When it mattered the most, Campbell coach Darren Johnson knew that he wanted the ball in Tainoa Lave's hands. 

Lave, a 5-foot-10, 170-pound senior and four-year starter for the Sabers, played a prominent role in his team's thrilling 15-12 upset of top-ranked Kahuku. Lave, primarily a defensive player over his career, ran for two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score with two seconds left, to help Campbell secure a spot in next week's First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Open Division State Championship game. 

The end-of-game sequence played out like a made-for-television drama. After Kahuku pulled ahead, 12-7, on Toa Sam's 20-yard touchdown run with 5:22 to play, Campbell began its final possession at its own 35-yard line following a kickoff out of bounds by the Red Raiders. 

The Sabers drove all the way to the Kahuku 10-yard line. On first and goal, Brystin ran for an eight-yard pick up. After a Campbell timeout, Lave went into the wildcat and received the direct snap but was stopped for no gain. He then went under center to receive the snap and spiked the ball to stop the clock on third and goal. However, Kahuku challenged the ruling of an incomplete pass, which stopped the clock and allowed Lave and the Sabers to confer on their sideline. 

"We already had a play call, all we did was just make sure we stamped it. Kahuku challenged the play, which helped us talk to the kids and settle them down and figure out how we were gonna it again. We had a little bit more time to get it done," Campbell coach Darren Johnson said. 

With 10 seconds remaining, Lave took the snap at the left hash and sprinted to his right. He appeared to look to pass the ball initially, before he tucked it and turned on the jets to beat two defenders to the right pylon. 

"Tainoa has a lot of say in what we're doing. Sometimes it's just about trusting our athletes and if they say stuff and they know what's going on out there, we do it and Tainoa's a kid that we trust and believe in," Johnson said. 

Lave's work ethic and leadership by example has helped to establish that level of trust over the years. 

"I think with the type of player he is and athlete he is, he's built that trust with his teammates and with the coaching staff so it's easy for them to follow. We got excited when we were down there and we knew he was the kind of guy that would get the ball into the end zone whatever it takes. It's always a game of inches; you can lose the game by an inch and we think that he's proven himself that he's a winner here," Johnson stated. 

The numbers, accolades and achievements certainly support Johnson's presumption. 

As a freshman back in 2022, Lave recorded a pair of interceptions and also scored on a fumble return for touchdown. The following season he tallied three picks, including a pair of pick-6s on his way to his to first team All-OIA and All-Hawaii recognition. 

Lave earned repeat All-OIA and All-Hawaii first team honors as a junior a year ago. However, while the individual awards have piled up, the Sabers have repeatedly played the role of bridesmaid. In both Lave's freshman and sophomore seasons, they reached the semifinals of both the OIA and state tournaments.

Campbell made it to the OIA title game in 2024, but fell short against Kahuku, 33-15. A week later it gave eventual-state champion Saint Louis all it could handle in a narrow 27-24 loss to end the season. 

Through all of the ups and downs of the past three-plus seasons, Lave has been right there in the thick of it all. 

"He's like another coach on the field, so having him in that role and putting a big load on him has been something we did for the last three seasons. We expect a lot of him, but he does more than that even," Johnson said. 

Over the course of his prep career, Lave has wore a multitude of different hats. In addition to his primary duties at free safety, he has also played running back, quarterback, linebacker and cornerback. As a freshman he dabbled in placekicking and has also served as the team's punt returner the last few seasons. 

"He's got a different style about him but he's just a great athlete, very coachable — he's a heck of a baseball player, too. He goes to class, he does everything he's supposed to do and he's not one of those great athletes you gotta stress about. He's so easy to coach and he's just amazing and I think a lot of that is because his family is really involved," Johnson said. 

While Lave's ability has been proven over his tenure, his durability should also be of note. Despite his variety of duties and roles, Lave has largely managed to stay healthy and able-bodied. 

"He lives in the ice. He takes his ice baths and he does it again. He does things that we don't even expect, but he gets it done and because he leads by example and is a worker, his teammates take after him and don't ever grumble," Johnson said. 

