Jonan Aina-Chaves’ bulldog running and Blaine Hipa’s passing to a handful of artful receivers put No. 5 Campbell in the driver’s seat for a 45-13 home victory over Kapolei in a rivalry game Friday night.
And the bottling-up company, also known as the Sabers’ defense, had a large hand in the outcome of the OIA Open Division game.
The Hurricanes did not have an answer for Aina-Chaves, who pounded up the middle over and over again to keep the chains moving. He finished with 154 yards on 23 carries, but somehow couldn’t find the end zone.
“We’re happy with the win,” Campbell coach Darren Johnson said. “We’ll enjoy it for two days and then it’s back working hard again. Gotta get ready for Waianae. We did some good things. The O-line played good. ‘Bubba’ (Aina-Chaves) can run the ball. He was reading and making cuts and running good tonight.”
Hipa was accurate, firing away for 206 yards and five touchdowns on an 18-for-23 outing. Athletic receivers Titus Mokiao-Atimalala, older brother Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala and Zavier Ceruti were too much for the Kapolei defense to handle.
Ceruti and the younger Mokiao-Atimalala were the recipients of two TD passes each.
With the victory in the annual Sledgehammah Showdown, the Sabers (3-3, 2-2) edged ahead of the Hurricanes (3-4, 1-2) in the conference standings.
“I love my kids no matter what,” Kapolei coach Darren Hernandez said. “We’re preparing them for big things in life and it’s more than just a football game. We didn’t quit and tried our best. They just had more talent than us. They executed and we didn’t.”
Chase Taylor started the scoring barrage for Campbell with a 22-yard field goal in the first quarter. He also made good on all six of his extra-point tries, including one that hit the left upright. The points came fast and furious after that.
On Ceruti’s first touchdown — a 20-yarder from Hipa — he leaped high over a defender to snare the ball and barely stayed in bounds in the end zone. Ceruti also had a 1-yard TD catch in the first half as the Sabers built a 24-7 halftime lead.
Both Mokiao-Atimalala brothers came up big on defense, as did linebacker Tyrese Tafai and safety Peter Manuma. Titus Mokiao-Atimalala came up with an interception and an apparent 66-yard TD return, but the TD was nullified by a penalty.
De’Zhaun Stribling scored both of Kapolei’s touchdowns on passes from Mason Gomez. On a 22-yarder in the first half, he jumped to grab a high pass in the left corner of the end zone. Stribling also scored on a 16-yarder as time ran out in the game.
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No. 5 Campbell 45, Kapolei 13
At Campbell
>> Kapolei (3-4, 1-2) 0 7 0 6 — 13
>> Campbell (3-3, 2-2) 10 14 14 7 — 45
Campbell — FG Chase Taylor 22
Campbell — Zavier Ceruti 1 pass from Blaine Hipa (Taylor kick)
Campbell — Titus Mokiao-Atimalala 23 pass from Hipa (Taylor kick)
Campbell — Ceruti 20 pass from Hipa (Taylor kick)
Kapolei — De’Zhaun Stribling 22 pass from Mason Gomez (Micah Fonoti kick)
Campbell — Ti. Mokiao-Atimalala 1 pass from Hipa (Taylor kick)
Campbell — Hipa 5 run (Taylor kick)
Campbell — Sky Lactaoen 1 pass from Hipa (Taylor kick)
Kapolei — Stribling pass from Gomez (no kick attempted)
RUSHING — Kapolei: Jayven Reyes 6-23, Dustin Lino-Adkins 3-16, Ezra Sidotti 2-8, Dycen Coyaso 1-(minus-2), Mason Gomez 7-(minus-19). Campbell: Jonan Aina-Chaves 23-154, Hipa 4-79, Lactaoen 1-2, Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala 1-(minus-10).
PASSING — Kapolei: Gomez 11-26-1-188. Campbell: Hipa 18-23-0-206.
RECEIVING — Kapolei: Stribling 7-113, Bula White 2-63, Jason Camarillo 1-6, Ale’a Mahelona 1-6. Campbell: Ti. Mokiao-Atimalala 6-81, Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala 4-47, Ceruti 3-39, Sky Lactaoen 3-11, Aina-Chaves 2-28.
* Junior varsity — Campbell 28, Kapolei 6
