Kapa'a's improvement balances 3-team league

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Coming off consecutive winless seasons in league play and having won the fewest titles in the three-team Kaua'i Interscholastic Federation football history, Kapa'a High knows its place well.

The Warriors will play defending champion Kaua'i to kick off the KIF's 60th football season at 7:35 tonight at Vidinha Stadium.

"We'll be competitive," Warriors third-year coach Wes Kaui said. "But we're still the underdogs, that's for sure. You have to respect Kaua'i. They're the defending champs and Waimea has always had a winning tradition. But we'll take that underdog role. If we focus, we should be OK."

Waimea coach Liko Pereira said the league is balanced because of Kapa'a's improvement.

"Kapa'a has a pretty good squad," he said. "They've got a good-size line and backs. They'll be a force to reckon with."

Of the three KIF teams, Kapa'a has the fewest league titles with five, its last coming in 1989. Waimea has been the most successful with 35 league crowns. Kaua'i won its 20th last year. (Waimea and Kaua'i actually shared the 1953 title.)

Kaui is seeing the fruition of his three-year plan, which was to increase participation and improve the team's competitiveness.

"The program is improving," Kaui said. "The turnout is great for the JV and varsity. The administration and parents have played a big role. I feel we're going in a good direction."

With that, Kaui said this will be his final season as coach. When he took over three years ago, he kept nine sophomores who are now third-year starters.

"We've got the number, we've got experience and we've got nine guys for three years," Kaui said. "We (the coaches) just came to help improve the program and now it's time to move on."

One of the nine third-year players is hurting. Lineman Makana Workman sustained a knee injury in nonleague play. He is awaiting results of a magnetic resonance imaging test that will determine the fate of his season.

"We need him on the line," Kaui said of the 6-foot-4, 399-pound two-way lineman.

Meanwhile, Red Raiders coach Keli'i Morgado isn't quite sure how his team stacks up. They lost both nonleague games, 35-12 at Punahou, and 31-0 against visiting San Clemente (Calif.). With third-year starting quarterback Kekoa Crowell back, Morgado had hoped the offense would be a strength.

"But we sputtered against some really good defenses, so I'm not sure of anything yet," Morgado said.

Crowell led the KIF with 1,050 yards passing and eight TD passes.

Waimea's Pereira said he has a number of players recovering from injuries, including running back/linebacker Chavez Woolsey (knee).

"Fortunately, we have a bye this week," Pereira said.

The Menehunes did get a nice pickup in transfer Max Hadwin, a quarterback who backed up Crowell for the Red Raiders last year. The 6-1, 205-pound senior, who also plays safety, passed for 211 yards last year in limited action.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8042.