LIHUE – The Kaua’i Red Raiders couldn’t beat the Waimea Menehune, but they completed a three-game sweep of the Kapa’a Warriors Friday night, finishing off the season with a respectable .500 record and some momentum in preparation for the 2003
LIHUE – The Kaua’i Red Raiders couldn’t beat the Waimea Menehune, but they completed a three-game sweep of the Kapa’a Warriors Friday night, finishing off the season with a respectable .500 record and some momentum in preparation for the 2003 season.
Quarterback Kekoa Crowell completed 12 of 32 passes for 188 yards and one touchdown to lead the Raiders to a sloppy 20-7 win over the Kapa’a Warriors Friday.
The Raiders (3-3) scored three unanswered touchdowns, including two in the second half, to outlast the winless Warriors (0-5) on their homecoming night.
Kapa’a committed three turnovers, including a fumble which Raider Rejis Canales picked up and ran back 10-yards for the game sealing touchdown. They also had 10 penalties for 96 yards.
The Raiders also had their share of miscues.
There were four turnovers in the first half – the first setting up a Kapa’a touchdown.
Linebacker Andrew Baltazar, who was instrumental in the Warrior defense last night, landed on a Raider fumble at the end of the first quarter, setting up a breakaway 33-yard TD run by Chris Baltazar which put the Warriors up 7-0.
The Raiders amassed 157-yards of offense in the first half, but penalties and turnovers nixed a number of positive drives. The Raiders committed four penalties for 30 yards and suffered from two turnovers – a fumble and interception – to remain scoreless through the much of the second quarter.
But the Raiders found a break.
Crowell completed an electrifying 57-yard TD pass to wideout Justin Arakaki with 13 seconds in the half, tying the game 7-7.
The Raider offense continued to struggle in the second half, but their defense provided a boost.
In the first minute of the fourth quarter, Raider Rejis Canales picked up a bad Warrior snap and ran it back 10 yards for a TD and a 13-7 Raider lead. The extra point failed, but it never came back to haunt the Raiders.
The Warriors, who struggled to find its offense in the second half despite great field position, never recovered.
The Raiders’ Weston Victorino followed his blockers 33-yards for a touchdown in the final moments of the game to clinch a 20-7 win.
HHSAA State Championship Notes: Castle defeated Farrington 13-9 in the first OIA semifinal game Friday night, and Kailua defeated McKinley 34-21. Castle and Kailua will meet next week in the OIA championship game. The loser of that game will come to Vidinha Stadium to face the KIF champion Waimea Menehune in the HHSAA State Championship quarterfinals, which will be held Nov. 22.
