Sabers Play Pac Five In Season Opener
By Jack Danilewicz
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Del.icio.usThe Campbell football team won’t have to wait long to make an impact on the prep football scene. Beginning with a formidable week-one opponent in Pac-Five Saturday night, the Sabers’ schedule will be among the toughest in the state, especially in the parity-driven OIA Red West Conference. Below is a look at its schedule and the season ahead.
The Sabers play Pac Five Aug. 21; at Waianae Aug. 28; Leilehua Sept. 3; at Mililani Sept. 10; Radford Sept. 18; Kapolei Sept. 24; at Aiea Oct. 8.
Breaking down thee schedule:: Having four out of seven games is a good thing, but a three-week stretch against Waianae, Leilehua and Mililani could be brutal for any team. On the positive side, two of the last three are at home versus Radford and rival Kapolei before a tough road date at Aiea to close out the Red West slate.
Can’t-miss game I: Leilehua Sept. 3. Part of the Saber Nation coming to grips with last year’s heartbreaking defeat to the Mules is doing an about-face in this year’s meeting. Lest anyone forget, Campbell had a 20-0 lead at half-time last season before the Andrew Manley-led Leilehua offense got rolling, eventually securing a 29-26 win. Aside from the obvious importance of this game to the Red West race, this also is the marquee game on Campbell’s home slate.
Can’t-miss game II: Kapolei Sept. 24. The Sabers were within striking distance in last year’s game but couldn’t get over the hump in a 13-7 loss. A win here would be a huge late-season boost, as a road date with Aiea is all that remains. These two games will likely be big factors in seeding for the OIA’s post-season. It’s been awhile since either school won two in a row in this series, so that could prove to be a good omen for the Sabers, who also get the game on their own field this year.
Worst-case scenario: Parity in the Red West contributes big in making every game on Campbell’s schedule both losable and winnable. With a few bad breaks and a few close losses, it’s conceivable (but highly unlikely) the Sabers could finish 1-5 in the Red West, 1-6 overall.
Make plans for thee state tournament if:: the Sabers can win the close games. Including its preseason game, Campbell went 0-3 in games decided by seven points or less in 2009. If the team can improve on that, it will mean the difference between a good season and great season.
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