LIHU‘E — The Kaua‘i Pop Warner Football League hosted three off-island teams and three East-West games during the annual Shriner’s Bowl Saturday, which wrapped up the KPWFL season at Vidinha Stadium.
The Mililani Junior Peewee squad defeated the Kapa‘a Eagles JPW, 34-6 to open the day.
KPWFL teams did not fare well against the off-islanders, the Koloa Redskins Mitey Mites falling to the Kailua Raiders, 32-0. And in the heart-breaker, the Hanapepe Colts JPW, advancing to the Regional Championships, were victimized by the Manoa Paniolo, 19-0. Manoa earned the right to advance to the National Pop Warner Super Bowl in Fla.
During the afternoon Shrine Games, the West teams earned a 6-0 win in the MM division and a 30-8 win in the Junior Midget division before the East came back for a 6-0 edge in the JPW matchup.
Shiloh Louis Kaneakua broke a three-quarter 0-0 stalemate in the final 5:35 to score the East’s sole score in the East JPW 6-0 win.
East quarterback, Cade Halemanu, connected on a 50-yard scoring pass to Jasper Jacinto with 3:45 showing in the third quarter of the JM matchup to keep the East from a shutout.
The West JM did all of its scoring in the first half Alika Ventura, Justin Fernandez, Braden Miyamoto and Noah Thompson tapping paydirt for the West and Kahekili Kelekoma going four-for-four in the point-after department.
Barak Aviguetero tapped paydirt with 6:00 left in the first half to give the West its sole score in the MM division matchup.
Earlier in the day, Levi Cummings ran out the clock on his 41-yard scoring run to keep the Kapa‘a Eagles from being shutout in its 34-6 loss to the Mililani JPW.
Due to the clock running out, there was no PAT allowed following Cummings’ touchdown.
R.J. Walker scored runs of three yards and a yard to lead Mililani in its win, Walker scoring in the first and second periods.
Jett Searle scored in the second quarter, Alec Serrao ran an 11-yard TD and Chastin Baquiran iced the win in the final period on a yard run. Shaden Ramelb booted two successful PATs and Aukai Grace added the point-after following Baquiran’s TD in the final period.
Elijah Kahele scored three touchdowns on runs of 21 yards, six yards and 42 yards to lead Kailua to its 32-0 win over Koloa MM.
With less than a minute peeled off the second quarter, Sheynen-Wyatt Nahale charged a yard to paydirt for the 20-0 lead in the second quarter, the point-after failing. Hezekiah Anahu-Ambrosio followed that score with a two-yard charge to the end zone with just over a minute showing in the half for the 26-0 lead at the break.
Nahale capped the win in the final period with his 42-yard breakout at the 4:16 mark.
Manoa’s quarterback Dillon Gabriel passed for two touchdowns and kept the ball for a score as the Paniolo scored all three of its goals in the first half over Hanapepe during the Regional Championships.
With 2:53 left in the opening frame, Gabriel lit up the scoreboards on a 10-yard connection to Payton Grant, Shepherd Kekahuna doing the point-after.
But the Paniolo were not done as Gabriel added a second score with 15.8 seconds left in the period, this time keeping the ball for a one-yard plunge to the end zone for the 13-0 lead after the PAT failed.
With just three minutes left in the half, Gabriel iced the win on a nine-yard hit to J.P. Tilley, the point-after failing for the 19-0 final.
“We had showers throughout the day blessing our keiki and their parents for a successful 50th year of Pop Warner football on Kaua‘i,” said Sherri Agosto in an email. “It was a day full of gratitude from our executive board, feeding all the coaches for both football and cheer teams, the off-island teams and keiki.”
Agosto said everything was possible through the Kaluahine ‘ohana who made the Hawaiian plate lunches, and that both the O‘ahu and Big Island teams were very thankful and appreciative for the hospitality demonstrated by their sister island.
“This is exactly how it should be, and we are very thankful for the outpouring of love and support from all five of our KPWFL associations,” Agosto said.
Teddy Arroyo, the KPWFL commissioner, said he wants to thank all of the association board members, football and cheer coaches and the KPWFL board for all of the hard work and sacrifices which led to a successful year.
“What these coaches have to teach these young athletes is more than football or cheer,” Arroyo said. “It’s about life and how to prepare for the challenges ahead.”
He said the board has a vision of moving Kaua‘i Pop Warner to reach higher goals and the accomplishments of these young athletes show the vision is moving in the right direction to reach these goals.
“We ended our season Saturday with our Shriner’s Bowl and Shriner’s games along with the Regional Championship game between the Hanapepe Colts JPW and the Manoa Paniolo,” Arroyo said. “Although Hanapepe was defeated in a very tough game, they never gave up through four quarters and showed great sportsmanship. We are all proud of these young men who represented Kaua‘i Pop Warner football for the Regional Championship.”
He said the KPWFL, in addition to extending its appreciation to the five associations which make up the KPWFL, its respective boards and coaches, and the KPWFL board, the KPWFL would also like to thank the parents, community and the County of Kaua‘i and the county’s Department of Parks and Recreation for the support it received to make the 50th anniversary a success.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
