GAME NIGHT 10/26: Kahuku/Campbell

No. 5 Kahuku 27, No. 4 Campbell 7, FINAL

At Campbell
Kahuku (7-3, 3-2) 13 8 0 6 — 27
Campbell (7-4, 4-1) 7 0 0 0 — 7
CAM—Sky Lactaoen 1 run (Jadon Arola kick)
KAH—Toalei Lefau 6 run (Duke Heffernan kick)
KAH—Peter John Mataira 26 interception return (kick failed)
KAH—Ilaisa Fotu 41 interception return (Lefau run)
KAH—Zealand Matagi 26 run (kick failed)

RUSHING—Kahuku: Zealand Matagi 20-81, Robbie Sauvao 6-3, Lefau 7-23, Kahiona Chang 2-8, Braxton Cravens 1-(-2). Campbell: Lactaoen 12-51, Kaniela Kalaola 9-37, Peter Manuma 1-4, Team 1-(-4).

PASSING—Kahuku: Sauvao 5-11-2-119, Thorton Alapa 0-1-0-0. Campbell: Kalaola 15-31-2-163.

RECEIVING—Kahuku: Heffernan 3-72, Kainoa Crimson 2-47. Campbell: Titus Mokiao-Atimalala 4-69, Poki‘i Adkins-Kupukaa 6-48, Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala 3-11, Jalen Henderson 1-30, Lactaoen 1-5.
Kahuku advances to the OIA Open Division final, knocking Campbell out of title contention. Campbell is still in the hunt for a state-tournament berth and will play for third place next week.

Kahuku drives to the Campbell 15, getting a 45-yard pass from the left side of the backfield to the right to Kainoa Crimson. Fake FG, holder Thorton Alapa’s pass to Lokana Enos is incomplete. He was wide open for a TD.

Campbell’s offense continues to stall. The wet field, wet ball, Kalaola can’t seem to get his usual precision since the rain fell during the second quarter. He was 8-for-12 to start the game. He’s now 14-for-28. Campbell goes three and out, punt downed at the Kahuku 45.

Kahuku with an extremely short field. They take three cracks at the left side before Zealand Matagi breaks it loose down the sideline for a 24-yard TD. PAT kick misses. KAHUKU 27, CAMPBELL 7, 10:02, Q4.

First play of the fourth quarter, Kalaola launches a bomb from their own 1, but the WR stopped as he was distracted by some fireworks being launched behind the field. LOUD. That should’ve been a TD. Campbell ends up with a 26-yard punt, Kahuku ball at the Sabers’ 27.
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Ball security is a huge issue. Sauvao has lost the ball twice on pistol snaps so far in the second half. Campbell’s defense has allowed 147 total yards. Long pass by Sauvao picked off deep by Titus, and it works like a punt, really. Campbell ball at its 9. That’s basically a coffin-corner pass. The quarter ends with a sack by Kahuku’s Liua and Zion Ah You.

Campbell’s first possession of the second half is three and out, punt downed at the Kahuku 25. Red Raiders chew up a lot of clock, punt and it’s muffed by Campbell. Kahuku recovers at the Campbell 25. Defense, Kahuku advantage. Special teams, Kahuku. According to Dick Tomey, that’s two out of three phases so far. 2:34 left in the third quarter.

Kahuku receives the second-half kickoff, and five plays in, Sauvao’s deep pass into double coverage is picked off by Adkins-Kupukaa, out of bounds at the Campbell 28. The rain continues to fall, and it’s been perfect weather, either wind or rain, for Kahuku.
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HALFTIME
At Campbell
Kahuku 13 8 x x — 21
Campbell 7 0 x x — 7
CAM—Sky Lactaoen 1 run (Jadon Arola kick)
KAH—Toalei Lefau 6 run (Duke Heffernan kick)
KAH—Peter John Mataira 26 interception return (kick failed)
KAH—Ilaisa Fotu 41 interception return (Lefau run)

RUSHING—
Kahuku:
#26 Zealand Matagi 7-21,
#23 Robbie Sauvao 4-14,
#44 Lefau 1-6

Campbell:
#36 Lactaoen 9-44,
#13 Kaniela Kalaola 7-43,
#6 Peter Manuma 1-4

PASSING—
Kahuku:
#23 Sauvao 2-5-0-56

Campbell:
#13 Kalaola 14-25-2-159

RECEIVING—
Kahuku:
#2 Heffernan 2-56

Campbell:
#1 Titus Mokiao-Atimalala 4-69,
#3 Poki‘i Adkins-Kupukaa 6-48,
#5 Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala 2-7,
#11 Jalen Henderson 1-30,
#36 Lactaoen 1-5

