LIHU‘E — Kapa‘a Junior Varsity quarterback Fresno Masaniai scored three touchdowns and No. 2 signal caller Turtle Kuhaulua threw for a touchdown and scored one in the Warrior JV’s 41-0 shutout over Waimea, Saturday at Vidinha Stadium.
With one more game remaining on its schedule, the Saturday victory clinched the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation JV title for the Warriors.
“It’s been some lean years,” said Calvin Paleka, a Kapa‘a assistant coach. “With one more game, we’re at 4-1 right now and Kaua‘i and Waimea are tied at 2-2-1. Even if Kaua‘i wins, they’ll be three wins to our four wins. Today’s victory pretty much gives us the title. I think the last time we had the JV title was back in 1996, or ‘97 when Gordan Muramaru was coach.”
Kapa‘a, celebrating its homecoming, went into its bag of tricks early, scoring on a fourth-and-11 situation when Kuhaulaua, the Warriors punter, snaked an aerial to Daniel Alonzo who broke out for a 46-yard touchdown with 8:48 showing in the first quarter.
The Warriors snuffed Waimea’s first possession when Rudy Agoot corralled a fumble on Kapa‘a’s 40-yard line, and Kapa‘a capped the drive on a Masaniai keeper for the nine-yard score at the 7:44 mark in the opening quarter.
Kapa‘a had another opportunity to score in the first quarter when Masaniai found A.J. Cummings in the end zone, but the score was called back on a holding infraction.
Waimea’s Javan Torres plucked a Masaniai pass to end the opening quarter.
But more ball control issues plagued the Junior Menehune as the drive stalled when Rusty Ah Loo, finishing the day with a fumble recovery and two pass interceptions, pounced on the loose ball at the Waimea 31-yard line to open the second period.
Masaniai took the next play from scrimmage and on a long route to the end zone, went right before crossing to the leftside for the 31-yard score at the 9:38 mark, Jonathan Paleka doing the point-after kick for the 21-0 reading.
Ah Loo plucked the first of two interceptions in the second quarter and the long runback to the end zone was called back on a personal foul penalty, leaving Kapa‘a to settle for a 21-0 lead at the half.
Kapa‘a’s Johnny Joel put a stop to the Waimea drive in the third quarter on a pass interception, running the ball back to the Menehune 16 where Leevi Bethel found open ground on the next play to score at the 6:25 mark, Paleka’s PAT boot going wide for the 27-0 reading.
Agoot picked up his second turnover to open the final quarter, collecting the fumble on the Waimea 21-yard line to set up Masaniai’s second TD on the next play from scrimmage, Paleka’s PAT pushing the scoreboard to 34-0 at the 8:36 mark.
Ah Loo interrupted the Menehune’s ensuing possession with his second interception, running the ball into the end zone only to have the score recalled to the Waimea 32-yard line on a blocking behind the back penalty at the 6:09 mark.
But the Warriors were within striking distance, capping the drive which was fueled by a 27-yard pickup by Shain Davis on a Kuhaulua five-yard drive to paydirt at the 5:18 mark. Paleka’s PAT boot settled the clock at the 41-0 final as time ran out on the Menehune drive.
The Kapa‘a JV travels to Vidinha Stadium for a 12:30 p.m. kickoff against the Kaua‘i JV during the Red Raiders’ homecoming celebration.
The varsity game kicks off no earlier than 3 p.m.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
