Fourth-ranked Sabers score in all facets to pull away from No. 9 Na Menehune


Campbell defensive linemen T'nias Tavale (88) celebrates in the endzone with Ethan Alualu-Tuiolemotu (50) and Tysic Puni (1) after returning a 10-yard pick-six against Na Menehune in the third quarter on homecoming night. CJ Caraang | SL

EWA BEACH — Special teams set the tone for the fourth-ranked Campbell football team and its defense orchestrated three scores in a 51-15 win over No. 9 Moanalua Friday night. 

The Sabers overcame a first-quarter deficit with a string of 38 consecutive points to improve to 4-2 overall and 2-2 in the OIA Open Division. A capacity crowd on homecoming night saw the home team get back in the win column after a 16-6 loss to top-ranked Kahuku two weeks ago. 

Campbell had a bye last week, but was anything but sluggish out of the gate against Moanalua, which dropped its second straight game to fall to 2-4-1 overall and 1-3 in league play. 

Miles Parlet got things started for Campbell by returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown. He fielded the kick near the right hash marks, started to the left side of the field before he found an alley back up the middle and went untouched for the 91-yard score. 

Quarterback Jaron Sagapolutele threw for 271 yards and three touchdowns on 16-of-23 passing with one interception. His 59-yard scoring strike to Mason Muaau put the Sabers ahead for good with five minutes and four seconds left in the first quarter. 

Sagapolutele found Jourdain Berinobis-Pyne for a 7-yard TD pass with about four minutes left in the second quarter. The touchdown, which gave Campbell an 18-7 lead came three plays after a defensive stand on fourth down forced a turnover on downs by Moanalua. One play before the touchdown, Sagapolutele completed a 33-yard pass to Jonah Togafau-Tavui.

Just before halftime, defensive back Breez Moore undercut a Moanalua pass near midfield and took it back 54 yards for a defensive score. Cristian Wyckstandt tacked on the extra point to make it a 25-7 lead for the Sabers at the break. 

It was more of the same after the intermission as Moanalua's first two second-half possessions each were intercepted and returned for touchdowns. Linebacker Blesyng Alualu-Tuiolemotu scored after a 32-yard return and about a minute later, defensive lineman T'nias Tavale snatched a pass out of the air near the line of scrimmage and rumbled his way across the goal line after a return of 10 yards. 

Following the Wyckstandt PAT, the Sabers held a 38-7 lead with 9:36 to play in the third quarter. 

Campbell took its largest lead at 44-7 on a 1-yard TD run by Chauncee Lopez at the 7:57 mark of the third. 

Sagapolutele closed out the scoring with his 48-yard TD pass to Malik Jackson with just under four minutes remaining. 

Eight different players caught a pass for the Sabers, who finished with 299 yards of total offense. 

Na Menehune had 237 total yards and was just 2 of 16 on third-down conversions and 2 for 5 on fourth downs. 

Cameron Johnson ran for a game-high 86 yards on 13 carries. Quarterback Tayden-Evan Kaawa was 18-of-42 through the air for 158 yards and two touchdowns, but three of the four interceptions he threw were taken back for scores. 

Eric Stephens was on the receiving end of both of Kaawa's TD passes. The two hooked up for a 15-yard score to cap a nine-play, 63-yard drive that took four minutes off the clock. Andy Nguyen's extra point gave Moanalua its only lead, 7-6, with 7:35 left in the opening quarter.

Stephens finished with five catches for 84 yards for Na Menehune, who were coming off of a 42-17 loss to Kapolei last week. 

Moanalua has a bye next week, then close out the regular season against Kahuku on Oct. 7 and at Waianae on Oct. 14.

Campbell finishes at Kapolei next Saturday and at Waianae on Oct. 7. 



Reach Kalani Takase at [email protected].