Leilehua's Toma Savea hauls in what would be the game-winning touchdown pass from Mack Eberhardt against Campbell. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Leilehua QB Mack Eberhardt loads up for a pass attempt against Campbell. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Leilehua's Ikaika Piceno navigates his way through Campbell's defense during a kickoff return. Piceno drove all the way to the end zone for a touchdown in the third quarter. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Campbell QB Isaac Hurd navigates Leilehua's defense in the red-zone. Hurd reached the end zone for a touchdown in this drive. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Leilehua's Tristin Kamaka completes a pass reception from QB Mack Eberhardt for a two-point conversion. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Leilehua defender Deshaun Osborne nicks a pass intended for Campbell's Keola Himan halting a Saber drive with 51 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Leilehua's Tristin Kamaka breaks away ahead of all Campbell defenders on the field during a kickoff return for the first touchdown of the game. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Fri, Aug 23, 2013 @ Leilehua [ 7:30 pm ]

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Campbell

21

Leilehua

28

Final	1	2	3	4	T
Campbell (9-4-0)	0	0	13	8	21
Leilehua (6-4-0)	7	6	7	8	28

• Pass
• Rush
• Rec

Mack Eberhardt 138 yd 2 TD

Isaac Hurd 251 yd 2 TD

Ikaika Piceno 32 yd

Isaac Hurd 85 yd 1 TD

Tristin Kamaka 73 yd 1 TD

Jayce Bantolina 87 yd 2 TD

WAHIAWA - Lelehua doubled its special teams practice and had it pay off in a 28-21 win against Campbell Friday at Hugh Yoshida Stadium.

Tristan Kamaka returned the opening kickoff 96 yards and Ikaika Piceno returned another kickoff 98, each for touchdowns, to help the Mules (2-0 overall), seventh in the ScoringLive/OC 16 Power Rankings, win their O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red West season opener against the No. 8 Sabers (2-1).

"After our scrimmage against Saint Louis, we decided to evaluate," Leilehua coach Nolan Tokuda said. "We always talk about three phases, but you only end up doing 20 minutes of special teams each day. So we decided as a staff that special teams is truly a phase of in our game that we have to commit to it. We went 40 minutes, reviewing all five special teams, actually six, because you have your 'hands' team. It paid off tonight. Credit goes to my coaching staff for committing to it and getting the right players in there."

The returns weren't the only special teams contributions. Mack Eberhardt ht Kamaka on a crossing pattern for a crucial 2-point conversion after the Mules' go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Eberhardt, the transfer from Massachusetts, still nursing a sore thumb from last weekend's game against 'Iolani, entered the game midway through the Mules' second offensive series for starter Kalanimoku Pauole. Eberhardt was 15 of 25 for 138 yards and two TDs, a 22-yarder to Kamaka just before the half and a 10-yarder to Toma Savea with eight minutes, two seconds left in the game after the Sabers took a 21-20 lead. Eberhardt had not thrown for three days, Tokuda said.

The Mules managed only 177 yards against the Sabers' defense, which was hurt by penalties, including several personal fouls and unsportsmanlike conducts, one of which led to the ejection of DB Guy Silva.

"We're going to deal with that," Campbell coach Amosa Amosa said. "I'm tired of that already. That was one of our strengths the past two games, eliminating penalties. But we'll have to deal with that when we get home."

An ejected player or coach must sit out the next game, according to OIA rules.

Meanwhile, the Sabers' offense, behind QB Isaac Hurd, rolled up 467 yards. But Campbell was hampered by three interceptions. Steve Elam, Anthony Johnson and Deshaun Osborne each had picks. Osborne also broke up a crucial pass play late in the game when Campbell wideout Jayce Bantolina got wide open in the Mules' secondary.

"Coach Mark (Kurisu, defensive coordinator) said if you allow me to coach this kid the way we know how, he can be a shut-down corner," Tokuda said. "I trust my coaches. I'll make that bold statement before he takes a varsity snap and that's exactly what he is, a shut-down corner for us."

Just 16 seconds into the regular season, the Mules jumped into the lead on Kamaka's return. John Enos' PAT gave the Mules a 7-0 lead.

"The ball was high and I caught it, turned upfield and then I saw a hole on the left side," Kamaka said. "I think the last (defender) was the kicker. I almost got tripped up and lost my balance, but I was able to gain it back and, luckily, got to the end zone."

Then nothing happened until 19 seconds left in the half when Eberhardt connected with Kamaka on a 22-yard TD pass on a cross over the middle. Leilehua lined up with its familiar lone-center formation to start the PAT. But instead of the line adjusting into the normal kick formation, holder Pauole's pass was incomplete to keep it 13-0 at the break.

The Sabers took the second-half kickoff and marched 70 yards in six plays with Hurd scoring on a 5-yard scramble after dropping back to pass. Tyler Subia's PAT pulled Campbell to 13-7 with 9:12 in the third quarter.

Campbell tied the game with 2:57 left in the third quarter when Hurd hit Bantolina for a 60-yard TD play. Bantolina made the catch at the Mules' 37 and spun off a tackler en route to the end zone. But an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Campbell on the play set the PAT back to the 18, where Subia's PAT was short.

The tie was short-lived, as Piceno, who transferred to Leilehua two years ago from Campbell, returned the ensuing kickoff 98 yards to give the Mules back the lead, 20-13, with 2:42 left in the third quarter.

"The ball was very high," Piceno remembered about the kick. "So the hang time…I was really nervous because it took super long (to come down). But once I got it, I saw the hole and broke loose."

"We were trying to pin it in the corner like we usually do," Amosa said of the kickoffs. "People didn't stay in their lanes."

But the Sabers stormed right back, driving 67 yards on 11 plays with Hurd hitting Bantolina on a 20-yard TD pass with 10:35 in the fourth quarter. After a Sabers' timeout, Campbell decided to go for the 2-point conversion and Hurd rolled right and dove into the end zone to put the Sabers ahead for the first time in the game, 21-20.

Eberhardt, sore thumb or not, drove the Mules 79 yards in nine plays, hitting Savea on a 10-yard TD pass with 8:02 left in the game. Eberhardt connected with Kamaka for the 2-point conversion on a similar play to the earlier TD pass.

The Sabers came close on their next series, but were stalled by penalties. The big killer was when a holding nullified a 15-yard TD pass from Hurd to Kainoa Perry on fourth-and-6 from the Mules' 15. Backed to the Mules' 35, Johnson's interception on the replayed down stopped the drive.

Campbell got the ball back with 1:48 left starting at its 28. Backed to its 20 on third down, Hurd fired a bomb to a wide-open Bantolina, but Osborne broke up the play. Though Hurd ran for 30 yards and a first down on fourth down, he fumbled with eight seconds left to end the Sabers' hopes of a comeback.

"He's one of the best quarterbacks I've played against," Osborne said of Hurd. "You don't know if he's going to pass it or run it. It was definitely a challenge. It was great to come out here with a win."