Krenston Kaipo passed for 386 yards, just 2 shy of the school record, as No. 9 Campbell outlasted No. 8 Farrington 26-20 on Friday night at the Sabers’ field.
The junior was on point from the start and finished the game 18-for-28. The Sabers jumped to a 20-0 lead, but a Farrington pick-6 by Wendell Alob cut the lead to 20-13 just before the half.
“From Day 1, I came in and had tough love. We made some mistakes, so we’re back to the drawing board,” first-year Sabers coach Darren Johnson said after his team opened OIA D-I play 1-0 (1-1 overall).
Farrington is 0-1 in conference play (0-2 overall) despite a gritty effort on defense and special teams.
FOLLOW ALONGA game of interest not on the radio or TV? Then follow our live blogs on HawaiiPrepWorld.com. Here are the bloggers for today’s games:
>> Hilo at ‘Iolani, 1 p.m.
>> Kauai vs. St. Francis, at Punahou, 1:30 p.m.
>> Baldwin vs. St. Louis, at Aloha Stadium, 3:30 p.m.
>> Pearl City vs. Kalani at Roosevelt, 5:30 p.m.
>> Kapolei at Waianae, 6:30 p.m.
>> Nanakuli at Aiea, 6:30 p.m.
>> Waialua vs. Kaimuki at Skippa Diaz, 6:30 p.m.
* Summaries from Friday’s games
Kaipo’s effort made Pokii Adkins-Kupukaa’s night one to remember. The sophomore receiver hauled in eight passes for a school-record 204 yards, and also had an interception defensively. Two-way contributor Tyrese Tafai was busy defensively, but added three rushing touchdowns and two receptions for 42 yards as Johnson freely played his top athletes on both sides of the ball.
“We knew they were a good run-stopping team, so we threw a little bit more. We missed some throws, but he’s a little young and he’s coming,” Johnson said. “Hat’s off to Farrington. They came and capitalized on some critical mistakes.”
Alob’s TD return on the interception with five seconds left in the first half came less than two minutes after a 73-yard kickoff return by versatile Chasen Castilliano set up Farrington at the Campbell 23. That led to a clutch fourth-and-goal, 4-yard TD pass by Chris Afe to Stephen Eter.
The home team answered with a TD in the opening series of the second half, marching 60 yards in nine plays. A fourth-and-15, 34-yard heave from Kaipo to Adkins-Kupukaa gave Campbell first and goal at the 1. That set up Tafai’s third scoring run of the game for a 26-13 lead with 9:43 left in the third.
Campbell’s defense, led by Nathaniel Thompson, Isaac Sevao and Chanse Hoopai-Tafili, put a lid on the Govs’ offense after intermission. The visitors finally answered with a scoring drive led by Eter at quarterback, moments after Afe left with leg cramps. Eter’s 5-yard TD pass to Blessing Umaga cut it to 26-20 with 47.9 seconds remaining, but Campbell’s Jhoven Sausal recovered a tough on-side kick to help the Sabers seal their first win in league play.
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