Kauai picks up first win of year

Kauai running back Bulla Rapacon carries the ball against Waimea. Manuel Henriques | Special to SL

Kauai, the 2013 Division II runner-up, picked up its first win of the season with a 28-13 victory over Waimea (1-2, 0-2 league) in a Kauai Interscholastic Federation contest at Vidinha Stadium Friday night. The Red Raiders had losses to Konawanea and Damien in the preseason.

“It was big,” Kauai coach Tommy Cox said on the team’s first win. “With all the guys we lost and stuff, we needed to get a little bit of confidence back. They (the team) showed that we can play. We were pretty pleased with what happened on Friday.”

Leading the way on offense was running back Kyrus “Bulla” Rapacon with 20 carries for 136 yards and a touchdown. Rapacon is normally a lead blocker on offense, but a thigh injury to Jhustin Balisacan gave the burly 5-foot-10 junior a chance to shine.

“He was huge. He’s basically our lead back but Balisican was out this game so he stepped in and did a great job.”

Special teams also played a big part in the Red Raider victory. Quinton Mundon recovered a blocked punt in the end zone and Damien Butac returned a kickoff 76 yards for a score.

“Special teams came up huge. That turned the whole game around for us. They were game changers,” Cox said on the two scores on special teams.

Defensively the Red Raiders got two sacks each from Rapacon and All-KIF linebacker Kelii Efhan, who is coming off a knee injury.

Waimea were led by quarterback Patrick Keamoai-Strickland who accounted for two scores. The senior quarterback ran one in from four yards out in the second quarter and threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Henry Delos Reyes in the third.

Kauai will take on Kapaa, ranked No. 3 in the ScoringLive/OC16 Division II Power Rankings, at Vidinha Stadium Friday night. The Red Raiders defeated the Warriors in all three meetings last year, with all three games being decided by three points or less.

Reach Michael Lasquero at [email protected].