Prep football preview: Talented No. 4 Campbell faces ailing No. 1 Kahuku

Every day, Darren Johnson gets into his car, departs beautiful Hauula and makes the haul down the Windward coast.

After his shift at OCCC in Kalihi, the drive to Ewa Beach. Arid. Dry. “DJ”’s home away from home. The Campbell Sabers have always been talented, but this fall they are in prime position to make a title run in the OIA Open Division. That long daily trek gives the longtime coach time to think.

“It’s worth it, being part of their lives. We have a good group of kids who have bought into the team. Coaches who make your job better. Every one of my assistants are good guys,” Johnson said. “Our trainers, our AD, our principal, our JV head coach. They all make this better.”

The former Kahuku standout gets another battle with his alma mater on Saturday, Kickoff is set for approximately 6:30 p.m. at the Sabers’ field. This may be the best Campbell squad under Johnson.

No. 4-ranked Campbell (3-1, 1-1 OIA Open) is clearly a pass-heavy team with sophomore Jaren-Keawe Sagapolutele playing at a high level. Shades of another former Ewa Beach Saber quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, when Sagapolutele artfully delivers precise spirals on deep-out routes.

The Sabers get their shot against No. 1 Kahuku on Saturday night in Ewa Beach. Kahuku needed two fourth-quarter touchdowns to rally past Punahou, 27-20, last weekend. In the clutch, they relied on their trench men, delivering body shots to the solar plexus of Punahou’s defense, deploying running backs Clyde Taulapapa and Va‘aimalae Fonoti against a weary front seven.

Punahou’s ground attack didn’t produce chunk yardage, but it was enough to keep Kahuku’s elite defense honest. Can Campbell do the same? The Sabers have 73 rushing attempts, 18.3 per game. Take away 11 carries for minus-11 yards by Sagapolutele and two “team” rushes, and they actually have run the ball just 60 times (15 per game).

But that doesn’t negate their ability to run if and when desired. Running back Chauncee Lopez is averaging 5.6 yards per carry. Rowen Bucao is at 4.4 yards per crack, and his skill as a pass catcher rivals any versatile RB in the league. Bucao has 11 receptions for 325 yards and four TDs already.

“We balance out what has to be done,” Johnson said.

The Sabers don’t have hammers like Punahou’s Alai Williams (215 pounds) and Iosepa Lyman (210), but their depth of receiving talent, length and speed are all at Sagapolutele’s disposal. Versatile Tana Togafau-Tavui is a rarity, a goal-line running back who also leads his team in receiving (21 catches, 389 yards, one TD). Colorado State commit Mason Muaau, at 6 feet, 5 inches, has 16 receptions for 168 yards and four TDs.

Dallas Fonseca-Juan, Kanoa Ferreira, Kamaehu Kopa-Kaawaiauole, on and on. The Sabers are averaging 43.3 points per game and have not scored less than 34 in one game.

Sagapolutele and Muaau were at Saint Louis last year.

“We’re in a better place. Our kids have started to stay home,” Johnson noted.

Defending Open Division state champion Kahuku is dealing with adversity. Kainoa Carvalho, the 2021 Star-Advertiser All-State offensive player of the year, remains out with an ankle injury. Two pins were inserted during recent surgery to expedite the healing of fractures.

“They found fractures that were there from previous injuries that we didn’t even know about,” said his father, assistant coach Stewart Carvalho.

The hope is that he could return by Sept. 30, when Kahuku meets Saint Francis, a powerhouse from Maryland. More likely, however, is the eight-week span of time to allow the injury to heal fully. That would be a late-October return — the OIA Open playoffs. Or a total shutdown for the Utah commit.

His brother, Kaimana Carvalho, has played with a partially torn meniscus and was hobbling back to the locker room after the game. Two-way playmaker Brock Fonoimoana suffered a leg cramp during the Punahou game.

Each time, the next man up has done the job. After Kainoa Carvalho suffered his injury at practice three Thursdays ago, Kaimana Carvalho returned a kickoff for a TD against Waianae. With Kaimana Carvalho down against Punahou, Manulele Ah You returned a kickoff 97 yards to paydirt. With Fonoimoana sidelined, defensive player of the year Liona Lefau came up with a key first-down reception during Kahuku’s go-ahead scoring drive.

