HANAPEPE — The West’s Ryder Balocan’s foot was the margin of victory during the Shrine Bowl Mitey Mite division contest that wrapped up the Kauai Pop Warner Football League season at the Hanapepe Stadium.
Kaikea Miyashiro and Hahai Akeo each notched touchdowns for the West Mitey Mites, and each added a point-after in the victory of the opening game of four contests scheduled on the KPWFL finale that included the Shrine Bowl, and the Harold Naumu Bowl.
The East Mitey Mites opened the contest when Axlen DeRego peeled off 50 yards for a score with 6:55 remaining in the opening
The West answered in the second quarter when Kepa Pablo hit paydirt on a one-yard charge, and Miyashiro putting the West ahead with a PAT run, 7-6.
East Mitey Mites swayed the seesaw when Makoa Miguel found the end zone at the end of a 13-yard run and got a PAT from DeRego for the 13-7 go ahead.
With 22 ticks remaining in half, Miyashiro answered the call with a 34-yard touchdown to knot the contest, and Akeo’s PAT put the West up 15-13.
DeRego put the East up in the third frame with a 69-yard breakout for the 19-15 lead that was answered in the final period when the West’s Akeo pushed for three yards and Balocan icing the win with his PAT boot, 23-19.
The PeeWee division contest belonged to the West, who shut down the East, 32-0 behind a pair of touchdowns from Kupa‘a Kaimina‘auao, and scores from Aarya Tabalno and Kulea Kauwe who also picked up three PAT kicks in addition to his 60-yard punt return for a score in the final period.
Hanapepe Colts’ Isahc Ulanday prevented a shutout in the fourth period with a 74-yard touchdown as the Colts’ Unlimited division dropped 22-6 to the Kihei Dolphins (from Maui) in the first of two games contested in the Harold Naumu Bowl.
Devontal Myrick scored two touchdowns for Kihei, and a fumble recovery in the end zone by Kanekoa Maielua-Kekiwi in the fourth quarter accounted for the Maui visitors’ scoring, Joseph Lavaka adding a pair of PATs for the final math.
The Kekaha Titans redeemed the earlier Kauai loss when Kaili Arakaki ran for two touchdowns and a PAT to lead the Unlimited Titans to a 20-0 shutout over the Wailuku Rainbows, a second Maui team.
Mykah Brun pulled in a 34-yard scoring pass to open the score books for Kekaha, who took a 6-0 lead to the break.
Arakaki came back with scores in the third and fourth period for the win after Isaac Wilson added the PAT in the fourth quarter.
