Kapolei made all the plays when it counted, and as a result, the 10th-ranked Hurricanes kept Campbell winless with a 16-7 victory at home Friday night.
Trailing 7-3 with 9:40 to go, Kapolei (3-3, 2-3 Oahu Interscholastic Association Blue) marched back in a hurry, thanks to Jay Amina’s fourth-quarter interception and 19-yard return that put the ball at the Sabers’ 8. Two plays later, Leighton Rosa scored from 1 yard out for a 9-7 edge with 4:42 left.
Amina was at it again on Campbell’s next possession, batting away a Kawika Ulufale pass on fourth down with 1:12 left.
"They (the Sabers) have zero wins, but they played us real tough," Hurricanes coach Darren Hernandez told his players after the final whistle. "It went down to the wire. Everybody pitched in. The defense came up big with turnovers. The offense got it done when needed. It wasn’t perfect, but it’s a win and we’ll take it."
Rocky Savea, a defensive brick all night long, sealed the win by hauling in a 13-yard pass from freshman quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa with 24 seconds to go.
Savea then intercepted another Ulufale pass as time ran out.
Earlier, with 9:40 to go in the fourth quarter, 6-foot-3 wide receiver Markus Ramos gave Campbell (0-5, 0-4) its only lead of the game, snaring a 10-yard touchdown pass from Ulufale over the outstretched hands of Hurricanes defensive back Jonathan Liana on a fade route.
"Once they scored, we really wanted to get it back and push harder and (after the interception) we made a drive," said Amina about his pick that set up the winning score.
In the first half, Kapolei got its 3-0 lead on its first possession with Beau Meyer’s 23-yard field goal.
After that, the rest of the first half was all 0ld-school defense. The Hurricanes got as far as the Sabers’ 36 twice, only to be stopped.
"Our defense was lights out," Campbell coach Amosa Amosa said. "We slowed down Taulia; he’s one of the better quarterbacks in the league. The defense played its hearts out, and the offense got it going, but we really didn’t control the ball like we wanted to. And then we made those two crucial turnovers at the end. We’re making strides, though."
In the first half, the Sabers’ offense, which was slowed by an apparent leg injury to running back Terell Johnson (who played mainly as a blocker in the second half), crossed midfield three times. With less than a minute before the break, Campbell, helped by two 15-yard Kapolei penalties, penetrated to the Hurricanes’ 17, but lost the ball on downs.
"We’ve got to come back stronger," said Ramos, who scored the Sabers’ only TD. "We’re 0-5 and it’s going to be hard to come back from a loss like this, so we’re going to have to work harder than we’ve been working."
Kaiser 32, McKinley 0
Cougars running back Jensen McDaniel rushed for 145 yards and two touchdowns and the Cougars defeated the visiting Tigers.
McDaniel recorded his ninth 100-yard rushing performance in 13 career games on a muddy, soggy Kaiser Stadium field.
Kaiser (2-3, 2-2) won its second straight to get back to .500 in OIA Red play after starting the year with three straight losses.
McKinley (0-6, 0-5) allowed a season-low 32 points and held the Cougars scoreless in two out of four quarters.
Kaiser quarterback Nic Tom was 7-for-9 for 94 yards and hit Andrew Kaufusi on an 11-yard touchdown pass. Tom, who also scored on a 9-yard run, rushed for 52 yards on 10 carries.
Nanakuli 40, Roosevelt 14
Sunshine Anuenue rushed 17 times for 160 yards and two touchdowns and the Golden Hawks scored four touchdowns off turnovers.
Nanakuli, which moved into a first-place tie with Radford atop the standings, scored on its first three possessions.
Anuenue went in from 14 yards out, Keanu Momoa caught a 42-yard scoring pass from Nainoa Banks and Anuenue added a 1-yard score.
The first and third scores were set up by fumble recoveries.
In the third quarter, the Golden Hawks’ Chyson Hoopai recovered a botched punt snap in the end zone and a fumble recovery on a kickoff set up Banks’ 1-yard scoring plunge.
Anthony Booker added a 1-yard touchdown run late in the fourth.
Roosevelt scored on a 60-yard run by Chavis Paia on a fake punt in the second quarter and a 29-yard pass from Shastyn Kekahuna to Randy Eusebio in the fourth.