Although Lave is a bona fide leader for the Sabers as a second-year captain, his leadership style is anything but loud and boisterous. 

"He's somebody good to have on your sideline because he's a great leader, he's very quiet and very humble, but our team listens when he speaks," said Johnson, who can recall watching Lave play youth football for the Fiyah Squad organization. 

"I just sat that he really was an amazing athlete, even at that age, but looking back at his time with us I think we got everything we expected out of him and probably even more. He definitely gave us more than we thought," Johnson expressed. 

Aside from his two touchdown runs against the Red Raiders Friday, Lave also registered four solo tackles, including a sack, and returned a fumble for 25 yards. 

Lave has verbally committed to San Diego State. He plans to graduate early from Campbell to enroll at SDSU for the spring semester. 

During the little free time he has, Lave enjoys his time outdoors. 

"Nobody knows this but these guys bond a lot. They go on hikes as a team, they sing songs and they go to church together," Johnson said. 

Lave and the Sabers (8-3) will look to make history with their first Open Division state championship when they face the Kamehameha Warriors (5-4) next Friday at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletic Complex. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. 

FOOTBALL

Jay-Sean Aquino, Damien — Made 9 ½ tackles, including one for a loss, in a loss to Kapaa 

Jayden Braun, Kamehameha — Caught five passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns and made two tackles and broke up a pass in a win over Kapolei 

Zedekaiah Campbell, Kamehameha-Maui — Ran 23 times for 145 yards and four touchdowns in a win over Kamehameha-Hawaii 

Mana Forges, Kamehameha — Threw for 245 yards and three touchdowns on 20-of-23 passing without an interception in a win over Kapolei 

Kalei Harbottle, Kamehameha — Made four tackles, including two sacks, and forced a fumble in a win over Kapolei 

Wyatt Ho-Williams, Damien — Caught 13 passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to Kapaa 

Benjamin Honebein, Kailua — Caught a touchdown pass, made seven tackles, including five for losses, and recovered a fumble in a win over Konawaena 

Shaison Hosino-Marquez, Kailua — Intercepted a pass, forced a fumble, recovered a fumble and made two tackles, including one for a loss, in a win over Konawaena 

Makani Ige, Konawaena — Made 9 ½ tackles, including three for losses, and recovered a fumble in a loss to Kailua 

Kaiolohia Kang, Kamehameha-Maui — Forced a fumble, intercepted a pass, broke up another and made three tackles, including one-half tackle for a loss, in a win over Kamehameha-Hawaii 

Eleu Keawe, Kapaa — Made five tackles and scored on a 25-yard interception return for touchdown in a win over Damien 

Keanu Lanoza, Kamehameha-Maui — Made 11 tackles, including one-half tackle for a loss and broke up a pass in a win over Kamehameha-Hawaii 

Marquez Mellor, Kailua — Ran 25 times for 107 yards and a touchdown in a win over Konawaena 

Kaikea Miyashiro, Waimea — Ran 17 times for 210 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Roosevelt 

Kaitin Mundon, Kapaa — Ran 22 times for 114 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Damien 

Xander Pagan, Kamehameha-Maui — Ran 20 times for 117 yards in a win over Kamehameha-Hawaii 

Malaki Soliai-Tui, Campbell — Made 11 tackles, including one for a loss, in a loss to Campbell 

Taimane Souza-Fautanu, Konawaena — Made 10 tackles, including two for losses, and caught nine passes for 91 yards and a touchdown in a loss to Kailua 

BOYS BASKETBALL

Kymani Brinkley, Radford — Scored 19 points in a loss to Kaiser 

Terrance Buckhalter, Radford — Scored 20 points in a loss to Kaiser 

Janzen Butay, Waianae — Scored 21 points in a loss to Campbell 

Darius Chizer, Mid-Pacific — Scored 20 points with six steals, five assists and four rebounds in a win over Nanakuli, scored 31 points with five steals, three rebounds and three assists in a win over Nanakuli and scored 30 points with six steals, two rebounds and one assist in a loss to Punahou 

