The Lunas from Lahaina High School will visit the top-seeded Kapaa High School Warriors this Saturday for the semifinals of the First Hawaiian Bank Hawaii High School Athletic Association-Division II state football championships. Kapaa enjoyed a bye week while Lahaina
The Lunas from Lahaina High School will visit the top-seeded Kapaa High School Warriors this Saturday for the semifinals of the First Hawaiian Bank Hawaii High School Athletic Association-Division II state football championships.
Kapaa enjoyed a bye week while Lahaina hosted the Oahu Interscholastic Association runner-up Kaimuki Bulldogs last Saturday night on the Valley Isle, the winner advancing to face the Division II top seed.
Lahaina stayed on the ground all night, being held to 109 yards by the Bulldog defense. But the Lunas tapped paydirt once when Elijah Ragudo, facing a fourth-and-two situation on the Kaimuki 10-yard line, came off a Luna timeout and peeled off the 10 yards to the end zone. Haaheo Au booted the point-after for what eventually ended as the 7-0 final Lahaina win.
Kapaa head coach Philip Rapozo, during a team practice last week, said it didn’t matter which team comes to Kauai.
“We’re just working hard and trying heal the nicks,” Rapozo said. “We’ve looked at film from both schools and have been working hard. It doesn’t matter who comes to the game.”
According to the HHSAA website, the Lahaina touchdown capped an 80-yard drive, the longest by both teams, getting help from Donovan Defang, the Lunas’ top runner with 50 yards in the game, who moved the ball 27 yards for a first down at the Kaimuki 45-yard hash mark.
The Bulldogs had their opportunity at the end zone on the drive prior, covering 15 yards over seven plays to the Lahaina 21-yard line. Faced with a fourth-and-21, Kaimuki went to Mana Manukeu’s foot on a field goal attempt which sailed left and turned the ball over to the Lunas who went on to score.
Kaimuki had its opportunities in the second half, driving to the Lahaina 33-yard line in the third quarter. But the Lahaina defense rushed Billie Masima, the Bulldogs’ leading rusher with 173 yards, who lost not only 12 yards, but the ball which was recovered by Justice Tihada.
In the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs got to the Lahaina 23-yard line in the fourth quarter before Siale Hafoka intercepted a Tyace Sarcedo pass with 1:31 remaining in the game.
Overall, Kaimuki controlled the ball, outgaining Lahaina 210 yards (173 rushing) to 109, and triggering 61 offense plays to Lahaina’s 41.
In other state Division II football, the Konawaena Wildcats from the Big Island Interscholastic Federation will be traveling to Oahu to meet the No. 2 seed Radford, Saturday after beating the Damien Monarchs, 42-33, on the Big Island Saturday. Radford will host Konawaena at the Roosevelt High School field starting at 5 p.m.
Kickoff for the Saturday semifinal is 3 p.m. at Vidinha Stadium.
