COURTESY STEVE DEMEO
Quarterback Micah Mamiya (1) and the Kalani Falcons Peewee football team advanced to Friday's Pop Warner Division II Peewee Super Bowl with a 22-16 win over the Pomperaug (Conn.) Warriors in Orlando. Fla., yesterday. The Falcons will play the Dale City (Va.) War Eagles.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. >> There are few things as unstoppable as a 12-year-old on his way to Disney World. Kalani Peewee team
in championship gameStar-Bulletin staff
The Kalani Falcons Peewee football team scored 22 points in less than 10 minutes to shock the Pomperaug (Conn.) Warriors 22-16 yesterday to reach the Pop Warner Division II Peewee Super Bowl.
After the win, the Falcons ate a quick lunch and headed on over to the park -- forgetting about the jet lag that had forced them into a 16-point hole in the first place.
The Falcons started their frantic comeback when quarterback Micah Mamiya returned a punt for a touchdown. Mamiya then hit Landon DeCosta from 25 yards out after the Falcons forced the Warriors to punt after three plays.
That was an accomplishment itself, as six of the Falcons' 16 players -- the minimum required for competition in the tournament -- play three ways: offense, defense and special teams. The Falcons pulled within two points, but were still not satisfied.
The Falcons forced another punt after only three plays, then marched down the field using an option version of their run-and-shoot offense. Mamiya ended the drive with a quarterback sneak to put Kalani ahead 22-16 with less than a minute left in the game.
But the defense, which had shut out Pomperaug since the first quarter, had to make one final stop.
The Warriors were driving on the tired Falcons when Jonathan Kaina Jr. picked off a pass to effectively end the game and signal the parents to warm up the caravan headed to Disney World.
Kalani will now play in the Division II Tomlin Peewee Championship game against the Dale City War Eagles (Va.) on Friday at 6 a.m. Hawaii time.
The War Eagles advanced to the title game by beating the Lee's Summit Tigers (Mo.) 28-8 yesterday.
Dale City won the Jr. Peewee Super Bowl last year.
The Pearl City Highlands Colts are also at the tournament and were scheduled to play their first-round game -- against the Dorchester Eagles (Mass.) -- this morning at 6 Hawaii time.
The football national championships consist of 64 Pop Warner teams from eight regions, competing in four age/weight classifications (Jr. Peewee, Peewee, Jr. Midget, Midget). The 64 teams are also divided into two divisions.
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