HANAPEPE — The Kekaha Titans Junior Varsity team kept its winning streak going Sunday when it shut down the Hanapepe Colts JV team, 16-0, to wrap up a day of four matches in the shadow of the first Hanapepe’s biggest little carnival at Hanapepe Stadium.
Makua Kaikena-Leimana found the end zone at the end of a 16-yard scoring run in the first half, and Johnny Pimental hit pay dirt on a three-yard charge in the second half for the Titans. Haweo Akeo split the uprights on each of the touchdowns for the final accounting.
The Titans, fielding enough players to fill three of the Kauai Pop Warner Football League divisions, opened the day with a 7-0 win over the Koloa Rams in the Junior PeeWee division play. Brennan Fernandez broke the ice in the first half with a four-yard touchdown run with Dayton Shimatsu finding Fernandez on a point-after touchdown pass for the final math following a scoreless second half.
Alaka‘i Mundon went to both sides of the ball to lead the Kapaa Eagles, Mighty Mites comeback during the second matchup of the day.
Facing a 12-0 halftime deficit, Mundon plucked a Lihue Raiders pass to open the second half. He capped the defensive feat by running the pigskin 95 yards for a touchdown. The PAT failed, and the Eagles looked at a one touchdown gap.
Mundon erased the deficit with a two-yard score to end the game in a 12-12 tie.
Earlier in the match, Takazee Thomas put the Raiders on the board in the first half with touchdown runs of 50 yards and 10 yards.
Niko Yamauchi scored three touchdowns for the Hanapepe Colts JPW team to lead a 34-0 shutout over the Lihue Raiders as the sun climbed high in the Hanapepe sky and the carnival activity picked up.
Shayden Dela Cruz ignited the Colts JPW team on a 20-yard touchdown with Connor Milikan nailing the PAT kick for an 8-0 lead that got upped when Yamauchi ran back a pass interception 42 yards. The PAT came up empty for the 14-0 bulge at the break.
The Colts built on the lead when Deegan Bermudez found the end zone on a 13-yard run followed by Yamauchi nailing his second TD, an 11-yard run.
Both scores saw the PAT fail, and Yamauchi closed the day on a 35-yard scoring run to trip the running clock after Milikan split the uprights on the PAT kick.
Kaena Henderson scored two touchdowns to lead the Hanapepe Colts Mighty Mites to a 20-6 win over the Kekaha Titans to round out the day’s recap.
Kaena scored a six-yard touchdown followed by Kanoa Naumu adding a six-yard scoring run in the first half. A Kailen Henderson PAT boot brought the Colts to a 14-0 margin at the break.
Kaena opened the second half on a four-yard scoring charge, and Chance Gomes kept the Titans from being shut out after finding the end zone on a one-yard charge for the 20-6 final reading.
The Kekaha Titans will host the final Kauai Pop Warner Football League season matches Sunday at the Hanapepe Stadium where the first games go off from 7:30 a.m.
Following the final season, the KPWFL will host its annual Shrine Bowl, and the Harold Naumu Bowl games on Nov. 18 at Vidinha Stadium. More details on the bowl games will be forthcoming. Proceeds from the bowl games benefit the Kauai Shriners organization.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