“You know, this year any team can win on any given weekend,” coach Sterling Carvalho said. “What I told my players, especially this (past) weekend, did we play bad, miss tackles, miss blocks, miss reads? Yes. It wasn’t pretty, but when we needed a touchdown, go 80 yards and score, our defense held them, then drive 80 yards again and win the game, in crunch time, you guys showed up.”

In 2021, Kahuku’s 10-0 campaign won nine games by at least 21 points. The exception was a 21-14 over Mililani in the OIA championship game at Leilehua. That squad was relatively healthy from start to finish. Defense stepped up when necessary. Only one team scored more than 20 points all season on Big Red: Campbell.

The Sabers lost at home to Kahuku, 49-23, on Nov. 27.

Kahuku is prepared for any scenario.

“We just got to make sure we don’t get to that situation, but if we get there, we win games. That’s our mentality going into this week. We’ve got to improve, but we know we can count on each other,” coach Carvalho said.

To have a chance, the Sabers need discipline.

“I think down the stretch, penalties have hurt us. We play a good three quarters and didn’t play a good fourth quarter,” Johnson said, referring to a 35-34 loss to Mililani two weeks ago. “We’re just hoping to make plays.”

Friday’s games

Leilehua (0-3-1, 0-2 OIA Open) at Moanalua (1-2-1, 0-1 OIA Open), 7:30 p.m.

Na Menehune are coming off a 56-0 loss to OIA powerhouse Mililani. They average 28.5 rushing yards per game, and their passing game has struggled with a 44-percent completion rate. They have thrown eight interceptions.

Moanalua has also faced one of the toughest nonconference schedules with losses to Top-3 Punahou and Mililani, and a 21-all tie against No. 10 Kamehameha.

Leilehua has surrendered 31 points per game in two games with D-I teams (Kailua, Waipahu) and 55.5 per game in losses to Kahuku and Campbell. The Mules, like Moanalua, have been tested severely, throwing 13 interceptions (with seven TDs).

The Mules and Na Menehune last met in 2019, a 21-20 overtime win by Moanalua in the OIA D-I final.

Radford (1-2, 0-1 OIA D-I) at Roosevelt (1-1, 0-1 OIA D-I), 7:30 p.m.

The Rough Riders have been scorching hot or ice cold so far with a 51-7 win over McKinley and a 57-5 loss to Aiea. They have also had two weeks to prepare for the Rams, who were on the mainland last week. Radford defeated Magnolia (Calif.), 42-6.

Running back Michael Hayslett is Radford’s bell cow ballcarrier, but quarterback Kalob Victorino-Avilla’s ability to pick up yardage with his legs is a major weapon.

Farrington (2-2, 0-0 OIA D-I) at Waipahu (2-1, 1-0 OIA D-I), 7:30 p.m.

The Governors return home with momentum after a 21-18 win over McMinnville (Ore.). Chansen Smith, who scored the winning TD, has been effective at quarterback while the offense is in ground-and-pound mode. They have thrown the ball 58 times and run it 125 more.

Waipahu opened conference play with a 35-7 win over Radford two weeks ago. Liatama Uiliata remains one of the breakout playmakers in D-I with 32 receptions for 498 yards and five TDs, and two of those games were against Open Division teams Leilehua and Campbell.

The Govs and Marauders have not played since 2015, when Farrington won 49-6 in a preseason matchup.

Saint Louis I-AA (0-0, 0-0 ILH D-I) at ‘Iolani (3-0, 0-0 ILH D-I), 3:15 p.m.

This ILH opener is the first game of the season for the Crusaders. Last year, the I-AA/JV team was often spectacular thanks to then-QB Jaren-Keawe Sagapolutele, now at Campbell, and dynamic wide receivers Onosa‘i Salanoa (Mililani) and Kache Kaio (Kahuku). That ’21 squad went 4-1, losing only to ‘Iolani in a game that the Crusaders led, 28-24, until Kaio suffered leg cramps in the second half on a steaming hot afternoon at Eddie Hamada Field. ‘Iolani won that game 52-28 and went on to capture the D-I state title.

