Kaimki's Toloa Loketi smiles during practice for the 808 Senior P.R.O. Bowl. | Photo: Michael Lasquero It's been a long time since Kaimuki senior Toloa Loketi has enjoyed a win on the football field. He is hoping that changes this weekend. After more than a year...
Miles away in North Dakota, Rapozo still keeps Kauai in his heart
Miles away in North Dakota, Rapozo still keeps Kauai in his heart
VALLEY CITY, N.D. — Thousands of miles from home, Christopher Rapozo carries Kaua‘i with him every time he steps onto the football field.
The Valley City State University junior has made the journey from Kapa‘a to North Dakota, where he has earned a starting role as the Vikings’ punter while adjusting to life in a new environment.
The 6-foot-1, 215-pound punter from Kapa‘a is in his first season at Valley City State after spending two years at Feather River College in Quincy, California. His journey to North Dakota has brought a new football challenge, exposure to different cultures and a growing appreciation for the people who have helped him along the way.
“It’s a great experience coming from Hawai‘i,” Rapozo said. “We don’t really get to come out and travel to play, so it’s great meeting people from different cultures from all around the world. So it’s a good experience.”
Rapozo is also part of a growing contingent of Hawai‘i players at Valley City State. More than a dozen players from the islands are on the Vikings’ roster this season, creating a familiar connection for those making the transition from Hawai‘i to the continent.
Nearly all of them hail from Oahu.
Rapozo however, is the lone player representing Kaua‘i.
Kapaa’s Chris Rapozo attempts a kick in a 2022 preseason game against Aiea. | Photo: CJ Caraang
“Being the only one from Kaua‘i, it kind of means a lot, ’cause I don’t know anybody from here, but I love all the boys over here, the ones I meet from Oahu, so it means a lot,” Rapozo said.
That connection has helped make the transition easier, but Rapozo’s journey has also been about earning his place on a new team.
Earning his opportunity
Rapozo arrived at Valley City State after a productive two-year run at Feather River, where he developed into a contributing kicker and punter for the Golden Eagles.
As a freshman in 2024, he made six field goals and 29 extra points for 47 points. He added to that production as a sophomore, finishing his career at Feather River with 112 points in 21 games. He also punted 44 times during his two seasons, including a career-long 70-yard boot in his second collegiate game.
His sophomore season culminated in a 10-1 record for the Golden Eagles and a Northern California Football Conference American Division Championship Bowl victory at the junior college level.
The championship helped put Rapozo on the radar of other programs, opening the door to his next opportunity.
“When I came to Feather River, there was already another kicker, but I was very confident in myself and I was able to get that starting spot early on,” Rapozo said. “We ended up winning the JUCO championship my sophomore year, and that’s kind of what sparked the schools in hitting me up. Valley City just looked like the best opportunity. Most Hawai‘i boys came here, so I was very excited for coming here.”
Before his collegiate career, Rapozo played at Kapa‘a High School, graduating in 2023. He was part of the Warriors’ program during a period of transition, following the school’s historic Division II state championship in 2021 — the first in program history — before Kapa‘a made the jump to Division I during his senior season.
Rapozo also spent time playing in the trenches in high school, giving him experience beyond the kicking game.
Chris Rapozo plays right tackle for Kapaa in a 2022 preseason game against Aiea. | Photo: Michael Lasquero
Now in North Dakota, he has settled into a specialized role that requires a different kind of consistency.
Valley City State coach Dennis McCulloch saw the potential in Rapozo even before he secured the starting punter position.
“With Chris, we really had a kicker — we had a high school kicker that we thought was going to be really good,” McCulloch said. “Chris came in late, but you can see he has potential. A strong leg. He’s still raw. If we can fine-tune him, he’s got really good potential, because the strength of the leg is there.
“It’s now all the other factors, that’s consistency of doing it over and over again, that’s going to transition him. So we’re excited.”
Rapozo understood what needed to improve.
Consistency had been a recurring point of emphasis from his coaches, and he responded by putting in extra work beyond the team’s regular practices.
“The one problem I had with kicking all around was consistency,” Rapozo said. “All the coaches would tell me, I got to get more consistent. I would just come out on my own, come out with the kicking coach and just practice my kicking. Mostly my punting, and the coaches saw that and they ended up giving me the starting spot, which I’m very happy about.”
