Campbell coach Darren Johnson had a simple message for his struggling starting quarterback early in Saturday’s game with Farrington.
“Make the easy throws, make the easy reads and we’ll be fine,” Johnson said of his talk with senior Kaniala Kalaola.
After being pulled in the midst of a shaky first quarter, Kalaola made the most of his second chance by throwing for three touchdowns and running for another to help lead the fourth-ranked Sabers to a 34-7 win over the No. 10 Governors in the OIA Open Division matchup in Ewa Beach.
Kalaola got the start following Campbell’s bye week and completed two of his first nine attempts. He was replaced by fellow senior Krenston Kaipo in the middle of the Sabers’ third possession, which ended in an interception.
After Farrington took a 7-0 lead, a calmer Kalaola returned to action and connected on eight of his next 10 attempts for 160 yards and three scores, the first going to Titus Mokiao-Atimalala for 15 yards to tie the game. Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala snagged the next two, covering 21 and 65 yards to give the Sabers control.
“When they pulled me out I just had to calm down and get my composure back, and when I went back out there I had to do me and trust myself,” said Kalaola, who scored Campbell’s last touchdown on a 12-yard run.
“I knew all I had to do was catch and throw and get my athletes the ball and they had to do the rest from there.”
Titus Mokiao-Atimalala led the Sabers with four catches for 119 yards and Tamatoa racked up 93 yards on four catches.
“It’s just settling down and playing,” Johnson said. “We had a bye week and it affected us. It was just us settling down and playing our type of football and being a lot more disciplined.”
Campbell’s ground game also eased the pressure on Kalaola, and Sky Lactaoen rushed for 110 yards and a touchdown.
Farrington took the lead on Raymond Millare’s 21-yard run early in the second quarter before falling behind 21-7 early in the third when Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala went 65 yards on a crossing route on Campbell’s first play of the second half.
The Governors went to a double-tight-end alignment and powered their way to the Campbell 2 in a 13-play march that took more than seven minutes off the clock. But on fourth-and-goal Taelase Gaoteote sacked Farrington quarterback Richard Tagataese for a 10-yard loss to give the Sabers possession.
An option pass from Pokii Adkins-Kupukaa to Titus Mokiao-Atimalala went for 60 yards to set up Lactaoen’s score to extend the lead.
“We just made mistakes; our mistakes cost us the game,” Farrington coach Daniel Sanchez said.
“(The goal-line stand) was big, we have to do a better job on finishing and scoring.”
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GAME SUMMARY
No. 4 Campbell 34, No. 10 Farrington 7
At Campbell
>> Farrington (1-2, 0-2) 0 7 0 0 — 7
>> Campbell (2-0, 1-0) 0 14 7 7 — 34
Farrington — Raymond Millare 21 run (Andre Elijah Juan Cabuco kick)
Campbell — Titus Mokiao-Atimalala 15 pass from Kaniala Kalaola (Jadon Arola kick)
Campbell — Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala 21 pass from Kalaola (Arola kick)
Campbell — Ta. Mokiao-Atimalala 65 pass from Kalaola (Arola kick)
Campbell — Sky Lactaoen 15 run (Arola kick)
Campbell — Kalaola 12 run (kick failed)
RUSHING — Farrington: Selau Kalani 5-20, Millare 9-47, Samsen Tanuvasa 8-29, Richard Tagataese 7-(-19), Chris Afe-Alaivanu 2-6. Campbell: Sky Lactaoen 16-110, Chasen Torres 5-15, Jacob Covington 3-15, Krenston Kaipo 2-4, Pokii Adkins-Kupukaa 1-7, Kalaola 1-12.
PASSING — Farrington: Tagataese 8-17-1-36, Afe-Alaivanu 1-1-0-44. Campbell: Kalaola 8-19-1-172, Kaipo 5-9-1-64, Adkins-Kupukaa 1-1-0-60.
RECEIVING — Farrington: TJ Paleafei 2-47, Afe-Alaivanu 1-1, Kalani 5-29, AJ Fernandez 1-3. Campbell: Viliami Vaimoui 2-21, Ti. Mokiao-Atimalala 4-119, Lactaoen 1-2, Adkins-Kupukaa 1-9, Ta. Mokiao-Atimalala 4-93, Jalen Henderson 1-43, Christian Quiambo 1-9.
* JV — Campbell 48, Farrington 26
