Football
Buffanblu win all phases to knock off Sabers


  



Sat, Sep 22, 2018 @ Campbell [ 6:30 pm ]


Final 1 2 3 4 T
Campbell (8-5-0) 0 0 0 1414
Punahou (7-3-0) 9 0 20 1443
Hugh Brady 229 yd 3 TD
Sitiveni Kaufusi 75 yd 1 TD
Sky Lactaoen 142 yd 2 TD

EWA BEACH — No. 3 Punahou got help from all three phases to down No. 5 Campbell, 43-14, Saturday night in OIA-ILH inter-league Open Division football at the Sabers' field.

Precise punting led to a safety and quarterbacks Hugh Brady and Kobe Muasau combined for 355 passing yards and four touchdowns to help the Buffanblu (4-2) rebound from their loss last week to No. 1 Saint Louis. The Sabers (4-2) dropped their second in a row to a top-four team in as many weekends.

"You never know how a team's going to act after a tough loss the week before to Saint Louis," Punahou coach Kale Ane said. "So I was pleased with the way they were resilient and they were itching to get back at it, so it was nice to see."

Tim Horn had a punt roll to the Campbell 1 that set up a safety on a sack by Marist Liufau, the first of his two sacks. Punahou registered five sacks and had two interceptions, one of them returned 20 yards by Kainalu Puu-Robinson for a TD. Brady completed 18 of 25 passes for 229 yards and three TDs, while backup Kobe Muasau was 5 of 11 for 126 yards and one TD. Four different receivers caught TD passes. Also on special teams, Les Falatea returned the ensuing free kick after the safety 38 yards to set up Punahou's first TD.

Punahou took a 9-0 lead into the half from the safety and 37-yard TD catch by Les Falatea; Campbell held the Buffanblu scoreless in the second period. But Punahou scored quickly on Brady TD passes of 16 yards to Kanoa Kalahiki and 38 yards to Koa Eldredge to make it 22-0. Campbell's next series was stopped on Puu-Robinson's interception return that made it 29-0 with 1:39 left in the third period.

"We had some guys in new positions and we had some breakdowns," Campbell coach Darren Johnson said. "I think our defense guys have to have a better understanding. We thought they were understanding of what they were supposed to be doing, but we had some breakdowns and we gave up some big plays. We eliminate the big plays and we're playing better football. And on offense, there were big plays we should've made and we didn't."

The Sabers were without third-year starting linebacker Tyrese Tafai, who said he injured his right shoulder — the one he had surgery on in the offseason — in last week's game at Mililani. Also, Krenston Kaipo played defense and did not see action at QB, which he shared with Kalaola the first five games.

Kalaola, who was sacked five times and intercepted twice, had 168 passing yards and no TDs. Running back Sky Lactaoen led all rushers with 142 yards on 26 carries and two TDs for the Sabers.

The first half was a struggle until Horn's 34-yard punt to the Sabers' 1 eventually led to Liufau's sack of Kalaola in the end zone for a safety to give Punahou a 2-0 lead one minute, 19 seconds in the first period. Falatea's 38-yard return on the ensuing free kick set up Brady's 37-yard TD pass to Falatea to make it 9-0 with 1:02 left in the first period.

Punahou WR Tamatoa Falatea walks into the end zone after hauling in a 37-yard TD pass from Hugh Brady in the first quarter. CJ Caraang | SL    Purchase image

"It was a good gain of momentum for the team and it got us going," Liufau said of the safety.

Campbell could not mount any threat before the half. Jadon Ariola's 42-yard field goal attempt was partially blocked and kept the score 9-0 at the half.

Punahou's three quick TDs to open the second half made it 36-7 with 6:58 in the third quarter.

Campbell added its second TD with 2:15 left on Lactaoen's 2-yard TD run, but with 42 seconds left in the game, Muasau hit Christopher Paige on a 50-yard TD pass. Quinn Maretzki's second PAT of the game made it 43-14.

Even though the game was played at Campbell, Punahou was the designate home team. The OIA has been hosting most of the ILH-OIA games in the new scheduling format.

"It's new, but I love it," Liufau said of playing at OIA sites. "You get to experience new places and play in different environments. It's always fun."

Punahou, though, returns to Aloha Stadium Friday when it plays Kamehameha. The Buffanblu then end their regular season Oct. 12 at Waianae.

For Campbell, the road gets tougher. The Sabers host No. 1 Saint Louis Friday and No. 2 Kahuku on Oct. 6. Their final two games will be at Kapolei and at Waianae.

"We have to win on defense," Johnson said. "We felt the guys that came in played a good first half. Now we have to get them to finish."



Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at [email protected].




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