Campbell holds off Waipahu in wild one

With Waipahu threatening to wrest away the Cane Knife, Campbell came up with the stop it needed to maintain its grip on the trophy.

Campbell defensive lineman Amate Savusa’s sack on fourth down with Waipahu deep in Sabers territory sealed a wild 39-34 win on Friday and kept the trophy in Ewa Beach another year.

Savusa had already scored twice on fumble returns and Campbell quarterback Justin Tago-Su’e’s four touchdown passes were just enough to hold off the Marauders in the OIA Red West matchup.

Campbell had won the previous three meetings and won the past two by a combined score of 89-0, including a 68-0 win last year.

With Waipahu moving up from the OIA White to the Red, Campbell coach Amosa Amosa — who never experienced a win in the rivalry as a player in the early 1980s — expected a tougher battle this time around.

"We knew it wasn’t going to be as easy as last year," Amosa said, after Campbell’s seventh win in the past eight meetings with Waipahu. "We knew it was a different Waipahu team.

"I’m happy for the boys; it’s our next-door neighbor, so there’s some bragging rights. I think (Waipahu coach Eric) Keola and his staff, they’re doing a wonderful job."

Waipahu’s Dylan Pakau contributed to all three Marauders touchdowns in the first half. He had a 55-yard reception, a 42-yard punt return and a 65-yard pass and Waipahu took a 21-20 lead into halftime.

Waipahu broke its scoreless streak against the Sabers on its second possession of the game when Pakau ran down a deep pass from quarterback Kaimi Paredes for a 55-yard touchdown reception.

Campbell tied the game midway through the second quarter when Jayce Bantolina made a tough catch on a throw from Tago-Su’e down the sideline for a 37-yard touchdown.

The Sabers took the lead on Waipahu’s ensuing drive when Savusa scooped up an errant shotgun snap, fumbled the ball himself during the return, but picked it up and made it to the end zone for a 42-yard score.

The teams traded three touchdowns in the final 1:40 of the second quarter, then traded two more scores and Waipahu closed to 39-34 with 3:50 left on Isaiah Alama’s 8-yard run.

After a Campbell punt, Paredes moved the Marauders to their 38 then took off on a 44-yard run to the Campbell 18 yard line. After a spike and two incomplete passes Savusa ended the drama with a sack with 13.7 seconds left.

"It was unbelievable. Last play, I had to give it my all," Savusa said.