Krenston Kaipo’s 29-yard touchdown pass to Titus Mokiao-Atimalala tied the game with 19 seconds left, and Jadon Arola’s PAT kick gave No. 6 Campbell a stunning 28-27 win over No. 4 Kahuku on Saturday night at the Sabers’ field.
The win pushed Campbell into second place in the OIA Open Division with a 2-1 record (5-3 overall). The Sabers had lost their previous four matchups with Kahuku, last beating the Red Raiders in 2013.
Mokiao-Atimalala finished with nine catches for 147 yards and also played defensive back for the first time this season. It was a must. Even standout safety Poki‘i Adkins-Kupukaa played more offense than he had all year.
“I’m just blessed. I want to thank God, my coaches and my teammates,” Mokiao-Atimalala said. “(Kaipo) gave me confidence and I had confidence in him, too. He told me, just make the play. I told my boys, I got you guys.”
The touchdown play was a tweak during a timeout by offensive coordinator Kawe Johnson.
“During the timeout, Kawe told my brother (Tamatoa) run a post so he could pull down the safety and I could go one on one,” Mokiao-Atimalala said.
Kahuku lost consecutive games for the first time in five years and slipped to 1-2 in league play (4-3 overall).
“We’re not done yet,” Kahuku coach Sterling Carvalho said. “We all have to accept responsibility. We know we’re going to see the same teams come playoff time.”
Kahuku followed its game plan to near perfection and finished with 241 rushing yards on 51 carries. With the game tied at 21 and 8:50 on the clock, the visiting Red Raiders chewed up nearly all of the time with an 18-play, 79-yard drive. With Wes Alo-Maiava sidelined by an injury, reserve running back Zealand Matagi picked up the slack. Matagi, who finished with 106 yards on 20 carries, toted the ball 11 times during the march. Robbie Sauvao’s 21-yard touchdown pass to Mason Paulo, the second scoring play by the two, gave Kahuku a 27-21 lead with 50 seconds remaining.
The PAT, however, was botched. The holder mishandled the snap, and the lead remained at six points.
After a kick return to its 20, Campbell had the ball and one last chance with 46 seconds to go. After alternating with Kaniala Kalaola through the contest, Kaipo took the snaps. He fired a 21-yard strike to Mokiao-Atimalala on the left sideline, and then found his brother, Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala, for a diving, 30-yard reception to the Kahuku 29-yard line.
After an incomplete pass, Kaipo stood in the pocket against a big blitz and delivered the game-winning pass to Titus Mokiao-Atimalala down the left sideline.
Kahuku began its next series from its 20. Sauvao’s first pass fell incomplete, and on the last-ditch play, he passed to Paulo, who lateraled to an offensive lineman, and the play ended on a fumble.
GAME SUMMARY
No. 6 Campbell 28, No. 4 Kahuku 27
At Campbell
>> Kahuku (4-3, 1-2) 0 14 7 6 — 27
>> Campbell (5-3, 2-1) 0 7 7 14 — 28
Campbell — Branden Frysinger 40 fumble return (Jadon Arola kick)
Kahuku — Zealand Matagi 2 run (Duke Heffernan kick)
Kahuku — Mason Paulo 16 pass from Robbie Sauvao (Heffernan kick)
Campbell — Sky Lactaoen 7 run (Arola kick)
Kahuku — Matagi 2 run (Heffernan kick)
Campbell — Pokii Adkins-Kupukaa 3 pass from Krenston Kaipo (Arola kick)
Kahuku — Paulo 21 pass from Sauvao (run failed)
Campbell — Titus Mokiao-Atimalala 29 pass from Kaipo (Arola kick)
RUSHING — Kahuku: Wes Alo-Maiava 17-77, Toalei Lefau 8-12, Sauvao 4-29, Alan Talanoa 1-2, Matagi 19-104, Alex Fonoimoana-Vaomu 1-5, team 0-(-5). Campbell: Krenston Kaipo 2-(-4), Sky Lactaoen 8-49, Kaniela Kalaola 2-(-9).
PASSING — Kahuku: Sauvao 8-15-0-118. Campbell: Kaipo 7-12-0-153, Kaniala Kalaola 10-14-0-126.
RECEIVING — Kahuku: Paulo 6-89, Heffernan 2-29. Campbell: Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala 3-39, Titus Mokiao-Atimalala 9-147, Poki‘i Adkins-Kupukaa 4-84, Christian Quiambao 1-9.
* JV — Kahuku 41, Campbell 3
