KAPA‘A — The Lihu‘e Patriots from the Kaua‘i Pop Warner Football League earned victories for all three of its division teams during tackle football contests waged on Oct. 24 at the stadium in the Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Park.
KPWFL presented five games on that Sunday before the KPWFL Regional Cheerleading Championships, the Lihu‘e association picking up three wins, the first time the Patriots have accomplished this feat since the first football games kicked off on Oct. 9.
The Cub flag division play saw the Patriots get past the Kapa‘a Eagles, 10-2 on a 27-yard pass reception from Rotrick Clement to open the scorebooks. Chase Lopez added to the bulge with a pair of safeties. Makani Furugen put a safety onto the Eagles’ scoring column.
Colten Dela Cruz led the scoring when the Patriots flew past the Eagles, 28-12 in the 12 and Under Tackle division play.
Dela Cruz took the handoff from Patriots’ quarterback Chase Kawakami and burned the field on runs of 24 yards, 65 yards, and added a pair of Point After Touchdowns in the win.
Brennen Hiranaka opened the scoring on a run from inside the 1-yard stripe, and Drake Javier closed the game with a 9-yard scoring run, the PAT coming up empty.
The Eagles interrupted the Patriots’ scoring when Takazee Thomas connected with Bactad-Barretto on a 20-yard scoring aerial, the PAT coming up empty.
Mahana Alameda led the 28-6 win over the Eagles on runs of 17 yards, and 5 yards in the 14 and Under Tackle division contest. Patriots’ QB Kailer Chow-Agor opened the fireworks on a 44-yard scamper to paydirt.
Defensively, the Patriots not only held Kapa‘a to a touchdown, Jaiden Yanos picked up a fumble and ran the ball back 83 yards for a touchdown, Keanu Padrones adding the PAT.
The Eagles responded when Brayden Bermoy pulled in a 41-yard pass in the end zone.
In the day’s other games, the Hanapepe Colts were a 21-0 winner over the Kekaha Titans in the 10 and Under, 8-man format tackle game. Scoring was spread over two passes and a run.
Kaleo Renaud put the Colts on the board with an 18-yard scoring pass reception with Jacoby Dotario getting the PAT on a run. This was followed by Logan Gonsalves pulling in a 24-yard pass with Chad Cobal doing the PAT honors on a run. Jaden Fujimura closed the scorebooks with a 5-yard run to paydirt with Gonsalves doing the PAT honors on a run.
Kekaha Titans’ Tolu Achuara was a titan on the field during the 28-0 victory in the Bobcat flag division play against the Kapa‘a Eagles. Achuara scored on three of the four touchdowns notched by the Titans.
The Titans scored on its first possession, capping the 45-yard drive on a 4-yard touchdown run by quarterback Koa Wong. Achuara took control from that point, using his height and strength to score on runs of 3 yards, 10 yards, and pulling in a 45-yard scoring aerial. Wong also added a PAT to the scoring on a pass reception following Achuara’s 10-yard score.
Following the Regional Cheer Championships that kept the football players off the field, KPWFL returns to the field, Sunday for its final regular-season contests. Kickoff for the first of six games is at 8:30 a.m. when Lihu‘e makes its sole appearance against Koloa in a Cub flag division contest.
Hanapepe Colts is the host association and will play four contests, three against the Kekaha Titans, and one against the Kapa‘a Eagles. The final contest kicks off at 3:30 p.m. to allow teams and spectators to vacate the field before the sun goes down, in consideration of the endangered seabird fledging season.
KPWFL closes the 2021 season with the Shriners Bowl on Nov. 14 at Vidinha Stadium, and the Harold Naumu Bowl on Nov. 21, also at Vidinha Stadium.
•••
Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
