Another championship was brought home to West Hawa‘i late last month.
The Westside Eagles, one of Kona’s premier 14U Pop Warner football programs, took home the Wescon Hawai’i vs. Mainland Regional Championship on Nov. 30 in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. It was the first time the Eagles played a mainland team, winning a close 24-22 battle over the Saddleback Valley Bears to fly home with the hardware.
The championship crown came as strong redemption after falling 26-20 to the Waimea Cowboys in the Big Island Pop Warner Football Championship earlier this fall. With many of the boys moving up to high school next year, Eagles head coach Nano Padillio saw the victory as the perfect way for the team to end their Pop Warner careers.
“Bringing home this win gives them something to strive for in their future with football,” he told West Hawaii Today. “Ending their Pop Warner careers with this win helps them to see that when they put their mind to any task, with the combination of hard work and dedication, they can succeed in far more than they could ever think or imagine. This also goes for everything in life.
“I think their ability and knowledge of the game played a vital role, and placing them in positions that made them successful. Everyone has a job, and if everyone does their job, we can come out with the victory.”
In the regional championship game, Shaden Domingo posted two touchdowns, while teammate Ka‘el Johnson had an impressive 85-yard kick return touchdown. The team’s kicker, Kalani Akina, notched three critical field goals in the outing. While Westside’s quarterback was out of the game due to an arm injury suffered in the Big Island Championship, defensive end Deeton Padillio stepped in to fill the vacant position.
“Honestly, everyone did their part — I couldn’t give (the game ball) to one specific player, because the offensive line together was the ‘Player of the Game’ and the defense made difficult fourth-and-one stops,” Padillio added.
Padillio also pointed to the team’s faith as a pillar to the successful season, noting that the group practiced communal prayer prior to every kickoff and after the final whistle.
“We started and ended every game by giving thanks to the Lord, no matter if we win or lose,” he said. ”We also emphasized perseverance and conditioning. Lastly, we focused on building a brotherhood and believing in one another. This was a vital role for these young men. Yes, brothers argue, but they also lift one another other up.”
Padillio also thanked his talented coaching staff and the community’s support all season.
“I would personally like to thank my coaching staff Brian Sylva, Chris Navarro, Manase Hungalu and Peter Castillo, along with team dudes Rudy Lopez and Kaniela Hauanio. Also travel coordinator Joyce Davis, WSE President Darren Naihe and all of the parents and family members of our team.
“Lastly, a very big mahalo to the Kailua-Kona community for all of the financial support that helped get our team to the mainland and giving these young men memories they will never forget.”
West Hawaii Today and Hawaii-Trbune Herald would like to congratulate the team and its supporters for making the Big Island proud!
