Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele threw four touchdown passes as No. 1 Campbell outlasted No. 5 Kapolei, 40-23, handing the Hurricanes their first loss of the season on a hot, breezy afternoon at the Sabers’ field.
Campbell improved to 2-0 in OIA Open Division play (4-0 overall) with the senior-night win despite a Kapolei game plan that nearly did the job. Twice, Kapolei came up empty inside the 2-yard line, and Campbell’s special teams came up with two returns for touchdowns. Coach Darren Johnson’s Sabers had leaped over Kahuku to seize the top ranking in the Star-Advertiser Football Top 10 this week, making this their first game with a bull’s eye target on their backs.
“We didn’t play like a No. 1 team, but I’m just glad we came out with the win. Just enjoy the rest of the night with my seniors,” Sagapolutele said.
The battle between neighboring rivals had a game within the game with Kapolei’s prolific senior quarterback, Tama Amisone battling Campbell’s senior slinger, Sagapolutele.
“It’s a great rivalry. They’re a great team and they have a great quarterback. He just balled out,” Sagapolutele said. “Kapolei (defenders) definitely played a little more back than they did on film. You’ve got to make do with what you have.”
Losing its regular-season opener, Kapolei dropped to 4-1 overall. Amisone faced a fierce pass rush and had 165 yards and one touchdown on 16-for-32 passing. He also rushed for 73 yards and a TD on 16 carries.
“Campbell, for sure, they brought the energy up. They have a really good defense,” Amisone said. “We’ve got to fix up the little things and pick it up at practice.”
Sagapolutele also eluded a relentless pass rush all afternoon. He took just one sack, but was hit multiple times as Kapolei was flagged for two roughing-the-passer penalties. The Cal commit finished with 203 passing yards (19-for-25). Sagapolutele found wide receiver Rusten Abang-Perez 10 times for 103 yards and two TDs.
Kapolei had 15 penalties for 148 yards. Campbell was flagged 17 times for 122 yards.
“Penalties and we didn’t finish two times. We gave up two scores on special teams. We left points on the field. You can’t do that against a good team,” Hurricanes coach Darren Hernandez said.
The Hurricanesdid what they could to keep Sagapolutele and the Saber offense off the field, particularly in the third quarter. Trailing 26-14 at the half, the visitors forced Campbell into a rare three-and-out, then scored on Chazz-Michael Kapahu’s 12-yard run to cap a 10-play, 62-yard march.
Campbell’s Zayden Alviar-Costa then returned the ensuing kickoff 84 yards for a touchdown, giving the Sabers 33-21 lead with 9 minutes to go in the third quarter.
The Hurricanes drove methodically to the Campbell 2-yard line. On fourth and goal from the 4-yard line, Amisone raced to the right sideline, eluding tacklers while seemingly holding the football inside of the pylon for a score. However, Amisone stepped out of bounds at the 1-yard line before the ball broke the plane of the goal line, ending the scoring threat.
On the next play, the Kapolei defense gang-tackled Campbell running back Brystin Sansano in the end zone for a safety. That brought Kapolei within 33-23 with 1:46 to go in the third quarter.
After receiving the free kick, the Hurricanes drove to the 22-yard line and stalled. After an illegal procedure penalty, Larry McCarley’s 44-yard field-goal attempt landed in the end zone for a touchback.
Campbell then put the game on ice with a 10-play, 80-yard scoring drive. Sagapolutele was knocked out of the game briefly following a roughing-the-quarterback penalty. He later found Sansano open on a leak route from the backfield.
Sagapolutele barely eluded a pass rusher and Sansano hauled in the out-route pass just beyond a defender’s hands, turning the catch into a 12-yard dash into the end zone.
That opened Campbell’s margin to 17 points with 7:22 remaining.
“I’m proud of them. I love them. I take the blame,” Hernandez said.
The game opened with Campbell making its own breaks. Abang-Perez ran a stop-and-go route, and Sagapolutele found him down the left sideline for a 24-yard TD.
After Kapolei’s second series stalled, Campbell senior linebacker Kyson Kupukaa partially blocked the punt. The ball had plenty of topspin and bounced quickly downfield between the hash marks when Tainoa Lave surprised the Hurricanes by snagging the ball and racing 70 yards for a TD. Campbell led 12-7 with 3:09 left in the opening quarter.
The home team extended the lead to 19-7 on a 4-yard TD strike from Sagapolutele to Abang-Perez with 11:03 left in the second quarter.
Kapolei responded with a three-play, 64-yard scoring drive. Amisone found Zayne Pasion, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound junior, for a 21-yard TD pass. That brought Kapolei within 19-14 with 9:55 to go in the first half.
After a sack by Hezekiah Fruean, the ‘Canes got the ball back and drove to the Campbell 1-yard line. The Sabers interior stonewalled the Hurricanes, jolting the ball free before Amisone could take the snap cleanly.
Kupukaa was on the spot again, recovering the loose pigskin at the 1-yard line with 4:42 left in the first half. Campbell then drove 99 yards and scored on Sagapolutele’s 30-yard TD pass to Tyson Ball with 21 seconds until halftime.
One of the hits Sagapolutele took in the second was helmet-to-helmet, but he returned to the game after sitting out one play.
Waianae 20, Aiea 9
Kaelb Rodriguez returned an interception nine yards for a touchdown with 13 seconds left, sealing a victory for the Seariders over Na Alii. Slater Kealohi ran eight times for 70 yards and a touchdown, and Alika Idica Jr. added 65 yards on 20 carries to lead the Seariders (2-3, 2-1) offensively. Waianae held Na Alii (3-2, 1-2) to just 176 yards of total offense and forced four turnovers.
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Star-Advertiser staff
