Campbell's Jayce Bantolina elevates to make a pass reception against Kapolei. Peter Caldwell | SL

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Fri, Sep 12, 2014 @ Kapolei [ 7:30 pm ]

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Campbell

14

Kapolei

13

Final	1	2	3	4	T
Campbell (7-4-0)	0	0	7	7	14
Kapolei (4-5-0)	0	6	7	0	13

• Pass
• Rush
• Rec

Alton Julius 210 yd 1 TD

Ezra Savea 223 yd 2 TD

Alton Julius 29 yd

Terell Johnson 34 yd

Ty-Noah Williams 78 yd 1 TD

Jayce Bantolina 164 yd 2 TD

KAPOLEI — Amosa Amosa couldn't help but be emotional after this one.

Just six days after the passing of linebackers' coach Dave Wojcik, Campbell put on an inspiring second-half comeback to rally past host Kapolei Friday night, 14-13.

Wide receiver Jayce Bantolina hauled in a 75-yard touchdown pass from Ezra Savea with 57 seconds to play to tie the score at 13 before Kona Reiny-Aloy drilled the go-ahead extra point — with a 15-yard personal foul penalty tacked on no less — to help the Sabers escape.

"What a game," Campbell coach Amosa Amosa said. "I'm so proud of our kids. It was a tough week for us, but they played their hearts out tonight. A lot of times it didn't look so good for us, but they fought and hopefully this really taught them how to come together."

The Sabers, ranked sixth in the ScoringLive/OC16 Division I Football Power Rankings, rallied from a 13-0 deficit early in the third quarter.

A week after throwing for six touchdowns on 22-of-25 passing against Kailua, Campbell quarterback Ezra Savea was just 4-of-13 passing for 44 yards in the first half. He was intercepted twice before halftime, including once by Malik Smith, which the Hurricanes converted into their first score.

"We just had to calm down Ezra, he was just overthrowing and stuff, but we just put our trust in the Lord and executed, did what we had to do," said Bantolina, who got Campbell on the board with 8:09 left in the third quarter on his 13-yard touchdown reception from Savea.

Savea, who attended Kapolei as a freshman last year, threw for 179 yards on 12-of-19 passing in the second half. His older brother, Pesi, is an offensive linemen for the Hurricanes and his father is a junior varsity assistant.

"With Ezra coming back to Kapolei for this game, I think he was kind of nervous, but he pulled through with the win," said Bantolina, who finished with nine catches for 164 yards. "The first half he didn't start off so well, but he calmed down in the second half."

Kapolei made it a two-score game on Trensten Spragling's 5-yard touchdown run at the 10:42 mark in the third quarter, but Campbell drove 80 yards in seven plays on its ensuing drive, which was capped by Bantolina's first touchdown grab. He set-up his own score with a 35-yard catch down the right sideline two plays prior. Reiny-Aloy converted the PAT to cut the Hurricanes' lead to 13-7 with 8:09 left in the third.

However, the Sabers' next four offensive possession ended with an interception, punt, turnover on downs and punt, respectively. The defense forced a three-and-out and punt by Kapolei and the offense got the ball back with 2:02 to play on its own 15-yard line. Three plays into the drive, Savea launched a deep pass along the right hash and Bantolina snatched the ball from two defenders and broke free for the tying score.

"The drive before that, when the defense was on the field, I was on the sideline and I just went on my knees and I just prayed," Bantolina said. "I went on the field and told my teammates that we're going to give it all we got — win or lose — and I just told Ezra, 'We got this, this is our drive right here.' "

As Bantolina crossed the goal line – and the Saber faithful erupted in jubilation — he pointed to the sky, which drew a personal foul.

"When I got called for that penalty, I was just pointing to him, to coach Dave," said Bantolina, who had just one catch for 8 yards before halftime.

The usual 20-yard PAT became a 35-yard try, but Reiny-Aloy gave Amosa all the assurance he needed before lining up for the kick.

"I asked him, 'Can you make this?,' " Amosa said. "He said 'Coach, I get 'um,' and he made the kick."

The Sabers' starting placekicker, Bryson Maximo, was out sick and not available for the game, leaving the game in the hands — or foot, rather — of Reiny-Aloy.

"I had confidence because I practice it a lot, so I had to step up," Reiny-Aloy said.

However, Kapolei still had a chance in the end. The Hurricanes drove to the Campbell 15-yard line on its final possession, but Alton Julius' pass was intercepted by Austin Fuga in the end zone for a touchback.

"I knew they were going to go for the end zone because the past plays they were trying to run that corner and it wasn't working, so I knew they would eventually run it in, on a post, so when they did I came under (the receiver)," Fuga said.

Amosa was overcome with emotion after the final whistle sounded.

"I'm sorry to (Kapolei) coach Darren (Hernandez), they played a good game, too, but I think we just wanted it a little more tonight," Amosa said. "I'm so proud of my kids and my coaching staff for trying to prepare them this week. We never say die and that's what I told them before we shook hands (with Kapolei), that I was so proud of them and I know coach Dave is proud of us, too."

The Sabers remained unbeaten and improved to 4-0 in the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I Blue, while the ninth-ranked Hurricanes dropped to 1-4.