That work eventually earned him the starting job in the third game of the season.
McCulloch credited Rapozo for taking advantage of the opportunity.
“He’s worked his way in now to being the starting punter, and again, that’s on him,” McCulloch said. “He’s done a good job of that and having more consistency in the things that we’re seeing in him.”
Chris Rapozo lines up for a punt against Eastern Oregon on Sept. 19, 2026. | Photo: Michael Lasquero
A new role, a team-wide impact
Rapozo’s emergence as the Vikings’ starting punter has given him a chance to contribute while also easing the workload on fellow specialist Walker Brondos.
Brondos had been responsible for both punting and placekicking early in the season, two duties that require different techniques and physical demands. Rapozo’s arrival and development have allowed Brondos to focus more fully on his placekicking responsibilities.
“From the mental aspect, all the way to the form and leg path, placekicking and punting are two completely different positions,” Brondos said. “It’s talked about a lot in kicking that if you work too much of one form, other movements will suffer. With Chris coming in on punt, not having to sacrifice my field goal or kickoff form was a big deal.”
Brondos said handling both responsibilities early in the season created additional demands during games, from managing warmups to dealing with the physical toll of repeated kicks.
“Having Chris take over punts has been a big relief for me for both the mental and physical sides of the game,” Brondos said. “It was definitely a stress in the first two games doing both, driving down the field not knowing if I need to warm up for punt or a field goal.”
Valley City State kicker Walker Brondos lines up for a PAT against Eastern Oregon. | Photo: Michael Lasquero
Rapozo’s impact, however, has extended beyond the specialist room.
“Getting to know Chris has been so awesome,” Brondos said. “He’s such a positive energy to be around and that positivity has infected the rest of the team. I can’t think of a time I’ve seen him without a smile on his face. He really just lights up every room he’s in.”
Brondos also pointed to Rapozo’s work ethic and willingness to learn as qualities that have made an impression on his teammates.
“I’ve been most impressed by Chris’ ability to adapt and perform at a high level on a new team,” Brondos said. “We run an off-center punt formation, which as a punter is one of the hardest to kick from, but Chris came into fall camp, learned it, practiced it and executed it very well.”
The adjustment has translated into production on the field.
Entering the Vikings’ current bye week, Rapozo was averaging 40.2 yards per punt on 16 attempts, with a long of 66 yards. Six of his punts had landed inside the 20-yard line, and none had resulted in a touchback. On kickoffs, he was averaging 58.8 yards on 11 attempts.
Valley City State University’s Chris Rapozo stands on the sideline during a game. | Photo: Michael Lasquero
His first start came against Eastern Oregon during Valley City State’s homecoming game, the weekend after Hurricane Lowell affected Kaua‘i. Although the Vikings suffered a loss, the game marked an important step in Rapozo’s development and gave him an opportunity to put his work into action.
“I think I did pretty good, definitely can work more on consistency, but I think I did pretty decent,” Rapozo said. “Gave the boys pretty good field position, happy with that.”
Thousands of miles away, Kaua‘i remains home
As Rapozo adjusts to life in North Dakota, the distance from home has become especially meaningful when events affect the people and place he left behind.
When Tropical Storm Lala and Hurricane Lowell affected Kaua‘i, Rapozo stayed awake worrying about his family and hoping they were safe.
Hurricane Lowell affected parts of the island of Kaua’i. | Photo: Nate Ragragola
“I remember when it hit, I never even sleep that night ’cause I wanted for make sure my family was OK,” Rapozo said. “I always keep that in mind. I always play this sport for my family, my mom, my dad, guys, but they doing good now.”
That connection remains part of what drives him as he pursues football far from the island where his journey began.
At Valley City State, Rapozo has earned the trust of his coaches, made an impact on his teammates and found a place among fellow players from Hawai‘i. His next challenge is to build on his first opportunity as the Vikings’ starting punter and continue developing the consistency his coaches believe will take him further.
For now, every game offers another chance to represent the place he calls home.
Among a roster filled with Hawai‘i connections, Rapozo stands alone as Kaua‘i’s representative — carrying the Garden Isle with him each time he takes the field in North Dakota.
Kaimuki’s Toloa Loketi hopes to end high school career with a win
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