Campbell's Tyrese Tafai celebrates after scoring the go-ahead touchdown in the Sabers' 10-6 win. Michael Lasquero | SL

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Campbell LB Tyrese Tafai's big hit on Leilehua's Isaiah Pillete forced a fumble that led to the Sabers' go-ahead score. Michael Lasquero | SL

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Sat, Oct 14, 2017 @ Leilehua [ 6:30 pm ]

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Campbell

10

Leilehua

6

Final	1	2	3	4	T
Campbell (7-5-0)	0	0	10	0	10
Leilehua (6-3-0)	0	6	0	0	6

• Pass
• Rush
• Rec

Konapiliahi Andres 74 yd

Krenston Kaipo 125 yd

James McGary 58 yd

Jacob Covington 44 yd

Keanu Hirota 27 yd

Pokii Adkins-Kupukaa 54 yd

WAHIAWA — Sophomore Tyrese Tafai's forced fumble led to his go-ahead third-quarter touchdown and No. 9 Campbell rallied to beat No. 7 Leilehua, 10-6, Saturday night in quarterfinal action of the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I tournament at Hugh Yoshida Stadium.

The Sabers (7-3) will play Kahuku at 5 p.m. Friday in a semifinal at Aloha Stadium. The Red Raiders beat the Sabers, 45-6 on Sept. 29 in a regular-season meeting at Campbell.

Trailing 6-3 early in the third period, Tafai drilled Leilehua running back Isaiah Pilete in the backfield, forcing the ball out that Stone Africa recovered in a scrum moving toward the end zone. But part of the return was nullified by an assisting the runner penalty that gave Campbell the ball at the Leilehua 12. Three plays later, Tafai scored on a 1-yard run and Ariel Villanueva, who earlier hit a 23-yard field goal, made the PAT to put Campbell ahead, 10-6.

"We needed one turnover and punch it in," Campbell coach Darren Johnson said. "We felt it would come down to a one-score game. We needed to get up (by) 4 because they have a kicker, so we wanted to play good defense. Hats off to Mika (Liilii, defensive coordinator) and his staff. It was a defense battle. They did their job, giving up two field goals."

The win snapped Leilehua's five-game win streak. The last time it did not score a TD was when it suffered in previous losses, 47-0 to Mililani and 24-0 to Kahuku.

Campbell LB Tyrese Tafai's big hit on Leilehua's Isaiah Pillete forced a fumble that led to the Sabers' go-ahead score. Michael Lasquero | SL    Purchase image

Campbell's defense was stellar down the stretch, forcing Leilehua to punt on its next two series of the half. 

Campbell punted from midfield to the Leilehua 19 with 1:13 left, but four incomplete passes later, the Sabers took over with 49 seconds left and ran out the clock.

Injuries played a major part on both teams. Campbell's most effective running back, Jacob Covington (4 rushes for 44 yards) suffered a shoulder injury early in the game, hampering the Sabers run game on a rainy night that made the ball slippery.

During the fumble return, Leilehua QB Kona Andres suffered an apparent knee injury, giving way to Max Nichols, who was 0-for-8 passing. 

Leilehua took a 6-0 lead into the half on two second-quarter field goals of 37 and 24 yards by Akoni Makue-Tom. The first field goal was set up by a 3-yard punt by Campbell that gave Leilehua field position at the Sabers' 42.

The Sabers received the second-half kickoff and Dane Esprecion's 44-yard return to the Campbell 45 aided in Villanueva's 23-yard field goal to put Campbell on the board. Three plays earlier, though, RB Viliami Vaimoui had a 7-yard TD run nullified by a holding penalty.

But it was Campbell's defense that kept the game close. It got the only turnover in the game on Tafai's forced fumble hit.

"We watched film," Tafai explained. "We've seen the slot motioning and I just had to trigger on the play. That's exactly what happened. I'm just thankful things went the way it went."

With Covington out and later Vaimoui, Tafai was asked to literally carry the load for Campbell's offense. He grinded out 25 yards on 12 carries.

"It just another man down and another has to step up," Tafai said "Our O-linemen worked hard today. I thank them for everything they've done for me."

As for Kahuku, Johnson, a Kahuku graduate and former Red Raiders' assistant, he said he's just going to enjoy this win for now.

"I'm going to enjoy this win tonight and I'm going to worry about Kahuku on Monday," Johnson said. "We're in the top four and we're not going to go down there and lay down, but we know we'll be playing a superb team, so we're going to play our best."