Flag Football
Sabers make her-story; beat Mules for 1st flag football state title


Stacy Kaneshiro | ScoringLive
May 4, 2025, 6:06am

  

Sat, May 3, 2025 @ Mililani [ 7:30 pm ]

Campbell

6

Leilehua

0

Final 1 2 3 4 T
Campbell 6 0 0 06
Leilehua 0 0 0 00
Madi Powell 13 yd
Maya Gonsalves 41 yd 1 TD



MILILANI - She might have missed her senior prom, but Maya Gonzalves was still the Queen of the Night.

Campbell's quarterback/linebacker scored the only touchdown of the game to carry Campbell to a nail-biting, 6-0, win against Leilehua to capture the inaugural Hawaii Dental Service Flag Football State Championship Saturday night at John Kauinana Stadium. Her-story was made, as the Sabers will go down as the first flag football champion.

It was the second shutout in as many nights for the Sabers and sixth for the year.

The first year of flag football for girls ended with a highly competitve game featuring two Oahu Interscholastic Associaion schools known for their boys football programs. Neither even played for the OIA championship. But the game had more storylines than scores.

For Gonsalves, there was no doubting where her heart belonged.

"After realizing we made it this far, I just wasn't going to bail out on my girls just to have one night of fun," Gonsalves said, "when I can have fun here and take home the dub."

The only dancing Gonsalves did was on turf, dodging flag pullers en route to a 33-yard run for the game's only score, which came with 37 seconds left in the first quarter.

"That was a pass play and when I went through my reads, when I saw it wasn't open, I just read the pukas and I ran in," she explained about her jaunt to the end zone.

Hawaii Dental Service/Flag Football State Championships All-Tournament Team
as selected by the HHSAA & media

Most Outstanding Player: Shaleah Moore, Campbell

Nahealani Choy Foo, Mililani
Aiesha DeWeever, Campbell
Sophie Foster, Mililani
Maya Gonsalves, Campbell
Minei Haiola-Borges, Leilehua
Cali Moniz-Kealoha, Leilehua
Madi Powell, Leilehua
Maci Rivera, Leilehua
Jaynalyn Sotelo, Campbell

Gonsalves' sacrifice wasn't lost on Campbell coach Wil Naboa.

‘That was huge," Naboa said of his QB showing up to play. "As a girl, the senior prom should be the pinnacle of high school. For her to give that up, I mean, We love her. She made the right decision, obviously, now that we know the outcome. We really appreciate her."

Her next best decision came on the scoring play, a designed pass.

"Her uncanny ability to adjust and do things on the fly…it's tremendous for our team," Naboa said.

From there, it was a defensive struggle. The closest the Mules got to the end zone was the 4-yard line to start the second quarter only to turn over the ball on downs. All of Leilehua's series ended on downs, punts and three interceptions, two by Jaynalyn Sotelo, who finished the tourney with seven picks. including one on Leilehua's final offensive play of the game. Aiesha DeWeever had the other pick. The same could be said for Campbell's offense, aside from the TD, its series ended on downs, punts and an interception by Madi Powell. 

On the other side of the field, Leilehua quarterback Cali Moniz-Kealoha not only had to contend with the Sabers' harrassing defense, but played with the flu.

'Cali was in the hospital today (Saturday), she's fighting flu," said Leilehua coach Bryant Moniz of his daughter. "She's dehydrated, She's really taxed out She tried to give her all, but it just caught up with her."

The versatile Madi Powell, who had three interceptions and three pass breaks in the Mules' upset of Moanalua, replaced Moniz-Kealoha, who managed 41 yards on 5-of-14 passing in her short stint. Losing Moniz-Kealoha, who also plays defense, was like missing three positions because Powell played running back and receiver, as well as on defense.

It was "an amazing feeling" for Sotelo, who was a win away from reaching the title game in basketball, her first love and where she sees her future.

"I was really nervous at the beginning of the game," Sotelo said. "I was way more nervous in this game, than a basketball game. I glad we made it this far and I hope we can make it this far for basketball."

Campbell's defense was ignited by blitzer Shaleah "La" Moore, who had a game-high nine flags pulled and two pass deflections, and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Campbell's opposing quarterbacks in the tournament saw No. 2 register nine sacks and deflect four passes in the four games in the tournament.

"La was just relentless," Naboa said. "I like the motor on her and her willingness to give up her body. She is the heart and soul of the team. Player of the State, in my opinion."


Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at [email protected].




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