Sandwiched between a disappointing season-opening loss to Mililani and a meeting with nationally ranked Saint Louis, Campbell wasn’t going to let Farrington become a trap game on Thursday night.
Behind Blaine Hipa’s 286 passing yards and four touchdowns, the Sabers earned their first win of the season, 41-6 at Skippa Diaz Stadium.
Hipa says the short week of preparation, combined with the 30-26 loss to Mililani, forced Campbell to sharpen its focus against a near-capacity crowd.
“This past week, we came out to practice knowing we’re coming off a loss and had to work hard,” he said. “We had all we needed last week, just little mistakes all around. This week, we worked hard to get that ‘W’ today. We got it and we’re thankful.”
The Sabers broke through for their first score when the left-handed Hipa rolled out to his left and found Titus Mokiao-Atimalala on fourth-and-long for a 20-yard touchdown with 5:22 left in the first.
On Campbell’s first play of its next offensive possession, Hipa found Zavier Ceruti for a 60-yard bomb in stride to extend the Sabers lead to 13-0. Jonan Aina-Chaves stretched the Campbell lead to 20-0 with 8:29 remaining in the second quarter after taking a 2-yard direct snap in for another score.
“After we lost against Mililani, we had a good week of practice where we just went harder and got stronger,” Aina-Chaves said.
Jonah Aina-Chaves, Jonan’s brother, got Farrington on the board with a 4-yard rush in the second quarter. Both are seniors, although Jonan is older.
As juniors last season, Jonah and Jonan were teammates at now-defunct St. Francis, where Jonan was a first-team All-State selection at running back in 2018. Thursday night was the first matchup where the two played against each other.
“It felt kind of weird at first because I’m usually with him,” Jonah Aina-Chaves said. “After a while, I kind of got used to it. But I still love him.”
Jonah Aina-Chaves’ touchdown was the first score of any kind for the Governors this season, despite it being their third game. The Govs were shut out by Leilehua and Punahou in consecutive weeks to start the season.
“(The touchdown) felt great,” Jonah Aina-Chaves said. “As an offense, we were struggling the first two games.”
Campbell turned it over on downs at the Farrington 9 on its first drive of the second half. After Mokiao-Atimalala forced a fumble at the Farrington 25, the state’s top receiver in 2018 was rewarded for his two-way effort with a 7-yard pass from Hipa for another touchdown with 7:32 left in the third quarter.
“We gotta use him. We gotta use our best kids out there, that’s the bottom line,” Campbell coach Darren Johnson said. “In Open conference, everybody’s good. In this conference you’re playing against the best, so the best gotta play.”
Kaipo Enos-Ho broke the game open with a 36-yard pick-6 with 6:44 left in the third, and Ceruti’s second long touchdown of the day from 57 yards out enabled the running clock with 5:38 left in the fourth.
Farrington is still seeking its first win, and it doesn’t get any easier for the Govs with a meeting against Mililani next Saturday. For Campbell, a home matchup with the three-time defending state champion Crusaders looms.
“(Thursday’s win) helps us heading into next week, but again we got another tough one,” Johnson said.
NO. 5 CAMPBELL 41, FARRINGTON 6
At Farrington
Campbell (1-1, 1-1) 13 7 14 7 — 41
Farrington (0-3, 0-1) 0 6 0 0 — 6
Cam—Titus Mokiao-Atimalala 20 yard pass from Blaine Hipa (kick failed)
Cam—Zavier Ceruti 60 pass from Hipa (Chase Taylor kick)
Cam—Jonan Aina-Chaves 2 rush (Taylor kick)
Farr—Jonah Aina-Chaves 4 rush (rush failed)
Cam—Titus Mokiao-Atimalala 7 pass from Hipa (Taylor kick)
Cam—Kaipo Enos-Ho 36 interception return (Taylor kick)
Cam—Ceruti 57 pass from Hipa (Taylor kick)
RUSHING—Campbell: Jonan Aina-Chaves 13-73, Sky Lactaoen 3-4, Hipa 6-(minus-7), TEAM 1-(minus-11). Farrington: Jonah Aina-Chaves 9-31, Darius Chaffin 3-10, Selau Kalani 3-9, TJ Paleafei 2-6, Raymond Millare 3-2, Floyd Faleao 3-(minus-1), Kulana Pate (1-minus-8), TEAM 1-2.
PASSING—Campbell: Hipa 23-37-0-286. Farrington: Chaffin 8-16-0-80, Pate 5-11-0-32.
RECEIVING–Campbell: Titus Mokiao-Atimalala 7-98, Ceruti 6-146, Jonan Aina-Chaves 4-21, Peter Manuma 4-13, Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala 1-11, Marc Jacob Acidera 1-(minus-3). Farrington: Christian Havea 6-63, Kainoa Mane 3-33, Isaiah Rios 1-10, Zion Paro-Amina 1-10, Jonah Aina-Chaves 1-(minus-2), Floyd Faleao 1-(minus-2).
Junior varsity—Farrington 15, Campbell 0
