LIHUE — As members of the Kapaa High School football team fans entered the baggage claim area on Sunday, cowbells erupted along with the hometown supporters gathered at the Lihue Airport.
“This is amazing,” said Kauai County Councilmember Bernard Carvalho Jr. “I didn’t know what they were going to do. I just thought I would come down and see. Division I champions! This is exciting, and I wouldn’t have missed this.”
Carvalho’s sentiments were echoed by a lot of people, including Warrior supporters, Lihue Airport staff, and Kauai High School football coach Mel Purcell who was on the same flight as the Warrior team.
Kapaa High School football earned the Division I title after the No. 3 seeded team upset the top-seeded Konawaena High School Wildcats in a 10-7 contest in overtime during the First Hawaiian Bank Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division I state football championship that was played at Mililani High School on Saturday night. This was the first Division I championship for the team, as well as the island.
Warrior Special Teams’ Nash Burkart broke a highly intensive defensive slugfest early in the fourth quarter with a 50-yard punt return for touchdown in the first play of the final quarter. With 11 minutes, 41 seconds remaining on the game clock, Bear Miller’s boot split the uprights for the 7-0 go-ahead.
The Wildcats was able to answer the score, and force the overtime play when Hercules Nahele bulled to the end zone, and Kyzar Kapuniai did the Point After Touchdown boot with 4:09 remaining on the game clock.
Micah Rapozo booted a 33-yard field goal in overtime for the victory in the contest that featured more than 1,400 spectators, many from both Kauai and the Big Island.
On paper, Kona outplayed Kapaa with 17 first downs compared to Kapaa’s seven. In total offensive yardage, Kona piled up 324 yards (250 yards in passing to Kapaa’s 39 yards, and in rushing, Kapaa gained 93 yards to Kona’s 74 yards).
Nainoa Simmons and Evan Daligdig led the Warrior ground attack, Simmons finishing with 66 yards, and Daligdig getting 30 yards.
Kapaa’s Ryan Peters topped the defenders with 13 stops, including 11 unassisted followed by Bryden Sugai-Salvador who finished with 12 stops, seven being unassisted.
Earlier in the three-game First Hawaiian Bank-HHSAA championship football series, Saint Louis edged past the Open Division top seed Kahuku, 17-10 to claim that title on Friday night at the Clarence T.C. Ching Complex at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
Kamehameha-Maui, top seed in the Division II, solidified its position with a 37-14 win over Kaiser High School who edged past No. 2 seeded Kauai High School, 16-13 in the division semifinals.
