HONOLULU — The Campbell Sabers are not messing around.
Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele threw five touchdowns without an interception and the team from Ewa Beach made a statement against host Punahou, 49-17, in an interleague game at Alexander Field on Saturday afternoon.
Sagapolutele, a University of California commit, went 24-for-30 and slung scoring passes to four different receivers. Zayden Alviar-Costa caught two TDs and Tyson Ball had a game-high 128 yards receiving on six catches for Campbell (2-0).
Coach Darren Johnson’s Sabers staged a 38-23 comeback win over Punahou in Ewa Beach last year, in what felt like a possible harbinger of late-season success, but the Sabers could not make it translate in the Open Division playoffs, losing to Mililani in the OIA postseason and again to the Trojans in the HHSAA bracket.
Saturday’s outcome was the most lopsided for either team in the six-game all-time series between Punahou and Campbell that goes back to 1996, per Hawaii Prep World records.
After Campbell took a 21-3 lead at halftime, Sagapolutele and Ball broke it open further in the third quarter with a 22-yard scoring connection when Ball outleaped the defense and came down near the front right pylon.
Tainoa Lave capped the Sabers' scoring with an 87-yard punt return touchdown in the fourth.
Nate Kia’s Buffanblu (1-2) were led by running back Nelson Aau, who had 115 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries.
Campbell has a two weeks off before it hosts Farrington to begin OIA Open Division play on Sept. 14. Punahou, which opened the season with a shutout win over Konawaena followed by a loss to Sierra Canyon (Calif.), begins ILH play at Iolani on Sept. 6.
Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.