Campbell returns to state tournament with win over Kapolei

Campbell outlasted Kapolei on Friday in a wild, drama-filled OIA Open Division third-place game. With momentum swinging back and forth, the Sabers prevailed 49-42 and punched their ticket to a fourth straight state tournament.

Sabers quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele threw for 457 yards — tying the school record he set last week against Mililani — and five touchdowns on 27-for-48 passing. But he also threw two momentum-changing interceptions that kept Kapolei in the game. He nearly had a third, but it was nullified by a defensive holding call. Rowen Bucao was his top receiver, racking up 146 yards on seven catches.

Following the heated game, tensions bubbled up in the handshake line and a scrum broke out at midfield. Campbell coach Darren Johnson hurried his players to the bus and declined a request for an interview. The fight carried over into the stands, with several Kapolei players jumping the fence and joining in on the fighting between fans. HPD was eventually called to break up the scuffle. No arrests were made.

After forcing a Kapolei three-and-out on the game’s first drive, Campbell looked to put points on the board with its first possession. The Sabers moved the ball well, but the nine-play drive ended abruptly on a fumble recovered by the Hurricanes’ Iosefa Tapeni.

The mishaps continued for Campbell with Kapolei’s Vaimetua Kamakele recovering a muffed punt to extend the Hurricanes’ drive. The Sabers defense stepped up, forcing back-to-back Kapolei losses of double-digit yards. The Hurricanes’ punt from their own 3-yard line was blocked by Blesyng Alualu-Tuiolemotu for a Campbell safety and the first points of the game.

The Sabers added to their score on the ensuing drive, needing just six plays to score after the short kickoff. Sagapolutele found Chauncee Lopez for an 11-yard TD to cap the drive.

After a 22-yard run by Miles Parlet put the Sabers in Kapolei territory early in the second quarter, Sagapolutele unleashed a 42-yard touchdown pass to Jourdain “Jojo” Berinobis-Pyne.

Sagapolutele threw his third touchdown of the first half on Campbell’s next drive. After a 51-yard completion to Jonah “Tana” Togafau-Tavui to reach the red zone, Sagapolutele connected with Bucao for a 14-yard touchdown.

Trailing 22-0, Kapolei finally came to life. Tuli Tagovailoa-Amosa’s 16-yard touchdown pass to Diezel Kamoku was the first of three straight Kapolei scores. Kapolei forced a Campbell punt, which Kamoku 36 yards for a score.

Kapolei’s Makana Taylor picked off Sagapolutele, setting the Hurricanes up for a four-play scoring drive. Tagovailoa-Amosa threw his second touchdown of the game, a 25-yard pass to Malachi Tapaoan. The Sabers put a damper on the Kapolei scoring outburst with Sagapolutele’s 19-yard touchdown pass to Togafau-Tavui.

Campbell doubled up with another touchdown to open the second half. Sagapolutele threw his fifth touchdown of the game, a 15-yard toss to Mason Muaau.

After that, momentum swung back to the Hurricanes.

Kapolei scored two quick touchdowns off Campbell turnovers — one on downs and the other a Sagapolutele interception. Tagovailoa-Amosa threw his third touchdown, a 53-yard bomb to Halai Kamohalii. Tryton Keliipi followed with a 1-yard touchdown run following Braedon Pieper’s interception.

Campbell responded with two quick scores of its own. Togafau-Tavui picked up his third touchdown on a wildcat carry from 1 yard out. Three plays later, Tainoa Lave returned a Tagovailoa-Amosa fumble 25 yards for another score.

The Hurricanes scored one last time after a 14-play drive, but Keliipi’s 3-yard TD came too late. Kapolei got the ball back with 38 seconds left and had one last try at a miracle finish, but the offense couldn’t muster any meaningful yards as time ran out.

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CAMPBELL 49, KAPOLEI 42

At Nanakuli

Kapolei (6-5) 0 20 14 8 — 42

Campbell (7-3) 9 20 7 13 — 49

Camp—safety

Camp—Chauncee Lopez 11 pass from Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele (Sehuthia Mailei-Maka kick)

Camp—Jourdain “Jojo” Berinobis-Pyne 42 pass from Sagapolutele (kick failed)

Camp—Rowen Bucao 14 pass from Sagapolutele (Mailei-Maka kick)

Kapo—Diezel Kamoku 16 pass from Tuli Tagovailoa-Amosa (kick failed)

Kapo—Kamoku 36 punt return (Tagovailoa-Amosa run)

Kapo—Malachi Tapaoan 25 pass from Tagovailoa-Amosa (pass failed)

Camp—Jonah “Tana” Togafau-Tavui 19 pass from Sagapolutele (Mailei-Maka kick)

Camp—Mason Muaau 15 pass from Sagapolutele (Mailei-Maka kick)

Kapo—Halai Kamohalii 53 pass from Tagovailoa-Amosa (Tryton Keliikipi pass from Tagovailoa-Amosa)

Kapo—Keliikipi 1 run (pass failed)

Camp—Togafau-Tavui 1 run (Mailei-Maka kick)

Camp—Tainoa Lave 25 fumble return (kick failed)

Kapo—Keliikipi 3 run (Tagovailoa-Amosa run)

RUSHING—Kapolei: Keliikipi 17-75, Tagovailoa-Amosa 12-13, Kaina Kamohalii 1-2, Esaiah Gideon 1-(minus 2), Kamoku 2-(minus 6). Campbell: Miles Parlet 4-25, Zechariah Alualu-Tuiolemotu 7-18, Sagapolutele 4-7, Togafau-Tavui 2-(minus 1), TEAM 1-(minus 10).

PASSING—Kapolei: Tagovailioa-Amosa 30-47-0-307. Campbell: Sagapolutele 27-48-2-457, Togafau-Tavui 0-1-0-0.

RECEIVING—Kapolei: Kamoku 7-80, Malachi Tapaoan 9-78, Halai Kamohalii 3-69, Riley Camarillo 2-35, Ka. Kamohalii 4-23, Gideon 2-18, Keliikipi 3-4. Campbell: Bucao 7-146, Togafau-Tavui 3-86, Muaau 5-73, Berinobis-Pyne 5-69, Dallas Fonseca-Juan 3-47, Lopez 2-16, Kanoa Ferreira 1-14, Rusten Abang 1-6.

Also:

Kamehameha I-AA 24, Saint Louis I-AA 6