This year’s Raiders haven’t lost momentum, outscoring three OIA D-I teams 149-75 in preseason action. The three-QB experiment with Micah Hoomanawanui, CJ Villanueva and Kualau Manuel has produced a combined 56-for-78 passing, 872 yards and 10 TDs with only one pick. That’s a completion rate of 72 percent.

RB Keao Kawa‘akoa has rushed for 287 yards and seven TDs on just 29 carries. The receiving corps remains fully utilized with five Raiders who have at least six receptions. Taniela Taliauli has 16 catches for 452 yards and six TDs. He now has 13 TDs in just 13 varsity games going back to ’21.

Saturday’s games

Waianae (1-3, 0-2 OIA Open) at No. 3 Mililani (3-1, 2-0 OIA Open), 6:30 p.m.

The Searider offense showed signs of awakening thanks in part to RB Jamal Plunkett in a 35-21 loss to Kapolei last week. Playing in a reserve role previously, Plunkett now has 354 rushing yards and two TDs on just 32 carries.

The Trojans have the kind of depth and talent — and offensive diversity — that Punahou displayed in a 52-7 win over Waianae two weeks ago. Perhaps more.

Kini McMillan (870 passing yards, 10 TDs, five interceptions) continues to develop chemistry with his royal fleet of pass catchers (Raymond Roller, Isaiah Padello, Onosa‘i Salanoa, Lehiwa Kahana-Travis, Gavin Hunter).

No. 5 Saint Louis (1-2, 0-0 ILH Open) at No. 10 Kamehameha (0-1-1, 0-0 ILH Open), 6 p.m.

A year ago, these two programs were vying for alpha position in the ILH. Kamehameha beat Saint Louis twice, 23-21 and 34-31 and looked every bit the part of a league champion. Then Saint Louis turned the tables with two playoff wins over the Warriors to claim the ILH crown.

The mainstays of those ’21 lineups are largely gone now. Saint Louis is gradually finding some offensive rhythm with receivers Titan Lacaden (18 catches, 291 yards, five TDs) and Chyler DeSilva (12, 151, one). Quarterbacks Kekahi Graham and ‘Oa Kamakawiwo‘ole rotated in the loss to Bishop Gorman two weeks ago.

The Warriors had a bye last week, two weeks in all to prepare for the Crusaders. They’re counting on the legs of QB Kealii Ah Yat (two rushing TDs) and RB Dreyton Stone. Kaina Watson leads the team in receiving (14 catches, 139 yards).

Kailua (1-1-1, 1-0 OIA D-I) vs. No. 8 Aiea (3-1, 1-0 OIA D-I) at Radford, 6:30 p.m.

The Surfriders are off to a good start in league play after a 41-34 win over rival Castle. QB Maa Fonoti has thrown only one interception in 73 pass attempts.

Aiea returned from Woodinville (Wash.) with a 38-14 win. Na Alii are in offensive juggernaut mode, averaging 40 points per game. Jayden Chanel (20 receptions, 365 yards, four TDs), Geronimo Ulgaran (31, 327, five) and Rico Figueroa (20, 230, two) benefit from the threat of RB Kaimana Lale-Saole (490 rushing yards, five TDs).

Kamehameha I-AA (0-1, 0-0 ILH D-I) at Punahou I-AA (0-0, 0-0 ILH D-I), 2 p.m.

Only the I-AA/JV Warriors have had a formal game so far, losing to Warren, 50-0, four weeks ago. They were 0-5 last year, losing to Damien (25-20), ‘Iolani (35-20), Pac-Five (25-8) and Saint Louis (48-35, 33-19).

Punahou did not field a I-AA/JV team last season.

Molokai (0-0, 0-0 MIL) at Waialua (1-3, 1-2 OIA D-II), 10 a.m.

The Farmers have been a force in MIL eight-man football, which saw the return of Seabury Hall last week. Molokai last traveled to Oahu for an 11-man game in 2019, losing at Nanakuli, 37-0.

Waialua lost to Kaiser, 45-28, last week, but its offensive potential is showing. The Bulldogs have scored 61 points in their last two games. QB Tyson Apau has accounted for 964 yards and 10 TDs from scrimmage.