A stunning 28-27 win by No. 6 Campbell over No. 4 Kahuku defied all logic.
After all, Kahuku owned time of possession, controlled the line of scrimmage, and operated its game plan to near perfection. Big Red ran the ball 52 times for 213 yards, often out of their patented elephant formation with Wes Alo-Maiava (77 rushing yards before injury) and Zealand Matagi (102 yards) as wildcat QBs.
In all, Kahuku had 67 plays from scrimmage. Campbell had 38 snaps from scrimmage.
Kahuku had just one series of three or less plays, and didn’t have another shortened possession until the final two plays before time expired in the final quarter.
Series 1 — 10 plays, 37 yards, punt. 4 minutes, 58 seconds
Series 2 — 10 plays, 22 yards. Turnover on downs. 4:17.
Series 3 — 3 plays, minus-15 yards, fumble. :56.
Series 4 — 13 plays, 55 yards, TD. 5:47.
Series 5 — 8 plays, 25 yards, TD. 1:53.
Second half
Series 6 — 7 plays, 31 yards, turnover on downs. 3:21.
Series 7 — 9 plays, 78 yards, TD. 4:21.
Series 8 — 18 plays, 79 yards, TD. 8:00.
Series 9 — 2 plays, 3 yards, time expires. :19
Time of possession? Kahuku had the ball for 29:52. Campbell has possession for 18:08.
Basic stats don’t tell the entire story, of course. JL Savea‘s ’s sack and Branden Frysinger‘s 37-yard return for a TD was huge for Campbell, which otherwise didn’t score in the first half.
Even with just 36 rushing yards, Campbell’s ground attack was hugely crucial in the second half. Sky Lactaoen rushed for 49 yards on seven carries, including gains of 13 and 23 yards, and his 7-yard TD tied the game at 14 in the third quarter. The battle within the trenches was a pendulum that was owned by Kahuku in the first half. Campbell had minus-5 yards on two carries.
It was the kind of one-dimensional situation that Campbell couldn’t escape just one week earlier in a 55-7 loss to No. 1 Saint Louis. This time, the Sabers figured out a way to eke out some yardage between the hash marks and hand the Red Raiders their first back-to-back loss in the regular season since 1996.
What Kahuku couldn’t do that Saint Louis did: finish defensive pressure with sacks. The Red Raiders sacked Krenston Kaipo and Kaniela Kalaola a combined two times and hurried them a bunch more. The Campbell QBs stood in the pocket, took blast after blast, and averaged 10.7 yards per pass attempt. That number was even more preposterous in the second half: 13.4 yards per attempt.
Kahuku’s rash of injuries isn’t helping, but the athleticism of Campbell’s receiving corps, particularly two-way ironmen Titus Mokiao-Atimalala and Poki‘i Adkins-Kupukaa, was on full display. Kahuku played its cards right and still came up one point short. One PAT away. An injury to their holder left them with a rarely-used backup for a key attempt with 50 seconds left. Just the worst kind of luck for a team that followed the blueprint for success all game long.
“We’ve all got to accept responsibility,” Red Raiders coach Sterling Carvalho said. “We have to make better adjustments and be better at what we do.”
Campbell coach Darren Johnson, a Hauula resident who spent years as a boys basketball head coach and football assistant coach at Kahuku, helped get the Sabers their first win over the Red Raiders since 2013.
“Campbell is always a tough team,” Carvalho said. “Darren is from our side. Some of his staff is, too. There’s lots of familiarity.”
And what was that about Punahou should feel so shame about losing to Kahuku who is having a sub par year?
Nothing meant against Kahuku’s players, fans, or school and take nothing away from Campbell. But, that individual who posted that comment last week drives me NUTS!!!
This Kahuku team is not the same team that beat Punahou in week 2. Hope they heal up by states and I hope all the arm chair QBs shutup because its obvious the situation they are in.
Revolving coaching door at Kahuku rearing it’s ugly head and likely will result in another coaching change again. This team lacks depth at the skilled positions plain and simple and vulnerable to more losses this season and possibly next year too. I would not be surprised if they lose to Kapolei in two weeks and not even make states this year.
Shame on kahuku , they have no offense which looks like a pop warner offense , their defense , is no strategy basically bring more than u can block. Now all u going hear is injuries and need new coach and so on. Teams are starting to figure out that by getting ball out fast kahuku wastes their blitz which mililani exposed. They can never compare themselves to saint Louis , not even close. They are boring team to watch football , no excitement .
Mend your injuries. Alapa playing db.? Wow. Still in it. Beat Farrington and Kapolei at home.
Everyone, like Anywaaays says, “It’s the ILH Agenda” that is causing Kahuku to lose. It’s not the coaching, injuries, or talent.
#RRFL
One & Done Coaches are Killing Kahuku Football and Sol Jay is Badly missed.
Those Kahuku RR JVS are undefeated with wins against ST.L,PUN,KAM,MIL. Awesome. Problem is, vultures are on the sidelines, ready to recruit. There is a coach that actually recruit or poach other hs varsity teams. That beats the 80$ recruit machine.
