep into enemy territory and threatened to put points on the scoreboard.
On a fourth down and goal on the Warriors 2-yard line, Red Raiders senior quarterback Kona Asano fumbled, and Warriors sophomore linebacker Jeffrey Brown recovered the ball to deny Kauai from scoring.
For Kauai, the team’s first loss of the season came on the school’s homecoming.
“Losing the first one always stings the most, but I told my kids, ‘It’s all part of the learning process. It’s all part of maturing. Not just for them, but for us coaches,’” said Kauai head coach Jason Apilado. “Hey, it stings. But we’ll get back up in the morning, get back up on the horse and get going.”
Kauai’s starting quarterback, senior Tyler Oshima, left the game in the third quarter because of injury. He left finished the game 7-13 for 105 yards passing. Asano and senior Joshua Rivera both had time at quarterback in Oshima’s absence.
Asano ended going 2-7 for 15 yards passing and one interception. Rivera was 0-2.
“Checking on him (Oshima) with the trainers, with the score the way it was, I made to call (to sit him) and gave some reps to the other quarterbacks,” Apilado said. “All the way around, we shuffled different players. Within eight minutes remaining in the game, we learned that there’s other diamonds in the rough we can polish up. So, we’re going to chalk this one up to learning, all the way around.”
Kapaa will host Waimea (1-4, 0-3 KIF) on Saturday at Vidinha Stadium. The junior varsity game will begin at noon and the varsity will follow.
Kauai will next play on Oct. 13 against Waimea.
Scoring summary
2nd quarter
11:52 KAPAA Ryno Banasihan 18-yard run, Chysen Lagunes-Rapozo PAT good, 7-0 Kapaa
05:56 KAPAA Chysen Lagunes-Rapozo 21-yard field goal, 10-0 Kapaa
00:27 KAPAA Lanakila Pagtolingan 15-yard reception from Kahanu Davis, Chysen Lagunes-Rapozo PAT good, 17-0 Kapaa
3rd quarter
10:07 KAPAA Chysen Lagunes-Rapozo 45-yard field goal, 20-0 Kapaa
Stat leaders
Kapaa
Passing: Kahanu Davis, 5-10, 51 yards, 1 touchdown
Rushing: Ryno Banasihan, 20 carries, 104 yards, 1 touchdown
Receiving: Nakela Snyder, 1 reception, 22 yards
Defense: Joshua Baltazar, 7 tackles, 1 sack
Kauai
Passing: Tyler Oshima, 7-13, 105 yards
Rushing: Kona Asano, 3 carries, 24 yards
Receiving: Austin Paresa, 3 receptions, 33 yards
Defense: Joshua Rivera, 8 tackles, 1 sack
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Nick Celario, sports writer, can be reached at 245-0437 or ncelario@thegardenisland.com.
