After playing for two years at St. Francis, running back Jonan Aina-Chaves was forced to transfer schools for his senior season.
The only returning Star-Advertiser All-State first-team selection to find a new home in the offseason, Aina-Chaves got off to a slow start for Campbell but has picked it up over the last three weeks.
The 5-foot-8, 180-pound workhorse averaged less than 50 yards rushing a game before a recent three-game winning streak by the Sabers in which he has posted three 100-yard rushing games.
After a 134-yard performance in a 41-31 win over Waianae on Saturday, Aina-Chaves surpassed 3,500 rushing yards for his career, becoming the ninth players on Oahu to accomplish the feat.
Aina-Chaves has rushed for 3,533 yards and 36 touchdowns in 27 games, and needs 11 yards to surpass Saint Louis’ Pesefea Fiaseu for eighth on the all-time list with Punahou’s Mosi Tatupu up next.
Campbell started the season 1-3 but has found its running game during its recent winning streak. Aina-Chaves, who rushed for at least 1,250 yards in each of his two seasons at St. Francis, is averaging 134.3 yards in his last three games and has gotten at least 16 carries in those games after finishing with no more than 13 touches during a 1-3 start.
The Sabers are 12-2 over their last 14 games when they have a player rush for at least 100 yards.
No. 5 Campbell (4-3, 3-2 OIA Open) has clinched the No. 3 seed in the OIA Open playoffs and plays its eighth game in as many weeks on Saturday against No. 2 Punahou before a bye week. The Sabers then close the regular season playing No. 10 Kamehameha.
Glad he had a chance to play in OPEN. Billy Hull, would be interesting where the other St.Francis players went and how they doing. In fact the whole St.Francis fiasco is an interesting story in itself. From going coed, to building basketball and football dynasties, to financial woes, to evictions if the Franciscan nuns, ouster of Sister Joan of Arc Souza, and finally closing.
^^^ Calling St. Francis a football dynasty is stretching the truth a lot. I think you have to win at least 1 state championship to even be mentioned as a dynasty. LOL
But I will say that Bubbah is a legit RB. I thought he would make a bigger difference at Ewa Beach but I think the coaching over there is a different story.
Coach C and Falcon thank you for the St. Francis recap. St. Francis’ fall and demise came quickly and at the hands of transforming from an all girls Catholic School to an overly ambitious co-ed sports machine. Talented athletes were given scholarships at a time when the school was already in the red. Yes, Bubba is a tremendously gifted RB and he is worthy of the accolades. Wishing the former students of St. Francis, faculty and staff the best in the future.