Kakuku is a non exciting team, wins ugly loses like a pop warner team, just nothing exciting about there play, sorry Kahuku, not this year
I would still rather watch Kahuku play rather then any ILH team, why because I been following these kids since popwarner and some of them I known since birth. Watching them lose hurts just as much as its exciting to see them win championships. I dont have a college or NFL team because at that level its all politics and im not interested in big business sports, its all about grass roots community and family…through thick or thin we in it 4 Life!
Keep your head up boys! Im one of your toughest critics but only because I care. No crickets over here.
Like i have said in the past cant always run over people and play bully ball. dont know how or why they let that QB leave and go to DC. Also i wouldnt poke RED RAIDER NATION to much we all know they can bounce back!!
Once again Kahuku fans can’t take the loss with class! The RRFL fan club is off!!! This isn’t about ILH vs OIA, recruiting, QBs leaving! Stop making excuses! You guys lost!
Campbell played with heart and didn’t give up. Don’t make excuse why you lost. You accept it. It was a hell of game. Campbell never gave up and was hungry. Awesome job boys! Campbell is bust up too, Choke injuries!
This story is about how the smaller team showed up against a bigger team and won! Congrats Sabers! Solid performance! Games not over till the whistle blows!!
Everyone’s it’s the ILH agenda causing kahuku to lose boohoo waaaaaaahhhhhh I’m gonna cry. Sniff sniff. Why is the ILH ruining it for kahuku? I don’t understand why parents want to send their kid to private school waaaaaaaahhhhhhh ILH recruits waaaaaaaahhhhhh. I’m sitting at home doing nothing like a keyboard warrior because I have no NFL team and watch only kahuku high school sports waaaahhhhhh
Kahuku comes out and pounds Farrington next week and fall short to Kapolei in the season finale.
I cannot remember the last time Kahuku lost 3 games in a season, and when they lose to Kapolei it’ll be 4.
Before the merger Kahuku was pretty much the only big boy in the OIA. Domination nation. The other teams knew chances were very slim in winning. They would get physically pounded by Kahuku resulting in major blowouts (and injuries). So, what’s different about this year again?
OIA schools who won the recruiting battle in the 2018 offseason / OIA playoff teams.
1) Campbell
2)Mililani
3) Kapolei
4) Kahuku
Homegrown and getting pounded / miss playoffs
1) Waianae
2) Farrington
@CynHyn why are people who are willing to help kids get into a private school and offer financial assistance vultures? They are going their job. And if Kahuku was offering families everything they are looking for, then they wouldn’t leave right?
So instead of blaming these adults willing to “recruit” as you call it, maybe blame the coaches, school, community, or whatever is missing that can’t keep these kids from leaving.
Finally beating Punahou JV with their 32 man roster isn’t very impressive.
#RRFL
88, so how does the Kahuku JV beat StL. Jv, who has 100 players? Oh, yeah, never recruit yet.
Who cares if they recruit? More power to them. The parents and only the parents choose where their kid goes. Are you saying you know more than the kid’s own mom and dad? And if the schools that recruit weren’t attractive to the kids being recruited, then they wouldn’t go. So, instead of congratulating the kid for getting the chance to go to one school and possibly get it paid for, you’re on her crying. Are you hurt cuz your kid didn’t get recruited?
Congratulations to any kid who has the chance to be recruited even if it means you not going to Kahuku. I ain’t going to cry about it. It’s really a good thing.
#RRFL
Recruit all you want STL/PUN but dont dictate and force the OIA (non-recruiting and disadvantaged schools) to play and compete with you because you exhausted your welcome with your own ILH schools (damien, iolani, pac5) who dont want to play you.
Notes you never even played football lol so why you commenting?
CynHyn….no one gives a rip about how the JV teams are doing except family and friends. And you apparently. Stop whining and know your role. Strategically, Kahuku’s on-field schemes area a joke.
Notes: Don’t despair, the salty tears running down your cheeks will soon dry. Now go wash your tacky XXXXXL size Kahuku booster t-shirt because it’s getting dank. And implement a low carb diet into your daily regiment. Thanks..
Plain and simple, It’s not Kahuku’s year. No excuses or alibis. Ever since Punahou’s game, there’s been a drastic change in the attitude of how the boys have performed. There’s ingredients from other Kahuku teams that are lacking and their performance has dwindled to inconsistency. Has nothing to do with recruiting by ILH, injuries or starting QB leaving…It’s all about the lack of basic fundamental hard nose football…quickness, blocking, tackling, choices of plays based on the opponents defense, special teams and having all the coaches on the same page and that’s what people are concerned about…it’s not all about having to win every game but when there’s no sign of improvement, something is terribly wrong and who’s to blame? Let you figure that out. At this point of the season, don’t count on Kahuku making the play-offs unless……..you figa!
@Choloropicrin: Quote, “I cannot remember the last time Kahuku lost 3 games in a season.” Oh yes, there were several lean seasons for Kahuku…1996: 2-5 1988: 3-7 1985: 3-6 1979: 2-6. Kahuku got their share of lickings but overall, they also got more than their share of wins and championship titles. It was never a consistent share of wins throughout the years of football. For all those accomplishments, Kahuku is still the “Pride of the Northshore.”
