Kapaa Warriors

Head coach: Michael Tresler (1st season)
Offensive coordinator: Ryan McKeague
Defensive coordinator: Willie Marshall

Players to watch: OL Kawika Rogers (6-6, 300, Jr.), DT Sepuloni Tafea (6-0, 310, Sr.), OL/DE Santana Hernandez-Martinez (6-1, 215, Sr.), OL Maximus Merseburgh (6-1, 300, Sr.), WR/TE Loki Tafea (6-1, 228, Sr.)

Coach's words: "We always have high expectations. Our goal is always to win the KIF and the state championship. We've been there a number of years, we have a really good coaching staff so we're expecting big things. Offensively we've got the linemen to run our power game and we have really good receivers, we have actually four starting receivers and one hybrid receiver-tight end, so I think we can do a lot on offense and we're expecting our offense to lead our team, but our program is built on great special teams and defense. We coached these kids in youth and so we're excited because we not got them at the high school level. And we've got some dynamic players, so I think special teams will be pretty exciting for us as well." - Michael Tresler

SL's take: After six highly-successful seasons under former coach Phillip Rapozo that included five KIF titles and four trips to the Division II state final, the Warriors have a new head man in Tresler, a 1986 Kauai High graduate and former all-conference safety at the University of Hawaii. Rapozo, whose teams compiled a 43-14 record during his tenure, stepped down in January of 2020 and Tresler, who had been a defensive coordinator at both Kauai and Kapaa, was tabbed to replace him a few months later. And then the coronavirus hit. When, or perhaps, if the Warriors take the field for their first game this fall, it will be Tresler's first as a head coach. He will not be short on talent, that's for sure, especially in the trenches, where the Warriors boast a trio of 300-pounders in Rogers, Mersburgh and Tafea. Hernandez-Martinez was a First Team All-Hawaii selection as a sophomore, while Rogers picked up second team honors. ILB Connor Payomo (5-10, 165, Sr.), OLB Solomone Malafu (6-1, 225, Jr.) and DB Keanu Ebesu (5-9, 170, Sr.) will be key contributors at the second and third levels of the defense. Expect to see the Warriors once again come state tournament time.

SCHEDULE

Sat Oct 16	Waimea	at Vidinha Stadium	W, 42-0
Sat Oct 30	Kauai	at Vidinha Stadium	W, 47-0
Sat Nov 06	Waimea	at Vidinha Stadium	W, 15-0
Sat Nov 20	Kauai	at Vidinha Stadium	W, 42-12
Sat Nov 27	Waimea	at Hanapepe Stadium	W, 20-6
Sat Dec 11	Kauai	at Vidinha Stadium	W, 23-6
Wed Dec 22	Hawaii Prep **	at Farrington	W, 51-0
Thu Dec 30	KS-Maui **	at Farrington	W, 61-7