Efhan leads Crusaders to 38-24 win over Raiders

Keli‘i Efhan peeled off five touchdowns to lead the Crusaders to a 38-24 showing over the Raiders in the Kaua‘i Youth Football 8-man tackle football game Saturday.

Efhan opened the action in the first quarter with an 18-yard scoring run, his shortest of the night, to give the Crusaders an early 6-0 lead.

He continued to sizzle in the second half, racking up three scores  in the third and capping the night with a 53-yarder in the final period for the win.

But the Raiders, held scoreless until the third period, answered back with Damien Butac marking three second-half touchdowns to keep the team in the game.

Following Efhan’s opener, Shaeden Tallano peeled off nine yards to the end zone for the second first-quarter score, Kamuela Numazawa running in the point-after for a 13-0 Crusader lead that held until the half.

Efhan opened on the second half with scores of 51 yards and 32 yards, the second score coming on a punt return, to build the Crusaders’ lead to 25-0 before the Raiders got on the board.

Butac answered the deficit on a 23-yard scoring run followed by Nalu Pikini-Villon peeling off 47 yards en route to the end zone for a 25-12 deficit.

But the Crusaders weren’t done yet as Efhan capped the third quarter with a 56-yard score for a 32-12 lead.

Butac opened the fourth period with a 23-yard score which was answered by Efhan lacing his final score of the night on a 53-yard scoot to paydirt.

A final Butac touchdown netted 28 yards for the 38-24 Crusader win.

Brad Hiranaka, president of the Kaua‘i Youth Football league said the next meeting of the 8-man format tackle football will kick off at 5:30 p.m. on April 24 at the Kapa‘a New Town Park stadium.

Visit the KYF Web site at www.kauaiyouthfootball.com for more information on the league as well as registration information.