HANAPEPE — A bad snap on a point-after play late in the fourth quarter preserved the Lihu‘e Patriots’ Junior Midget 14-12 win over the Koloa Redskins, Sunday at Hanapepe Stadium.
The win resulted in a Lihu‘e Patriots sweep after its Junior Pee Wees blanked the Koloa Redskins, 28-0 and the Mitey Mites wrapped up a 13-6 win, Saturday.
The host Kekaha Titans split its series against the Kapa‘a Eagles when the Titans Mitey Mite division came up with a fourth quarter TD in its 12-7 win over the Eagles.
But the Titans Junior Midgets were shut down in the finale, 20-0 by the Eagles.
Brayden Miyamoto pounced on a loose football and ran it back for touchdown in the opening quarter to give Koloa Junior Midgets an early 6-0 lead which was answered in the second quarter when Lanakila Wilson found the end zone on a 46-yard run for the first of two touchdowns he scored for Lihu‘e.
The Redskins blocked the point-after boot for the 6-6 stalemate which stood until the third quarter when Wilson scored his second TD of the game, a 48-yarder, for the go-ahead. Aaron Renaud booted the point-after for the 14-6 lead.
Koloa answered in the final period when Alika Ventura launched a five-yard pass in traffic to Shaggy Sanchez, clearly the tallest player on the field, with just 2:48 showing in the match.
But the point-after snap went high, sending Sanchez scrambling short of the end zone for the Lihu‘e win to complete its weekend sweep.
Saturday, Jordan Nakamura scored his first season touchdown, a 38-yard run to paydirt, in an explosive third quarter as the Patriots JPW posted a 28-0 win over Koloa.
Micah Efhan had the sole first half score, a 20-yard run, for the 6-0 halftime lead before the Patriots peeled off three third period scores.
Following Nakamura’s score, Jasper Jacinto found Skylar Sadora on a 24-yard airball, that score also getting a successful PAT.
Chasen Alayvilla triggered the running clock in the third frame with his 32-yard score, Tyler Oshima doing the point-after honors for the 28-0 win.
Koloa Mitey Mites were not daunted, though, as Wailani Kawahalau opened the scorebooks in the first quarter with a 48-yard scoring run for the early 6-0 lead.
But Doza Kaleiohi struck twice for Lihu‘e in the fourth quarter to give the Patriots its 13-6 lead. Kaleiohi’s first score, a 22-yard scamper, was graced by Malu Ralston doing the point-after. Kaleiohi’s second TD was a one-yard push to paydirt.
Ryan Neuman put the Kapa‘a Eagles Mitey Mites on the boards, breaking a scoreless deadlock on a 15-yard run. Keawe Cabebe did the point-after for the 7-0 lead which was answered when Bryson Kapahu put the first of two TDs, a 45-yard run, on the boards. The point-after failed for the 7-6 Kapa‘a lead at the half.
Following a scoreless third frame, Kapahu netted his second TD, a 41-yard run, in the fourth quarter to give Kekaha its 12-7 win, Sunday.
Braxton Garcia ran for a TD, passed for one and had a point-after kick in Kapa‘a’s 20-0 shutout over the Kekaha Junior Midgets.
Garcia opened the books by peeling 46 yards to the end zone in the opening quarter, gracing that score with a point-after boot.
He followed that score, also in the opening quarter, by passing 15 yards to Jayden Palenapa-Likelio for the 14-0 lead which stood at the half.
This weekend’s games at Vidinha Stadium will have the Koloa Redskins Junior Midgets hosting the Hanapepe Colts starting at 8 a.m. followed by the Redskins Mitey Mites hosting the Colts at 10 a.m.
Sunday games will open at 9:30 a.m. when the Redskins JPW host the Colts. The Lihu‘e Patriots play a full slate against the Kapa‘a Eagles starting at 11:30 a.m. when the JPW teams take the field followed by the Junior Midgets at 1:30 p.m. and the Mitey Mites at 3:30 p.m.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
