Lunas to face King Kekaulike in last regular season game

The seniors include (from left): front — Zeff Dudoit, Kamalei Watson, Jonah Damasco, Kawehi Gillcoat, Lennox Kahahane Lived and Imee Koike; middle row — Apakasi Felemi, Nyles Pokipala Waiohu, Isaiah Ahwah, Kamahau Acpal and Josh McCoy; back — Etuati Storer, Elijah Oliveira Kalalau, Ikaika Tihada Viela, Pablo Rico, Miki Winter Tufuga, Sheldon Frias and Cobe Nakamura (not pictured are Kainalu Kailiilaau and Koapaka Purdy).
LAHAINA – The Maui Interscholastic League Division II leading Lahainaluna High School Lunas will square off against the King Kekaulike Na Alii to close out the 2018 regular season in a make up contest on Saturday, Oct. 27, at Sue D. Cooley Stadium on the West Side campus.
Junior varsity action will kick off at 4:30 p.m., with the varsity game starting at 7 p.m.
The games were originally scheduled to be played in September but were postponed due to the effects of Tropical Storm Olivia. The makeup date was set, and the home date for the Lunas will officially end the regular season.
The evening will feature Senior Night honors for 21 Lahainaluna players and their families. The halftime festivities will include the introduction of senior players, managers and cheerleaders with their parents in front of their hometown crowd.
The 21 seniors that will play their final regular season football game for the Lunas are Zeff Dudoit, Kamalei Watson, Jonah Damasco, Kawehi Gillcoat, Lennox Kahahane Lived, Imee Koike, Apakasi Felemi, Armani True, Tausinga Hafoka, Nyles Pokipala Waiohu, Isaiah Ahwah, Kamahau Acpal, Josh McCoy, Etuati Storer, Elijah Oliveira Kalalau, Ikaika Tihada Viela, Pablo Rico, Miki Winter Tufuga, Sheldon Frias, Kainalu Kailiilaau, Koapaka Purdy and Cobe Nakamura.
In bidding a fond farewell to this senior group, co-head coach Garret Tihada related that they have been an integral part of the success of the Lahainaluna football program since being members of the first Big Boy team when they were seventh-graders.
“The majority of them moved up to the varsity as freshmen and contributed to the team right away,” said Coach Garret last week in preparation for the last MIL contest of the seniors’ playing careers.
“They are a dedicated, hard-working class, and we will miss them for sure. They are a quality group of not only football players, but quality people. It will be a huge blow to lose them and a big adjustment for next year. We wish them all the best for their futures, and seven or eight of them are looking to playing at the next level.”
In a side note, Athletic Trainer and Assistant Athletic Director Jon Conrad asks all former Luna athletes to return any used medical supplies – such as crutches and braces – to the school.
Bins will be provided at Sue D. Cooley Stadium at the final MIL football game of the regular season this Saturday evening for their return.
The Lunas are currently the fifth-rated team in the state and will be playing for the MIL championship and a ticket to the Hawaii High School Athletic Association State Championship playoffs that will begin the following week and culminate with the semi-final and title contests at Aloha Stadium in mid-November.