LIHUE — Waimea wins — again. For the second straight year, the Westside alumni were crowned champs of the post-graduation games Saturday night after defeating Kapaa 9-6 at Vidinha Stadium before a crowd of a couple hundred people. Waimea slugged
LIHUE — Waimea wins — again.
For the second straight year, the Westside alumni were crowned champs of the post-graduation games Saturday night after defeating Kapaa 9-6 at Vidinha Stadium before a crowd of a couple hundred people.
Waimea slugged away from the opening quarter, capping a 22-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run less than four minutes into the game.
Cory Rita did the touchdown honors and followed that with the extra point for the 7-0 lead.
Following several exchanges, Waimea got an explosive burst from Moses Fierro who, on a third down, bulled his way to the Kapaa 19-yard line with 3:16 showing in the opening period.
The scoring threat was snuffed after a fumble and Kapaa’s Nathaniel Langi corralled the loose ball.
The resulting drive was costly for Kapaa when its starting quarterback, Ashkon Kuhaulua, was taken out of the game following a bone-jarring hit by Waimea’s Jonathan Tangalin on the Kapaa 27-yard line.
Dustin Mundon was elevated to the signal caller slot for the remainder of the contest, but the drive ended when Waimea’s Nathan Ragragola recovered another fumble on the Kapaa 25-yard line.
The drive came up empty though as Rita missed on a field goal attempt.
Kapaa’s big break came on a Waimea fourth down when a bad snap sent the ball high over Timmy Chang Wo’s head. Following several attempts, Kapaa eventually pounced on the loose ball on the Waimea 2-yard line.
Three plays later, Kameron Contrades went on a leftside sweep for the 3-yard touchdown with 5:54 showing in the half.
The point-after kick by Kai Kanoho sailed wide, leaving Kapaa down 7-6.
Another bad snap, this time for Kapaa, gave Waimea a safety with 1:10 showing in the half when the ball soared out of the end zone for the 9-6 Waimea halftime lead.
That score held up through the second half, leaving Waimea with a victory and alumni champs for the second straight year.
During the second half, Waimea’s Isaac Fierro took off on the second play from scrimmage in the third quarter and broke out a 72-yard run to the end zone amidst but a holding call negated the play.
Kapaa had two more opportunities to score in the second half to no avail.
Taking the ball, Kapaa moved to the Waimea 12-yard line, meeting the stiff Waimea red zone defense. Kanoho’s boot for a field goal which would have tied the match, went left and Waimea took over.
Kapaa opened the fourth quarter with another strong drive, moving the ball behind carries from Mundon, Tim Teves and Kameron Contrades, down to the Waimea 25-yard line.
With 10:53 showing in the game, Waimea deflated Kapaa’s hopes when Kyle Yokoyama intercepted a Mundon pass in the end zone, virtually shutting down any other Kapaa hope of scoring as the ensuing long drive kept the ball in Waimea’s hands.