Kashus Daley, Kahuku — Scored 17 points in a win over Maryknoll 

Levi Damo-Agcaoili, Damien — Scored 20 points in a loss to Kalaheo 

Ezekiel Donnell, Nanakuli — Scored 23 points in a win over Liberty and scored 21 points in a loss to Kalaheo 

Talon Ea, Waipahu — Scored 26 points in a loss to Oxford Academy 

Vainuupo Fanuaea, Nanakuli — Scored 26 points in a loss to Mid-Pacific 

Eli Hess, Kalaheo — Scored 19 points in a win over Damien 

Kawohi Huihui, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Scored 26 points in a loss to Kohala 

Layden Kauka, Kohala — Scored 22 points with four steals, four assists and two rebounds in a win over Island School, scored 29 points with 11 rebounds and eight assists in a win over Kamehameha-Hawaii and scored 20 points with seven rebounds, four steals and an assist in a win over Konawaena 

Keanu Meacham, Saint Louis — Scored 29 points in a win over Kaimuki, scored 22 points in a win over Oxford Academy and scored 18 points in a win over Moanalua 

Ashton McCauley, Mid-Pacific — Scored 21 points in a win over Nanakuli 

Todd McKinney, University Lab — Scored 23 points in a win over Waipahu 

Ronin Naihe, Kahuku — Scored 20 points in a win over Kapolei 

Sebastian Peterson, Seabury Hall — Scored 29 points in a win over Lanai and scored 45 points with seven rebounds, two assists and two steals in a win over Kekaulike 

Jayden Pounpanya, Castle — Scored 21 points in a win over Punahou II 

Maddox Pung, Kailua — Scored 25 points in a win over Kauai, scored 19 points in a win over University Lab and scored 22 points in a loss to Saint Louis 

Shyne Salvador, Kamehameha — Scored 27 points in a win over Damien and scored 20 points in a win over Punahou 

Kainoa Santos, Damien — Scored 22 points in a loss to Liberty 

Elijah Stanley, Campbell — Scored 18 points in a win over Waianae 

Avari Zion-Branch, University Lab — Scored 19 points in a loss to Moanalua 

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Breyanna Alfonso, Island School — Scored 18 points in a win over Waipahu and scored 18 points with five rebounds, five steals and four assists in a loss to Sacred Hearts 

Jordin Baker, Kalani — Scored 23 points in a win over Mililani 

Shailan Benevides, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Scored 16 points in a win over Kaimuki 

Landalei Davis, Leilehua — Scored 17 points in a win over Castle 

Samantha Gador, Waipahu — Scored 16 points in a loss to Baldwin

Pua Herrington, Maryknoll — Scored 20 points in a win over La Salle

Kaira Hoolulu, Kailua — Scored 37 points in a win over Aiea and scored 17 points in a win over Kapolei 

Honor Kaniho, Lahainaluna — Scored 16 points in a win over Kaiser 

Zoie Kauhola, Baldwin — Scored 25 points in a win over Waipahu 

Autumn Lagafuaina, Mililani — Scored 16 points in a win over Pearl City 

Sienna Lamblack, Hawaii Baptist — Scored 15 points in a win over Island School 

Tati Mafatini, Baldwin — Scored 18 points with seven rebounds, five steals and two assists in a loss to Sacred Hearts 

Malaya Paul, Kaimuki — Scored 20 points in a loss to Waipahu 

Emalata Tasini, Kulanihakoi — Scored 17 points in a loss to Maui Prep 

Destiny Tautofi, Sacred Hearts — Scored 15 points with eight rebounds in a win over Island School 

Riya Tobosa, Pearl City — Scored 24 points in a win over McKinley 

Leann Mae Tolentino, Lahainaluna — Scored 16 points in a win over Kaiser 

Halia Vicoy-Fuimano, Island School — Scored 18 points in a loss to Hawaii Baptist