Dillon Gabriel and company are back on track.
The Mililani senior quarterback submitted a masterful performance as the No. 5 Trojans emphatically ended their two-game slide with a 52-14 win over previously unbeaten and No. 4 Campbell on homecoming Saturday night at John Kauinana Stadium.
Gabriel, an Army West Point commit, accounted for 401 yards of total offense. He completed 26 of 43 passes for four touchdowns and 371 yards in the air, with no interceptions. He added 30 yards and a score on the ground.
“I think the whole team was fired up,” said Gabriel, who connected with nine different receivers. “I remember Monday, we were going at it. I mean, we never hit so hard. And I think a loss can only bring that hunger back, and I think we needed that. I think failure only leads to good life lessons.”
Mililani (4-2, 2-0) remained out front in the OIA Open Division standings.
Campbell (4-1, 1-1) didn’t have a chance of stopping the Trojans on this night. Neither could a mountain of penalties, as Mililani’s defense came to play, too, limiting Campbell’s alternating quarterbacks Krenston Kaipo and Kaniala Kalaola.
Besides Titus Mokiao-Atimalala’s 10 grabs for 168 yards and two touchdowns, Campbell had nothing going its way.
Mililani’s losing streak began against the No. 1 team in the nation, St. John Bosco (Calif.). Gabriel was then intercepted three times and sacked six times last week in a 43-21 loss to then-No. 5 Punahou. They were his first three picks of the season against his 16 touchdowns coming into Saturday.
The Trojans last lost three straight to open the 2008 season. By halftime, when Gabriel had 236 yards, it was clear that wasn’t happening.
“The players, man. Two tough losses, we’re not used to that,” Mililani coach Rod York said. “Players just came together and played for one another. They stepped up. Hat’s off to Campbell. They’re a great team, they’re dangerous. We were scared of them, but credit our kids, man. They just executed and played together.”
Gabriel was masterful from the opening kick. He threw for a pair of touchdowns in the first half to go with a rushing score to stake his team to a 28-7 halftime lead.
The Trojans’ D came up with big plays as well; they sacked Campbell’s quarterbacks four times in the first half.
Lineman Mykah Tuiolemotu was a menace in particular, as he blocked a punt out of bounds at Campbell’s 10. Following Gabriel’s 5-yard keeper touchdown, Tuiolemotu recorded a sack and a tackle for loss in a three-play span to snuff out another Campbell drive.
“My thoughts was just, I can make the play and do my job for my team,” Tuiolemotu said. “At the same time … they fed me those tackles, the block.”
It was the start of a rough four-game stretch of the schedule for Campbell. The Sabers host Punahou, Saint Louis and Kahuku the next three weeks.
“We’re going to be very tested by everybody,” Sabers coach Darren Johnson said. “It’s how well everybody else gets tested by us. Hopefully we show up and play good football.”
The Sabers got their lone score of the first half on Mokiao-Atimalala’s outstanding sideline grab around the back of a Trojans defensive back on a ball from Kalaola, plus the sprint to the pylon for a 31-yard touchdown in the first quarter. He had three straight catches from Kaipo for 90 yards in the third quarter, including a 28-yard TD catch over the middle.
GAME SUMMARY
No. 5 Mililani 52, No. 4 Campbell 14
At Mililani
>> Campbell (4-1, 1-1) 7 0 7 0 — 14
>> Mililani (4-2, 2-0) 14 14 10 7 — 52
Mililani — Ryan Chang 5 pass from Dillon Gabriel (Kekoa Kuloloia kick)
Campbell — Titus Mokiao-Atimalala 31 pass from Kaniala Kalaola (Jadon Arola kick)
Mililani — Kilifi Malepeai 2 run (Kuloloia kick)
Mililani — Gabriel 5 run (Kuloloia kick)
Mililani — Maka Hill 6 pass from Gabriel (Kuloloia kick)
Mililani — Darius Muasau 11 pass from Gabriel (Kuloloia kick)
Campbell — Ti. Mokiao-Atimalala 28 pass from Krenston Kaipo (Arola kick)
Mililani —FG Kuloloia 30
Mililani — Cy Kuboyama-Hayashi 23 pass from Gabriel (Kuloloia kick)
Mililani — Javon Miller 1 run (Kuloloia kick)
RUSHING — Campbell: Sky Lactaoen 8-16, Peter Manuma 4-15, Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala 1-2, Cameron Sloan 2-(minus 1), Kalaola 5-(minus 2), Kaipo 2-(minus 6), Team 2-(minus 10). Mililani: Raysen Motoyama 6-37, Gabriel 5-30, Malepeai 6-20, Dreyston Barquis 4-18, RJ Javar 2-9, Muasau 1-4, Miller 1-1.
PASSING — Campbell: Kaipo 8-13-2-125, Kalaloa 8-17-0-73. Mililani: Gabriel 26-43-0-371, Javar 2-3-0-3.
RECEIVING — Campbell: Ti. Mokiao-Atimalala 10-168, Ta. Mokiao-Atimalala 3-30, Lactoen 2-2, Manuma 1-(minus 2). Mililani: Ryan Chang 7-59, Kuboyama-Hayashi 4-58, Mystik Sampaga 3-91, Hill 3-62, Jansen York 3-43, Kai Banks 3-25, Keola Lanias 2-4, Motoyama 1-17, Muasau 1-11, Dayne Dowsett 1-4.
* JV — Mililani 14, Campbell 7
