Kapaa High School football scored two touchdowns in the first quarter and held off Waimea for a 14-7 win on Saturday during the Kauai Interscholastic Federation football games played at the Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Park stadium.
During the contest where the hometown fans squeezed into the small shadow cast by the press box, and the Menehune fans hiding from the hot afternoon sun under makeshift tents created with beach umbrellas, towels and other heat-reflecting material, Kapaa broke tradition and did not score on its first possession.
Instead, the game clock read 2 minutes, 49 seconds remaining in the opening stanza when Warrior quarterback Kaitin Mundon found open ground and peeled off a 20-yard score. Warrior kicker Yair Antonio graced the score by splitting the uprights on the Point After Touchdown boot.
With the clocking ticking down the quarter, Kapaa defender Eleu Keawe intercepted a Waimea pass on the Menehune’s 11-yard line to give the Warriors another opportunity to find paydirt.
Warrior Alakai Pigao-Mundon found the end zone behind a two-yard smash through traffic to cap the drive, and Antonio’s boot wrapped up the quarter on a 14-0 Kapaa bulge.
The Warriors opened the second quarter with Kai-ehu Ahuna intercepting a Waimea pass. But with a costly penalty — Kapaa had 26 penalties assessed during the entire game, a sidelines coaching staff said — the Warriors relinquished the pigskin after failing to capitalize on the turnover.
With the game clock ticking down to the halftime, Menehune signal caller Kolby Correa, avoiding the surging Warrior defense, found open ground for a 57-yard touchdown with 5:34 showing on the break. Menehune kicker Brayden Wilson did the PAT boot for the 14-7 score.
Inspired by the score, the Menehune plugged toward another score to erase the one touchdown deficit. Instead, a defensive slugfest spanned the second half as both schools looked for the end zone, and the clock buzzed on the 14-7 Kapaa win.
The win for the KIF representative to the state’s Division I football is the fourth regular season win for Kapaa with two more games remaining.
Waimea, with two wins in its quiver, plays against Kauai High School (0-4) on Saturday at the Hanapepe Stadium.
The junior varsity game kicks off starting at noon followed by the varsity game starting 30 minutes following the end of the JV contest.
Source: The Garden Island
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