Remember in the early ILH, the Damiens, Iolani and Pac5, we’re getting slaughtered and opted to “forfeit” to heavy recruited STL.? Remember the ILH split because of that? That was the second split from “recuited”. The first was when Kaimuki,Roosevelt,Farrington,McKinley, and Kalani split in the early 70s. Hey, recruit all you want but play your own. Why do top 10 programs play national games? Because local area teams refuse to play. It’s like the USA military waging was against Malta. If you do not have bags to punch, scores to blow up, and rankings to climb, the next level will not look at you. Look at the ILH now, lawsuits and lawyer cases on transfers,age issues, rule changes,etc.etc.
We already know that the ILH Agenda, with the HSTA,the state and the media, pushed this “alliance” through in order to kill OIA football. We already know that Kahuku has always been enemies of the state. But I’m shocked about the amount of hate towards the north shore community and the kids who chose the honorable way and picked family and community over profit with the ILH agenda. That’s another thing about the ILH Agenda is that they have no class or humility. When you make super teams that only wants to win, and you create all these fake schools that really are just life support for football super teams, then the only thing that matters is money and profit. It’s so sad to see the lack of class and respect from many Kahuku haters here. RRFL!
Correction folks…Kahuku JV never even play Punahou…Punahou forfeited.
When you play for a public school, these things do happen. Kahuku has had an outstanding legacy for the past few years, this is just one of those seasons when things just doesn’t go your way. Sterling in an outstanding coach and person. He’s going to do just fine. He’s attentive to the community and knows football. It’s rough to start varsity coaching in a the open division and he’ll make the proper adjustments it takes to compete every year. But hey, the season isn’t over just yet.
Millilani beat you straight up.
Campbell just wanted it more.
And its not hate. Its a serving of humility for those few on this site that dont accurately represent that community. Because not all RR fans are Donkeys.
Clarification – StL JV has about 70 kids…we got beat on by KAH JV in basically the last 1:30 of the 1st half; kick returned for TD, fumble recovery for TD, sack forced fumble on 10ud leading to next TD…Kahuku was up 27-7…and finally won 27-22…btw my kid never got recruited, and I wouldn’t say any of the kids on JV would meet any reasonable definition of being recruited…as parents we seek out the best opportunities for our boys that we can afford…
Best Opportunities that you can afford, aka football. Sure as heck isnt for the academics.
Let’s be real now.
Not hating just stating. Aint nothing wrong with dat.
Oh yeah, dont forget about the Brotherhood.
If St. Louis does recruit, about how many recruits are on the current varsity team? On the jv? Rough estimate. Anyone?
It sounds like loyalty to family and community ends at high school senior year because there doesn’t seem to be any mud slinging if a player chooses to go to a mainland school to play rather than playing for UH.
OIA. Disadvantaged schools? Well maybe better vote yes on Con Am come election time. Haha.
Politics. Good, bad or indifferent. It’s everywhere and on all levels.
Recruiting is a big part of any sport… Now there’s just a forum for people to voice their opinion about it. Kahuku recruits and does it big time and in every sport… that tall kid that was on their basketball team was from the mainland. Oh, but it’s ok cuz the family lives or comes from kahuku? That’s simply banana’s! Kahuku recruits big time too and that’s part of sports. I don’t hear anything about the kids kahuku recruits. Stop being mad cuz they’re having a rough season. Kahuku has a lot of star players out with injuries and that’s just that. It has nothing to do with other school taking ur towns talent.
Do you ever think of these Kahuku born kids and how they and their families feel about all you “RRFL” people and what ur saying about them going to ILH schools? What should be first on all of ur minds is these kids education and what they want. If they want to play at a ILH school then let um. If they wanna play at an OIA school let um. I’m so tired of reading all these ignorant people speaking on things they probably have no clue about. We should be supporting these kids and what they are accomplishing at their respected school. A win is a win and a lose is a lose and you take the experience and learn from it for the next game.
Hat’s off to Campbell. Way to win the game cuz that was a couple rough weeks for you folks.
StL parent. Glad your son plays for the JV. and glad you support him! At 70 players, that’s the biggest JV team in the State. Aloha.
@Northshore, Kahuku Superette should really be the “Pride of the North Shore.”
@mommy4,
Well said!!!
mommy4 I agree! I’ve been saying that stuff all along!
Mommy4/88/ILH/ED,,,first of all this is a football forum. Basketball is in Dec. Why would national players or international players play for Coach Akana? Because he is the best. I do recall Mary knoll having foreign players? Yes. Also there are no RRFL fans on these threads bashing Campbell. Good for them. Coach Johnson,RRFL son Kawe, JL Lavea, multiple Kahuku players play in Ewa Beach. The only trolls are the ones coming on Kahuku HPW thread’s to bash. Did you see the class and sportsmanship post game when players lined up to shake? Wish Cal would have done that in 2015 especially against a former player coaches,Tata and Hao. Man those coaches must have felt bad to be shunned by the brotherhood. That’s classless.