One of the adjustments since last time these teams played is Kahuku’s kickoff, a very effective squib that is hard to handle. This time, it’s a pop fly to the 5 and Peter Manuma muffs it, then returns it 10 yards to the Campbell 15. This is different territory for Campbell, which normally platoons Kalaola with Krenston Kaipo. So far, no sign of Kaipo. Sabers drive to the Kahuku 34 with completions to Titus (15 yards), Lactaoen (5) and Adkins-Kupukaa (20). An 11-yard keeper by Kalaola makes it first down at the Kahuku 34. Sack by Kenai Liua pushes the ball back to the 40, then a completion over the middle to Titus, who fumbles, ball recovered by Adkins-Kupukaa at the 34. Next play, holding call negates a completion, but Kalaola is down on a hit. He is slow walking off the field with 20 seconds left in the half.

HUGE PLAY #2 by Kahuku’s D. Second play after the kickoff, Kalaola’s sideline pass is snagged by Ilaisa Fotu, another perfectly positioned Red Raider, and he races down the right sideline 41 yards for Kahuku’s second pick-6 in 51 seconds. WOWW. Kahuku calls time out and decides to go for 2. Lefau leaps over the right tackle and lands in the end zone. KAHUKU 21, CAMPBELL 7, 2:23, Q2.

HUGE PLAY by Kahuku’s defense. Safety Peter John Mataira stands in the middle of the deep routes and picks off a pass by Kalaola, and his 26-yard return to the right pylon is a pick-6. Kahuku leads, but the PAT kick is no good. KAHUKU 13, CAMPBELL 7, 3:14, Q2. That was set up in part by a botched kick return by Campbell that had its drive starting at its 5-yard line.

Kahuku’s offense comes to life on its third series. A 44-yard bomb from Robbie Sauvao finds Duke Heffernan down the left sideline, first down at the Campbell 6. Next snap, Toalei Lefau gets his first carry and slips through the trenches for a TD run. KAHUKU 7, CAMPBELL 7, 4:24, Q2.

Campbell drives to the Kahuku 9, but Kahuku stops two pass attempts to Titus, broken up by Tevita Faleta. Kahuku ball at its 9 with 9:00 left, second quarter.
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Kahuku has some momentum on its second drive, but J.L. Savea’s sack derails it. Punt is downed at the Campbell 28. Kalaola scrambles for another first down as the first quarter closes.

Campbell drives deeper on its second series. Pass plays from Kalaola to Titus (19 yards, 29 yards), and eventually a fourth and 1 at the 9. Time out, Campbell, 2:27 left in the first quarter. The Sabers haven’t scored, but they’re eating up a lot of clock, keeping Kahuku’s defense on the field. Coach Darren Johnson believes in the run game even though they like the four-wide. Kalaola is in the shotgun, five wide, and then he hustles to the line and lines up under center and Kahuku jumps offside. WOH. First down, Campbell. Peter Manuma keeps out of the wildcat for 4 yards, then Lactaoen bursts through from the 1, touchdown. CAMPBELL 7, KAHUKU 0, 1:42, Q1.

Two big stops behind the line of scrimmage by Campbell’s defense against Kahuku’s double-tight end offense. Punt is muffed and recovered by Campbell at its 35. Penalty on Campbell moves it back to the 20.

First play from scrimmage, Kaniela Kalaola launches a bomb to Titus, incomplete. The Sabers get an 11-yard pass from Kalaola to Pokii Adkins-Kupukaa, then runs of 13 and 1 yard from Sky Lactaoen, and then Kalaola keeps around right end for 13 yards. Two plays later, a Kahuku sack sets Campbell back to the Red Raiders’ 31. After a 2-yard gain by Lactaoen, it’s fourth and 9 at the 29. Pass attempt to Titus is deflected and it’s Kahuku ball at its 29.
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PRE-GAME
7:35 p.m. Conditions are moderate now, winds have died down to 5-10 mph, and it has stopped drizzling. Campbell will receive the opening kickoff, while Kahuku will defend the makai end zone. When these teams met during the regular season, it was a thriller down to the final minute with Campbell winning 28-27 on a TD pass from Krenston Kaipo to Titus Mokiao-Atimalala with 19 seconds left.

6:45 p.m. Very light drizzle here before and after sundown. Clouds were much darker than the photo shows. Can it be? Rain in Ewa Beach? That never happens…

4:30 p.m. Campbell HS is sunny and very breezy, 10-25 mph for the past hour. The temp is around 85, but the trade winds help.
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For Kahuku’s roster, click here
For Campbell’s roster, click here
SERIES HISTORY: Kahuku leads 21-6-2.