Two teams coming off season-opening losses will attempt to turn it around against each other out in Ewa Beach as Campbell, looking for its first win under head coach Darren Johnson, hosts Farrington, which lost to Kamehameha, 34-15, last Friday in the first varsity game held at Skippa Diaz Stadium.
No. 8 Farrington Governors
Head coach: Randall Okimoto, 16th season, 111-63-3
2017 Governors roster
VS.
No. 9 Campbell Sabers
Head coach: Darren Johnson, first season (10th overall), 72-35-1
2017 Sabers roster
No. 9 Campbell 26, No. 8 Farrington 20
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*** CAMPBELL 26, FARRINGTON 20, Final
Great effort by the young Govs, but Campbell was one step ahead tonight whenever it got close.
Sabers win in Coach Darren Johnson’s regular-season debut for Campbell.
Jhoven Sausal recovers a pretty good on-side kick by the Govs at midfield. All the Sabers have to do now is run out the clock.
*** Campbell 26, Farrington 20, :47.9, fourth quarter
Eter, in relief of Afe (leg cramps), tosses a 5-yard TD pass to Umaga to cut the lead. Umaga’s PAT kick is good. That was a gritty effort by Eter against Campbell’s pass rush. His mobility is a big plus.
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Farrington with bad field position on poorly handled kickoff and punt returns. Eter started the second half at QB on both series so far, injury time out for Farrington, 5:27, third quarter.
Kaipo has a moster game so far: 17-for-25, 358 yards, one TD. Adkins-Kupukaa unofficially has a school record with 204 receiving yards on eight catches. The previous mark is 172 yards.
*** Campbell 26, Farrington 13, 9:43, third quarter ***
Clutch series for the Sabers. Brutal series for the Govs defense. Fourth and 15 from the Farrington 35, Kaipo connects again with Adkins-Kupukaa on a deep out right side for 34 yards to the 1-yard line. Tafai scores untouched up the middle on the next play. That might be the one swing play that decides this game. We shall see.
*** CAMPBELL 20, FARRINGTON 13, HALF ***
Statistically, quite a first half for Campbell QB Krenston Kaipo, who was 13-for-16, 256 yards and a TD. But Farrington’s defense — the pick-6 by Alob — and special teams (Castilliano’s big kick return) turned the tide and has Farrington amazingly within one TD at the break. The Govs can count their blessings, while the Sabers can remember something Dick Tomey said ages ago: three things happen when you pass the ball, and two of them are bad.
*** Campbell 20, Farrington 13, :05, second quarter ***
Major break for the Govs. Sabers driving in their 2-minute offense. Kaipo with three completions to move the ball to the Farrington 46 before his deep out is picked off at the sideline by junior Wendell Alob, who follows a caravan of white-and-maroon teammates to the end zone for a 59-yard interception return. Umaga’s pass on the PAT is ruled incomplete. It was actually an illegal forward pass, but was incomplete anyway.
*** Campbell 20, Farrington 7, 1:41, second quarter ***
Govs are on the board after big kick return by Chasen Castilliano of 73 yards. Fourth and goal on the 4, Afe play-action strike to Eter across the middle for a TD. Blessing Umaga’s kick is good. CAM 20, FAR 7.
*** Campbell 20, Farrington 0, 3:15, second quarter ***
Farrington gets a first-down completion for a first down from Afe to Eter, but the next two passes are incomplete (one dropped) before Afe’s deep pass is picked off by Adkins-Kupaakea on a great leaping snag. Campbell drives 90 yards in seven plays, aided by Farrington’s targeting penalty. Tafai blasts through from 1 yard out for his second TD. CAM 20, FAR 0, 3:15, second quarter
*** Campbell 14, Farrington 0, 6:28, second quarter ***
Govs convert for a first down on a 26-yard pass from Chris Afe to Stephen Eter, but a big sack pins them back to mid-ield and they punt. Campbell muffs the punt, recovers, fumbles the next play, recovers. Then it’s a 97-yard drive in seven plays with the help of an unsportsmanlike conduct call on the Govs. Tyrese Tafai is a bullet train, hauling in a 34-yard pass on a post route, then darting through the trenches for a 5-yard TD. Not bad for a full-time LB/S. CAM 14, FAR 0, 6:28, second quarter.
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*** Campbell 7, Farrington 0, 8:17, first quarter ***
Govs go three and out despite an offsides call on the Sabers. Campbell starts at its 35 after the punt goes out of bounds. Only takes two plays to score. QB Krenston Kaipo delivers a 34-yard play-action strike to Pokii Adkins-Kupukaa, and the spirals a pretty corner pass to Adkins-Kupakaa for a 31-yard TD. That was quick. CAM 7, FAR 0, 8:17, first quarter.
Captains
Farrington: Blessing Umaga, Chasen Castilliano, Fo‘i Sila.
Campbell: Tyrese Tafai, Krenston Kaipo, Isaac Sevao, Nathaniel Thompson.
Campbell wins the coin toss and elects to defer until the second half. Farrington will receive.
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Clear skies and slight trade wins here at Campbell High School. Field is green, though the grass is not thick or lush. Looks like a fast field, but not quite as fast as old-school AstroTurf, of course.
Didn’t know Jamarcus Russell still had high school eligibility