LIHUE — Brad Hiranaka, the Kauai Youth Football commissioner, said the only thing that can stop football is lightning.
“A lot of people are calling because of the rain,” Hiranaka said Saturday at Vidinha Stadium. “We’re playing football, rain or shine.”
The Kapaa Jr. Warriors, Division II quarterback Kapono Na-o kept the pigskin cradled and swept the leftside for a 35-yard touchdown in the second quarter of its matchup against the Lihue Red Raiders.
Na-o pulled in the ball and bulled against Red Raider traffic for a successful point-after that bumped the scoreboard to a 24-0 showing with seconds showing in the half.
That segment was part of five games that opened the KYF spring season at Vidinha Stadium. The season continues on the weekends through May 12 for Kauai matches. May 19 is reserved for an Oahu trip.
“We have about 200 youth in programs that start with 4-year-olds in flag football,” Hiranaka said. “We go all the way to Division I, which is high school, and the Westside is looking at joining the program as well. KYF is growing.”
Among those in the audience was Kyle Linoz of the Hanapepe Pop Warner Association, studying what was available to interested youth from the Westside.
Currently, KYF hosts practices in Lihue at Nawiliwili Park, and in Kapaa at the Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Complex.
Action moves to the Bryan J. Baptiste Memorial Sports Complex stadium Saturday with the flag, or 4 and under and 6 and under age programs, kicking off at noon. That matchup will be followed by a 6 and under matchup at 1 p.m. followed by the Division III kicking off at 2 p.m.
Division II players kick off at 4 p.m., and the nightcap will feature the Division I players from 6 p.m.
Kauai Youth Football is a nonprofit organization under American Youth Football, a league with more than 800,000 participants in all 50 states.
•••
Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
