Torrey Santiago picked up three touchdowns for the Waimea JV football team in its 20-3 win over the Kona Wildcats Saturday night in Hanapepe. Playing through big-drop rain that drenched players and fans through two periods, Santiago gave the Junior
Torrey Santiago picked up three touchdowns for the Waimea JV football team in its 20-3 win over the Kona Wildcats Saturday night in Hanapepe.
Playing through big-drop rain that drenched players and fans through two periods, Santiago gave the Junior Menehune its lead in the first quarter before peeling off scores of 14 and 20 yards, respectively.
The Menehune JV defense limited the Wildcats to just 3 points in the opening frame.
That contest wrapped up a weekend where all three high school JV squads saw action, Kaua‘i blanking the Hilo Vikings 30-0 on the Big Island Friday night.
Kapa‘a hosted the Komaba Gakuen High School Fighting Gorillas, and despite opening the scorebooks first, came up short 28-19.
Kevin Cremer ignited the first scoring drive by recovering a muffed punt in the second period. Following a long Brehdan Kamibayashi pass to Felorendo Melchor on a third-and-long situation, Kamibayashi struck paydirt, connecting with Awainohea Dejos in the left pocket for 18 yards and the score that came at the buzzer.
Jason Iloreta kicked the point-after for the 7-0 halftime Warrior lead.
But Yasushi Hachisuka’s fuse found the powder keg in the third quarter as Hiroaki Inoue set up the scoring drive by recovering a fumble at midfield.
Hachisuka went on to score all three Fighting Gorilla TDs on runs of 6, 18 and 12 yards before being injured and taken off the field by the American Medical Response ambulance.
Keisuke Matsuyama’s point-after boot at the 5:32 mark in the third period knotted the contest, 7-7.
The Gorillas did not stop there as Hachisuka added two more touchdowns early in the fourth period with Matsuyama going 3-for-3 in PAT boots for the 20-7 lead with 8:20 remaining in the game.
Westin Moniz recorded his second fumble recovery in the fourth period to set up the Kapa‘a scoring drive on the Gorillas’ 3-yard line at the 5:12 mark.
Devin Chong reaped that score on the next play with Kory Kaneholani-Davis’ point-after kick blocked by the Gorillas for the 20-13 margin.
Masatoshi Yokomori iced the victory for Komaba Gakuen with a 30-yard TD run at the 2:52 mark with Ryo Sugimoto running in the pigskin for the 28-13 margin.
Kapa‘a got one more chance at the board, and with just 19 ticks remaining, Kamibayashi connected with Dejos for 14 yards.
The point-after kick failed as the clock ran out.
The JV squads get a bye this weekend before the KIF season starts on Sept. 8.
On Friday night, Kapa‘a will host Coronado in a single game at the New Kapa‘a Town Park starting at 7 p.m., said Greg Gonsalves, Kapa‘a’s athletic director.
Jon Koyabayashi, the Waimea athletic director, said the Menehune will host the Fort McMurray Trappers from Canada Saturday night at Hanapepe Stadium in a single game starting at 7 p.m.
