KAHUKU, Hawaii — The Kapolei Hurricanes brought Kahuku High’s hopes for another run at the OIA and Hawaii State football championships to an abrupt end on October 26 by defeating the Red Raiders on our own turf, 14-7, in the OIA quarterfinals.

The Hurricane victory marks Kahuku’s first loss at home since 1999, and the Red Raiders’ first loss at home to a local team.

Though Kahuku scored the first touchdown and converted the point after early in the first quarter for a 7-0 lead, the Hurricanes soon came back and tied the score, and then went on to take the lead by another touchdown and conversion before the end of the second half.

“A loss tonight means we’re done,” said one observer half-way through the game, not realizing his words would prove prophetic: It was Kapolei that advanced to the OIA semifinals and an automatic berth in the Hawaii High School Athletic Association State finals, while the Red Raiders’ season was pau, finished, uma, osi, over, aue!

The second half turned into a defensive battle, with both teams plagued by penalties. There were also some fumbles and turnovers; but in the end, the Red Raiders could not come back.

As the final minutes in the game ticked off the clock, the excitement started to build among the Hurricanes and their hopeful fans, realizing they were on their way to knocking off the defending state champions; and when Kahuku’s final drive fell short with about two minutes left, Kapolei ran out the clock as sideline players started jumping up and down.

Classy in defeat, head coach Reggie Torres addressed the team, then everybody marched to the middle of the field to shake hands with the winners; and with the fans starting the leave, the Red Raiders turned to the Kahuku bleachers and sang the school’s Alma Mater to the faithful.

Kahuku Athletic Director Joe Whitford pointed out there were “a lot of penalties and turnovers, and I think on the flip side, Kapolei came to play. They’d been here two times previously: In the same quarterfinals game they lost a couple of years ago, 47-7, and more recently they lost 36-15, again in the quarterfinals, so you have to give them credit.”

Whitford opined that the season-ending loss might have come down to “team chemistry — in other words, everybody has to be on the same page. For example, last year we didn’t have as many marquee players, but I think collectively as a team everybody worked together. That is a big issue that we will try to improve on next year.”

Ironically, Whitford added that Division I college recruiters may sign as many as nine Kahuku players this year — “probably the most ever — even though we’re not going to state. That tells me that individually, we may be okay, but as a team we could have done better.”

“It’s hard to stay at the top,” Whitford said of the Red Raiders five state championships in the last seven years. That’s quite a run, coming from our little community where most of the players are born and bred.”

He reminded those who are very disappointed that Kahuku’s vaunted sports programs are still all about education. “This was a year we didn’t have to worry about grades. Overall in the fall sports, we did very well.”

“It has to do with communications,” he said. “We are an educational institution first, even though others may think of us as a football power. That comes first, and that’s what we need to continue to communicate.”

Whitford noted there are approximately 45 seniors on this year’s team. “Some of those who will be courted by DI schools include Paipai Falemalu, Shiloah Te’o, Pat Au who plays offensive tackle, and Benji Kemoeatu who plays anywhere on the offensive line. Daniel Kinikini is another lineman, Samita Tonga, and a few others will definitely be highly recruited. We look forward to that.”

Whitford also noted that “our top quarterback, Jray Galea’i, and our top rusher, St. John Lessary, will be coming back next year. Aulola Tonga, our starting safety, will also be back. There are many underclassmen who played a lot this year, so we’ll be fine.”He explained that letter of intent day, when players can first accept scholarship offers, is the first Wednesday in February” [Feb. 6, 2008].

He added the 2008 preseason game will probably be played at home. “We’ll invite somebody to come play us here.”

JV football

“The Junior Varsity lost their semifinal game on Nov. 2nd to Wai’anae, 28-0, so their season is done as well. With their 5-1 record, they finished tied with Farrington and Castle for the for the OIA championship, so we had flip for seeding: We ended up second in the JV playoffs. We beat Leilehua in the quarter finals, but lost in the semifinals.”

Moanalua upsets
Kahuku girls volleyball team

It wasn’t a good week, either, for the Kahuku girls volleyball team,: On Thursday, Oct. 25, the Moanalua Menehune knocked the lady Red Raiders out of the OIA title, 27-25 and 25-15, but their second-place finish guaranteed them a spot in the State tournament in Hilo.

“We knew they would be formidable,” Whitford said. “We were up 24-22, so the first game was very close, but the loss kind of took the wind out of our sails. We ended up second in the OIA, at 10-2, and tied for first in the conference with Roosevelt.”

“At the state championships in Hilo, we came in fourth — the highest public school finish behind Kamehameha, ‘Iolani and Punahou. We were the only public school to make the semifinals.”

“The good thing is we have 13 girls coming back next year. We only lose four seniors: Leilani Tafuna, Shanlie Kaululä’au, Aleyna Galea’i and Nina Blake.”

“I’d also like to mention that we were champions of what we call the Blue Division, the new varsity division in girls volleyball. They beat Moanalua in the championship game, even though we had lost to them two times previously. They ended up 10-2, and we had 48 girls playing for Kahuku this year.”

JV softball

“We finished in third place,” Whitford reported. “Our only losses were to Castle and Kailua; we beat everybody else. This is the first year JV softball is in the fall. Previously they played in the winter.

Cross country

“They did well in the OIA, the girls placed second, and they just came back from the state championships at Kapalua, Maui,” Whitford continued, singling out the efforts of Ke’ilani Wasson and Danica Äuna.

Winter sports on the horizon

Whitford reminded everyone that because both girls and boys basketball will be played at the same time, fans and visiting teams will not be allowed into the gym on game nights until 15 minutes before tip-off so the other teams can get practice time. “Our gym’s going to be crowded for a five-or-six-week period.”

“The girls begin the third week in December, and the boys on January 2nd,” he said.

“David Te’o is our brand-new varsity girls coach. He used to be the JV girls coach. Otherwise, we’re in a bit of a lull until winter sports get rolling. We’re just starting boys and girls soccer, and JV girls soccer. JV baseball, which used to be in the spring, will now be in the winter. We also have paddling, wrestling, swimming and JV girls tennis.”

Whitford also announced, “We hired a second trainer to join Scott Matthias — Nikki Awaya, a graduate of Waialua High School — because of the number of contact sports we have, and the number of Kahuku students who participate in these sports.”

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