LIHU‘E — The Sunday downpour that damped hundreds of football players, cheer teams, coaches, and parents was not on the schedule of the Kaua‘i Pop Warner Football Jamboree at Vidinha Stadium.
“How many of you actually know what a float is?” said Jamboree announcer Mel Rapozo in prefacing the introduction of Kuku DeCosta as the individual who has given so much to Pop Warner football over the years and serves as an inspiration for the current crew of Pop Warner football.
Another individual, Coach Dick Ueoka, the founder of Pop Warner football on Kaua‘i many decades ago when parades and floats marked the Jamboree, was also on hand to congratulate the National Pop Warner All-American scholars, especially Nakili Kauwe who was selected from more than 5,000 athletes to become the female All-American awardee.
The Jamboree marks the end of practice and conditioning that started back on Aug. 1, coinciding with the National Pop Warner football program. To celebrate, the five associations that make up the Kaua‘i Pop Warner Football League unleashed its inventory of teams in the different divisions — Kapa‘a, Lihu‘e, Koloa, Hanapepe, Kekaha — to abbreviated contests as a preview to the first season games that will play at Hanapepe Stadium, Sunday starting at 7:30 a.m., and the last game starting from 3:30 p.m.
“Our cheer boys and girls are an integral part of KPWFL, and the Pop Warner Little Scholars,” said Roseanna Jerves. “The KPWFL Cheer Competition will be held at Kapa‘a at the Bernice Hundley Gym this year on Oct. 16. KPWFL has more than 15 cheer teams, both competitive and non-competitive for this year. The teams that earn titles at the island-wide competition will move on to the Pop Warner Super Bowl at Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida starting Dec. 5.”
Earlier in late July, Jerves hosted nearly 95 cheer members and coaches to a cheer camp hosted by Kellie O’Donnel and the All Attitude Athletics staff at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
And the rains let up — just in time for the anxious gridiron players to take the field.
Jamboree Results
Game 1: Bobcats Lihu‘e A 6, Kekaha 35
Game 2: Cub Kapa‘a B 16, Kekaha A 20
Game 3: Cub Lihu‘e 25, Kekaha B 6
Game 4: Cub Kapa‘a A 31, Hanapepe A 0
Game 5: Bobcat Lihu‘e B 6, Hanapepe 8
Game 6: Cub Kapa‘a B 14, Hanapepe B 18
Game 7: 12U Lihu‘e 13, Kekaha 25
Game 8: 10U Kapa‘a 0, Hanapepe 46
Game 9: 12U Kapa‘a 30, Hanapepe 0
Sunday Schedule
Hanapepe Stadium
7:30 am – Cub Kekaha B vs Kapa‘a B
7:30 am – Cub Hanapepe A vs Lihu‘e
8:30 am – Cub Kekaha A vs Kapa‘a A
8:30 am – Bobcat Kekaha vs Hanapepe
9:30 am – 12U Hanapepe vs Lihu‘e
11:30 am – 10U Kekaha vs Kapa‘a (8 Man-S)
1:30 pm – 12U Kekaha vs Kapa‘a
3:30 pm – 14U Kekaha vs Hanapepe (8 Man-S)
•••
Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
