Warriors, Red Raiders will do battle
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
One's old, the other's new, yet they are so much alike.
That's how it is when Kamehameha-Maui takes on Kaua'i in an opening-round game of the First Hawaiian Bank Division II state football tournament. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. on Friday at Hanapepe Stadium on the Garden Isle.
The Warriors (5-6) are only in their second varsity season and will graduate their first class in the spring. Yet, they captured the Maui Interscholastic League Division II championship. They went 5-5 in the MIL, 4-0 against Division II opponents. They bring a modest three-game win streak to Kaua'i.
"We got on a nice roll at the ending of the season," Warriors' second-year coach Leo Delatori said. "The confidence just shot up and we're fortunate enough to represent the MIL."
The Red Raiders (6-1-1), winners of three consecutive and 22 overall Kaua'i Interscholastic Federation titles dating to 1944, are similar in that their players have about the same experience as the Warriors. Kaua'i graduated most of its starters from an offense that averaged 310 yards per game last year. Kekoa Crowell passed for 1,945 yards and 21 TDs last year. This season, Kaua'i's four quarterbacks combined for 580 yards and eight TDs.
"It was definitely the most difficult of the three championships," Kaua'i seventh-year coach Keli'i Morgado said. "We have a very young offense. We relied on a senior-heavy, experienced defense. We're totally different last year when we had an explosive offense."
As for the game?
"It should be a low-scoring defensive battle," Morgado said.
Although this is the first meeting between the two schools, the players probably bumped shoulder pads before. Two years ago, Kaua'i had summer camp with Baldwin on Maui. While there, the Red Raiders and Warriors had a scrimmage between junior varsity squads.
"We scrimmaged, but it's totally different now," Morgado said.
The Warriors may not have a sparkling record, but that is deceiving. They went 1-5 against Division I opponents in the MIL. They lost 7-6 to Maui to end the first round, lost 14-7 to Division I champion Baldwin (11-0), the only undefeated team in either tournament, and lost 21-0 to last year's Division I champion Lahainaluna before reeling off three wins in a row.
Senior running back Shane Kamakaokalani (5 feet 5, 145 pounds) was the fourth-leading rusher in the MIL with 543 yards, averaging 4.3 yards per carry. His 42 points from seven touchdowns was tied for fourth in the league. Junior quarterback Keahi Raikes (6-0, 160) was third in the league with 550 yards passing with six TDs, but 12 interceptions.
The Red Raiders, who ran more than they passed this season, are led by senior running back Jonathan Rellin (5-4, 150), who was second in the KIF with 363 rushing yards. Senior receiver Jeff Jasper (6-2, 185) led his team with 17 catches for 142 yards and had five TD receptions.
Kaua'i teams are 5-0 on the Garden Isle in state tournaments.
"It's a challenging place for the visiting team to come in and try to walk away with a win," Delatori said.
KAMEHAMEHA-MAUI VS. KAUA'I
WHAT: Division II first round
WHERE: Hanapepe Stadium, Kaua'i
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday
HISTORY: First meeting
TICKETS: $7 general, $5 students K-12 and 62 years and older
PARKING: Free
KAMEHAMEHA WARRIORS
8/20 L, Kamehameha-HI, 45-18#
8/27 L, Baldwin, 32-7
9/3 L, at Lahainaluna, 34-3
9/10 W, Pac-Three, 43-0
9/16 W, at Kekaulike, 10-7
9/23 L, Maui, 7-6
10/8 L, Baldwin, 14-7
10/14 L, Lahainaluna, 21-0
10/21 W, Pac-Three, 40-9
10/29 W, Kekaulike, 36-14
11/4 W, Maui 26-6
#Nonleague
KAUA'I RED RAIDERS
8/27 W, at Konawaena, 17-0#
9/2 L, West Hills (Calif.), 41-13#
9/16 W, Kapa'a, 13-12
9/23 W, Waimea@, 7-0
10/7 W, Kapa'a, 27-8
10/14 T, Waimea, 7-7
10/28 W, Kapa'a, 42-0
11/4 W, Waimea@, 22-18
#Nonleague; @at Hanapepe Stadium
Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.