Kapaa, the eighth-ranked team in Hawaii high school football, continues to knock on the door of a state championship.
On Thursday, Dec. 30, the Warriors just might get it done.
In the Division II semifinals of the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Football State Championships on Wednesday, Kapaa ran past No. 10 Hawaii Prep 51-0 at Farrington’s Skippa Diaz Stadium.
In the title game in eight days, the KIF champion Warriors (7-0) will face MIL D-II champ Kamehameha-Maui (5-2), which knocked off No. 9 and OIA D-II champ Kaiser 48-24 in Wednesday’s other semifinal at Farrington.
“It was a big win,” Kapaa defensive lineman Sepuloni Tafea said. “We’ve been preparing for this. We knew we were going to get here because of how strong our bond is this year. It’s not what team is faster or stronger. It’s what team works harder and together as a family. I believe we’re going to take it all the way. We can with the same mentality we’ve had from the start.”
Warriors coach Mike Tresler echoed the sentiment of closeness, saying it’s hard to beat teams who play like family, and adding, “We’re selling to our kids, the family kids, that we want them to start their legacy, create their history and that’s what they’re trying to do.”
In four out of the last five years of state tournaments, Kapaa finished as the D-II runner-up — to Radford in 2015 and to Lahainaluna in 2016, 2018 and 2019.
Two-way standout Solomone Malafu thinks the Warriors can take the next step, saying, “Bringing back the koa (trophy) is a big thing for us, our school and our community.”
On Wednesday, Kapaa got the job done with a potent running game and a stout defense. Quarterback Kapono Na-o rushed for 60 yards and a TD and Malafu and Poki Tafea scored long, rugged TDs in the first half to set the physical tone of the game.
The Warriors threw only five passes and one of them was a 7-yard fourth quarter TD hookup from backup QB Nakoa Kimi to Tafea.
On the defensive side of the ball for Kapaa, Malafu had five tackles, including two for losses, an interception and a pass breakup. Connor Payomo contributed with six tackles, while Moku Tolenoa and Bruno Likio came through with two sacks each, and Kala Velasco added an interception.
Kapaa’s Solomone Malafu, Sepuloni Tafea and Poki Tafea are looking forward to the Dec. 30 D-II state title game against Kamehameha-Maui.
Tain Lawson turned in a solid two-way game for Ka Makani (7-1), the D-II champions of the BIIF who were making their first state tournament appearance since 2009. Lawson made 11 tackles and caught five passes for 17 yards.
“It’s so good to come out here with this great group of guys,” Lawson said about HPA’s season that came to an end. “We did real good. HPA has been losing for a long time, so to come back and win a BIIF championship, it meant a lot.”
Braeden Samura (four tackles, including a sack and fumble recovery) and Tain Lawson were thrilled to have been part of HPA’s BIIF D-II title team and to played in the state tournament despite a 51-0 loss.
Added Ka Makani head coach Kaluka Maiava: “I told our guys after the game that losing sucks. We’re not here to lose. But at the same time, they need to be very proud of what we’ve accomplished as a team. They went from no wins, to almost a championship (in 2019) to undefeated BIIF champs.”
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