LIHUE — Sophomore running back Kalena Harder had 101 yards rushing and three touchdowns to help the Warriors advance to the Division II championship game. Kapaa High School’s varsity football team defeated Lahainaluna of the Maui Interscholastic League, 24-0, in
LIHUE — Sophomore running back Kalena Harder had 101 yards rushing and three touchdowns to help the Warriors advance to the Division II championship game.
Kapaa High School’s varsity football team defeated Lahainaluna of the Maui Interscholastic League, 24-0, in Saturday’s semifinal of the First Hawaiian Bank Football Championships–Division II state tournament.
“Feeling so happy. Feeling so blessed more than anything,” said Kapaa head coach Philip Rapozo. “But we’re not done yet. The goal is to be the state champions in our division. That would be the cherry on the sundae.”
Kapaa (9-0) totaled 248 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns in the semifinal game at Vidinha Stadium.
The Warriors starting quarterback, junior Kurt Napoleon, sustained a wrist injury during the team’s opening drive in the first quarter and didn’t return. He logged three rushing attempts for six yards and zero passing attempts.
Kapaa was also without its starting running back, senior Kekoa Kaluahine-Cacal, who suffered from a stinger in the second quarter. He ended his game with 56 yards rushing off 11 carries.
With both starters hurt, Kapaa turned to Harder and sophomore backup quarterback Teili Fonua. Both scored all of Kapaa’s touchdowns. Fonua had the Warriors’ first score in the second quarter.
Fonua ended the game with 21 yards rushing, including the rushing score, and was 2-7 for 9 yards passing.
“That’s what it’s all about. We called them up and they get their chance. We didn’t bring them to sit on the bench,” Rapozo said of the two sophomores. “They gave us all of what they got, and it’s paid off.”
However, Kapaa couldn’t convert the extra point attempts following those touchdowns. Junior kicker Clifton Oliver missed his two extra point attempts. The team also twice went for two-point conversions and failed on both tries.
“Honestly, I don’t know what happened. That’s one of our strengths. We have one of the better kickers. The hold, the snap, just every time something would go wrong,” Rapozo said. “Then we did the rollout, and our holder decided to try to run it in instead of throw it, which was a designed play.”
Lahainaluna (7-6) couldn’t sustain drives offensively, giving up eight sacks to the Kapaa defense.
“We’re just disappointed in the product we put out tonight,” said Lahainaluna co-head coach Garret Tihada. “It’s a blowout. We were physically manhandled. It’s not like us to experience a game like this. Hats off to Kapaa. They did their homework. They did what they needed to do, and it showed.”
The Lunas’ coach thanked his seniors following the match and said he is looking forward to next season.
“Just said thank you to our seniors for giving up their time and all the hard work they put in to the last few years,” Tihada said. “Of course, we’re talking to our sophomores and juniors about what we got to do during the offseason to come back. That’s mainly it — just thanking the seniors and getting the young kids ready.”
Lunas junior defensive back Donovan DeFang had seven tackles and a pass deflection for Lahainaluna.
Kapaa will play the winner of the semifinal game between No. 2 seed Radford of the Oahu Interscholastic Association and Konawaena of the Big Island Interscholastic Federation. Results of that game was not available by press time.
The Division II championship game will be played 4:30 p.m. Friday at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu.
“We got to take care of Kapaa, which I’ve said all year,” Rapozo said of the upcoming title game. “We got to go in there and make them play our game — special teams and great defense. And our offense is pretty good.”
“We’ll know sometime soon who we’re playing. Whoever it may be, we’ll get ready for them and give them our best,” he added.
2nd quarter
08:24 KAPAA Teili Fonua 3-yard run, Clifton Oliver PAT no good, 6-0
04:24 KAPAA Kalena Harder 9-yard run, 2-point conversion failed, 12-0
3rd quarter
08:16 KAPAA Kalena Harder 9-yard run, Clifton Oliver PAT no good, 18-0
07:46 KAPAA Kalena Harder 3-yard run, 2-point conversion failed, 24-0
Kapaa
Passing: Teili Fonua, 2-7, 9 yards
Rushing: Kalena Harder, 20 carries, 101 yards, 3 touchdown, 1 fumble
Receiving: Kalena Harder, 1 receptions, 7 yards
Defense: Ola Tatofi, 5 tackles, 4 sacks, 1 forced fumble
Lahainaluna
Passing: Dylan Delatori, 1-4, 8 yards
Rushing: David Kawabata, 5 carries, 10 yards
Receiving: David Kawabata, 1 reception, 8 yards
Defense: Donovan DeFang, 7 tackles, 1 pass deflection
