Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele passed for 245 yards and four touchdowns in less than three quarters as No. 3 Campbell overwhelmed Waianae 41-0 on Saturday afternoon in the opening round of the OIA Open Division playoffs.
Sagapolutele was seemingly done for the day once the Sabers went up 34-0 with 7:40 left in the second quarter but returned just before halftime. He played one series in the second half and sat the rest of the way as the mercy-rule running clock was activated.
“It was an all right game. The weather was hot. Our defense kept putting us in good positions and we used that to score,” Sagapolutele said.
Campbell (8-2) will meet No. 2 Mililani in the semifinal round next weekend. The site and date have yet to be determined. The teams were in different pools during the regular season and have not met this season. Last year, Mililani won both matchups, including a 39-29 playoff win.
The Trojans have won their past 14 games against the Sabers. Campbell last beat Mililani in 2011. This season, Mililani lost to Punahou 21-14 to open nonconference play. Campbell beat Punahou 38-23 on Sept. 15.
“Now we’ve got to get ready for the big test. Play against a good football team and we’re matched up pretty good. They’re coached well, we’re coached well. It’s going to be a great game,” Campbell coach DJ Johnson said. “There was some good play. There’s some positives and some things we want to work on. You go away seeing good things. We want to see great things. We want them to be better. We’ve got to go back, watch film and get them ready for Friday or Saturday. I’m not sure what the schedule will be.”
The Sabers got a balanced performance, taking what a scrappy Waianae defense would give. Sagapolutele was 14-for-20, and backup QB Jaylum Pelen was 5-for-10 (41 yards). Campbell limited Waianae to 34 yards of total offense. The Sabers’ defense came up with seven sacks, continuously putting pressure on Waianae QB Maximus Kahalewai-Sapigao. Zechariah Alualu-Tuiolemotu and Miah Timoteo had 1.5 sacks each, while T’nias Tavale, Kealii Sione, Kyson Kupukaa and Bruce Fuauli had one sack each. Uilifeleti Afungia added a half-sack for the tenacious team in orange.
“We let down a little bit. We have to play at our level. Our coaches got on us at halftime,” Timoteo said.
At times, Waianae found some momentum offensively when Kahalewai-Sapigao had time to throw. The Seariders battled to the end, coming up with two fourth-down stops late in the game. Waianae closed the season 1-8 overall.
“That’s what I love, is that they’re battling. To me, the kids are working their butts off and that’s all I can ask for, 100% effort,” Waianae coach Thom Kaumeyer said. “When they show up at practice, I appreciate that. There’s a lot of kids, you start losing, they don’t show up. We’ve just got to be able to use it, where guys can play both ways and get that team concept.”
The Sabers deferred at the opening coin flip, opting to defend the makai end zone. That was a good choice with tradewinds blowing up to 20 mph in the mauka direction. Four of Campbell’s first five kickoffs were touchbacks off the toe of kicker Cristian Wyckstandt, giving the visiting Seariders no breaks whatsoever.
“We struggled at the beginning, obviously, but in the second half we fought back. Guys worked hard. (Campbell) has a lot of talent. They’re a good-coached team. Our boys kept fighting all four quarters, still busting their butts to try and get things done and do it the right way,” Kaumeyer said.
Sagapolutele found Tainoa Lave on a key fourth-and-10 completion to keep the Sabers’ first series alive. Eventually, he connected with Zayden Alviar-Costa on a 19-yard touchdown strike for a 7-0 lead.
Waianae then had consecutive breakdowns on punts. Campbell converged on Seariders punter Tytus Trinidad, who sidestepped the rush but couldn’t escape another Saber who snuffed his kick. Campbell took over at the Waianae 13-yard line and haded the ball to running back James Steffany-Fiame, who cut back and slashed his way to the end zone for a 13-yard TD.
threeWaianae tried a bit of trickery on fourth down, with Kahalewai-Sapigao attempting a quick kick from the shotgun. However, Campbell’s Marion Baker blocked the punt, pulled it out of mid-air at the 5-yard line and strode over the goal line for another touchdown. Campbell led 28-0 with 34 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
About the only thing the Sabers didn’t succeed at in the first half was the PAT kick after Sagapolutele found Rowen-Ray Bucao for a 15-yard TD in the second quarter.
Waianae’s sole highlight of the first half was an interception by defensive back Jordan Kaio on Sagapolutele’s Hail Mary toss to end the half.
While Bucao looked healthy with four receptions for 80 yards, playmaker Tana Togafau-Tavui remained sidelined with a knee injury. There is hope that he will return for the state tournament if Campbell makes it that far.
In a OIA Open JV playoff game, Waianae defeated Campbell 27-12.
At Campbell
Waianae (1-8) 0 0 0 0 — 0
Campbell (8-2) 28 6 7 0 — 41
CAM—Zayden Alviar-Costa 19 pass from Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele (Cristian Wyckstandt kick)
CAM—James Steffany-Fiame 13 run (Wyckstandt kick)
CAM—Tainoa Lave 14 pass from Sagapolutele (Wyckstandt kick)
CAM—Marion Baker 5 blocked punt return (Wyckstandt kick)
CAM—Rowen-Ray Bucao 15 pass from Sagapolutele (Wyckstandt kick)
CAM—Rusten Abang 8 pass from Sagapolutele (Wyckstandt kick)
JV—Waianae 27, Campbell 12.
RUSHING—Wai: Alika Idica 9-20, Maximus Kahalewai-Sapigao 13-(-43), Dayton Kuhiiki 4-10, team 1-(-8). Camp: Falaniko Scanlan 2-11, Steffany-Fiame 3-23, Xyler Jarra 3-6, Sagapolutele 1-(-5), Donny Faavi Jr. 4-4, Caleb Dela Pena-Pihana 1-0.
PASSING—Wai: Kahalewai-Sapigao 9-20-0-55. Camp: Sagapolutele 14-20-1-245, Dela Pena-Pihana 5-10-0-41.
RECEIVING—Wai: Jaceten Schlitzkus 3-14, Mateo Mendiola-Kihano 2-24, Jordan Kaio 1-(-2), Slater Kaleiohi 1-12, Dasen Mendoza-Keawe 2-7. Camp: Abang 3-51, Lave 3-34, Alviar-Costa 1-19, Brystin Sansano 4-31, Bucao 4-80, Melvin Caysean 2-47, Nalu Cordeiro 1-5, Cameron Mamiya 1-19.
