HANAPEPE — Waimea High School defender Jayden Sablan frustrated the Kaua‘i High School Red Raiders on two separate occasions during a Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation football game at Hanapepe Stadium under hot and humid conditions on Saturday.
Sablan intercepted two passes and returned both for touchdowns in Waimea’s 27-7 win over the Red Raiders before a crowd that topped 600 people.
Menehune quarterback Kameron Apilado added one score, a 52-yard breakout capping a two-play drive on Waimea’s first possession in the first quarter. Apilado was also frustrated when he found the end zone for the second time in the second quarter on a 76-yard scamper that was called back after Waimea incurred a blocking behind the back infraction.
Speedy Kaili Arakaki took the final score in the Menehune quiver on a 5-yard play in the second quarter to give the Menehune a 20-7 bulge at the break.
Sablan added the final score late in the fourth quarter, when he returned the pluck for 80 yards to the end zone.
Shayden Ranis-Alameda Dela Cruz did the extra point kicks after each of the Menehune’s four touchdowns.
Kaua‘i High School appeared to be able to move the pigskin against the Menehune defense after the Red Raiders signal caller found the airways.
One of those aerial connections, a 53-yard scoring hit, went to Kaimana Kaui in the second quarter with just 3 minutes, 37 seconds remaining in the break. A Racen Pegeder boot accounted for the extra point.
Earlier in the afternoon, Waimea junior varsity wrapped up a 19-8 win over the Red Raiders, who put up a late-game effort when Jasyah Rapozo hit Jacob Bukoski with a 12-yard scoring pass with a little more than two minutes left in the game. The score was a result of a fumble recovery of a muffed punt play by Kaeden Tam Ventura, who got another turnover with a pass interception before the final buzzer.
With only three games left in the KIF football season, the Red Raiders will travel to Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Complex on Saturday, where they will face off against Kapa‘a. The JV contest kicks off at noon, followed by the varsity contest starting 30 minutes after the JV game ends.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
