Campbell coach Darren Johnson gave a tongue-in-cheek comparison of fortunes to the University of Hawaii football team as he walked off the field at John Kauinana Stadium.
“They bachi’d us. When they win, we win,” Johnson said of the Rainbow Warriors, who fell by a touchdown at Army earlier Saturday in West Point, N.Y.
And so it was that No.4 Campbell (4-1, 1-1 OIA Open Division) received a 52-14 beatdown at the hands of an extremely motivated No. 5 Mililani team (4-2, 2-0) coming off a pair of losses going into its homecoming night.
It was a surprisingly one-sided affair for a matchup that was billed as marquee.
While Mililani’s Dillon Gabriel went off (371 yards passing, 5 total TDs, 0 INT), Campbell’s main two quarterbacks, Krenston Kaipo and Kaniala Kalaola, were harassed most of the way as they combined to go 16-for-30 for 198 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. All but 30 of those yards were picked up by one guy on the receiving end.
Sophomore Titus Mokiao-Atimalala was a beast for the Sabers, snaring 10 passes for 168 yards and both of his team’s scores. That included a three-play sequence from Kaipo, starting from the Sabers’ 10, in which he caught balls of 32, 30 and 28 yards to drag his team the full 90 yards for a third-quarter score that only temporarily breathed life into the visitors at 35-14.
Campbell's Titus Mokiao-Atimalala had 10 catches for 168 yards tonight, two yards short of Kela Noda's record for most receiving yards in a loss in program history. He is fifth on the school's chart for biggest games win or lose. pic.twitter.com/4JgbtZrl9S
— Hawaii Prep World (@HawaiiPrepWorld) September 16, 2018
His first TD grab was Campbell’s best play of the night; Mokiao-Atimalala reached around the back of his defender to make a catch and brought the ball up over his helmet, turned and sprinted in the final 15 yards of a 31-yard score.
Other than that …
“We just didn’t play well. I wish we could’ve gave them a better game and everybody else one, but we got some work (ahead),” Johnson said. “We’ve got a lot more season to go, so we gotta go back to the drawing board, back to basics and get our kids right.”
As to how well his team will be tested by the brutal stretch coming up — Campbell hosts Punahou, Saint Louis and Kahuku successively over the next three weeks — Johnson gave a rueful laugh.
“We’re going to be very tested,” he said. “It’s how well everyone will get tested by us. Hopefully we show up and play good football.”
Johnson mentioned injuries to two of his linemen, but in the same breath he noted the Trojans drastically outplayed his team.
There was just no stopping Gabriel on this night. The West Point-bound senior was 26-for-43 with four touchdowns and no interceptions, and added a rushing score for good measure.
Dillon Gabriel has passed Andrew Manley to become the OIA's all time passing leader with 7,684 yards. Manley had 7,637.
LIVE BLOG: https://t.co/ZSLfDAziKv pic.twitter.com/KprbCUGyY3
— Hawaii Prep World (@HawaiiPrepWorld) September 16, 2018
Campbell might be able to take a page or two from Gabriel, who had to deal with sudden frustration after a 3-0 start. The Sabers allowed their most points since a 57-28 loss at Mililani in September of 2014.
“I think, just this whole week I was laser-focused,” said Gabriel, who was coming off a three-interception, six-sack performance in a 43-21 loss to Punahou, and a loss at national No. 1 St. John Bosco (Calif.) the week before that. “I was disappointed in what I did the past week. But I talked with Coach (Rod York) we had a great talk. The thing is, you can’t dwell on the past. You really gotta be short-term memory, you just gotta forget about it. This week I came out super focused and I think the whole team did.”
He completed a pass to nine different receivers, including a different player for each touchdown. Ryan Chang, Maka Hill, Darius Muasau and Cy Kuboyama-Hayashi were the scoring beneficiaries, although Mystik Sampaga caught three balls for 91 yards — including a crazy 36-yard pickup in the second half in which the Sabers’ D looked like they had it broken up, only to have Sampaga catch the ball on his back.
“It starts up front. We had protection, and Dillon was making nice throws,” York said. “Proud of the guys because coming off two tough losses, it’s hard to do.”
York also lauded his defense. Lineman Mykah Tuiolemotu in particular was a beast in the second quarter, as he blocked a Campbell punt, knocking the ball out of bounds at the Sabers’ 10, then recorded a sack and a tackle for loss in a three-play sequence on Campbell’s next drive.
Campbell’s top running back, Sky Lactaoen, was held to 16 yards on eight carries.
“We did great against the run, made them one-dimensional and were able to make plays,” York said.
Mililani hosts Waianae next week.
Injuries plagued us, it was next man up. Still sooo proud of our boys. It was a tough loss but hopefully a blessing in disguise. A lesson to stay focused and come back hungrier and stronger but to also reflect and humble themselves as well. #SaBeRuP #SaBeRNaTioN it’s a new day. Back to the drawing board.
Welcome to Mililani, Campbell. Finally, a real challenge for you folks, yeah?
Keep your head up sabers,it just wasn’t your night. Need to protect your QBs better you guys got the talent,would like to see all oia teams do better. Congratulations Trojans! Gotta get back on track,as I said in my older post the schedule is only gonna get harder. Good luck to all teams! Stay healthy!
Great win Trojans!
Coach York, #19 needs a little more work…was bent over couple times last night and burned all night long during the Punahou game.
The refs were brutal!!!!!!!!!! Terrible in fact. They ruined the game, the tempo, the momentum. And I noticed that some of them were Campbell High school graduates, and they were the ones that flagged the most penalties. These refs think no one notices because they have no integrity, no shame!!!
You should not ref a game if you’re a graduate from the school that’s playing (common sense).
Expected way more of a game from Campbell but it’s back to the drawing board..
I agree with @FootballFan. I watched on TV and tuned out just towards the end of the 1st quarter, because the referees destroyed any enjoyment a fan could have. I have no horse in this contest, but wanted to see some quality OIA football only to look at the clock and see that an hour past and we were still in the 1st.
I agree with MilianiHammer about protecting the QB. If Campbell Olinemen gave the QB little more time then maybe it would have been a better game. Look at what Titus did to mills DB’s! Btw, I know I mentioned it before but who is the DB Coach for Mililani? You leave your corner high and dry out there with one of the best wr. In the state. Know your personnel coaches! Good luck to all the teams this coming week! 808vs Everybody
Question- is it true that one of the head coaches and assistant coach refused to shake hands at the conclusion of the game??
Like, the two didnt even walk down the line but headed off the field when the game was done?
Just checking if anyone saw this.