The Campbell Sabers, whose nickname is short for sabertoothed tigers, might feel like they're in a jungle, eluding hunters. That's because they enter the O'ahu Interscholastic Association White football season as defending league and state Division II champions.

"It helps the kids in someways" being defending champions, Campbell coach Tumoana Kenessey said. "But we let them know that 'You're the target now.' We're defending champions, but that was last year. It's a whole new year and there are a lot of competitive teams. We're back to ground zero."

The Sabers open the White regular season against Moanalua at 7 p.m. on Friday at Mililani. The game was moved from Moanalua to Mililani because it will be televised on OC16.

In other White openers, Kaiser will play at Waipahu and Kalani will travel to Radford, both on Friday.

The top four playoff teams from last season — Campbell, Waipahu, Radford and Kaiser — are expected to challenge for the White title, according to the league's coaches. But they also said look out for Moanalua and Kalaheo.

Campbell returns two of its five 400-plus yards rushers in Isiah Smith (519 yards) and Quinton Richards (412 yards). Even Jesse Lee (203 yards) is back, giving the Sabers incredible depth in the backfield. But the Sabers are banking on sophomore quarterback Obadiah Mataio to succeed the talented Shaye Asoau, who passed for 1,047 yards with only one interception in 99 attempts as a senior.

If there is one team ready to break out, it's the Rams. They gave state Division I runner-up Leilehua a scare in a 32-27 loss, a game that Rams coach Fred Salanoa felt his team should have won.

"Three times we reached the red zone (inside the Mules' 20-yard line), but two times we fumbled and the other we just didn't get the first down," Salanoa lamented.

But the Rams showed showed why they are a team to reckon with. Last year, their strength was a ground game, led by running back Alex Daniels (621 yards, 8 TDs). But when the Mules stopped the run, an improved Ryan Burciaga at quarterback completed 22 of 46 for 301 yards and three touchdowns. Last year, his season total in passing was 538 yards and three TD passes. His key targets include wideouts Shane Masaniai and Justin Lord. Providing the blocking is center/guard Ramsey Feagai, one of the top 200 West region recruits, according to SchoolSports magazine.

The Rams added a tight end in military transfer Mike Goodman, a 6-foot-6, 250-pounder. Salanoa said Goodman's future might be on the diamond as a left-handed pitcher. He will miss a game later this season to play in a baseball tournament in Arizona, Salanoa said.

Defensively, the Rams have a pair of versatile players in Russell Wantowski and Vasa Kuresa. They are defensive ends, but both will see action at linebacker to help their stock for college. Wantowski is a Reebok preseason all-West region selection.

The Rams also have a strong cornerback in Trevor Waldon.

Moanalua lost a number of players, but return two quality ones in quarterback /safety Stanford Leti and linebacker/running back Quinton Tang, the 2004 White Defensive Player of the Year.

Leti led the Menehunes in rushing last year with 553 yards and seven TDs.

The White welcomes two new coaches. Kaiser's Patrick Samsonas replaces David Maeva and Kalaheo's Russ Ramos succeeds Tony Tuioti.

Kaiser was hit hard with the graduation of all-state all-purpose player Shannon Wise, a quarterback, receiver and defensive lineman last year, as well as receiver Matt Ching. Wise passed for 1,166 yards, while Ching had 760 yards in receiving.

The Cougars return running back Isaac Saffery (459 yards, 7 TDs) and receivers Pa'a Kamauoha and Evan Garcia on offense with linebackers Jarryd Maeda and C.J. Criado on defense.

Samsonas said to look out for kicker/punter Kyle Niiro, a sophomore, who has been hitting field goals from the 50-yards-plus range.

"We have a new group of kids," Samsonas said. "There's no super star. They've really been working well together. The team unity is strong."

The Mustangs are coming off a non-league loss at defending Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division I champion Kealakehe.

"We've got a lot of work to do, but I'm optimistic we can make the playoffs," Ramos said.

Optimism should be strong, as the Mustangs return quarterback David Pershin, who threw for 1,328 yards and 12 touchdowns last year. Also back is receiver Koakela Siliga, who led the team with 22 catches for 194 yards.

Waialua (1-6) and Kalani (0-7), which have historically struggled, are improved, fellow coaches in the conference said.

The Bulldogs held Pac-Five scoreless in the second half in a 17-7 loss Saturday night at Aloha Stadium. Waialua is powered by two sets of brothers: quarterback Caleb and linebacker Walter Fore; and running back Alvin and receiver Adam Foster. Caleb Fore shared time at quarterback with Joshua Whittaker.

"It's up for grabs," Waialua coach Lincoln Barit said of the conference. "We'll be up there with (the rest)."

Kalani has 39 players on the roster, but a lot are making their varsity debuts, coach Greg Taguchi said.

"We need to be very disciplined with our assignments," Taguchi said.

The Falcons lost talented receiver Dusten Umeda to graduation, but return quarterback Richard Akau (806 yards, 6 TDs) and running back Karson Kim.

The top four teams advance to the OIA Division II playoffs for two Division II state tournament berths. While Radford might have an edge with the type of returnees, the coaches see a competitive conference.

"We have great parity," Moanalua coach Arnold Martinez said of the White. "The Waialuas and Kalanis, they can win any game on any given day."

Martinez points out White teams beat three Red teams last week in non-league games.

"All these guys in the White work hard," he said. "They battle you every time you show up."

Radford's Salanoa agrees that the conference is competitive. But he also feels this is his team's best chance at the title after being eliminated from the OIA playoffs in the first round the past two years.

"That's our goal," Salanoa said of winning the title. "I really do believe we have a championship team. If we don't make it to the championship, blame our coaching staff. We have a good group of kids. We just have to coach them to get to that championship.

"But this conference is going to be tough. Each and every week is going to be a dog fight for us. It's going to come down to which teams shows up."

NOTES

The OIA Red East also opens this weekend.

On Friday, McKinley will visit Kailua and Kaimuki will play at Roosevelt. Both games are preceded by JV games that start at 5 p.m.

On Saturday, Castle plays Farrington at Roosevelt. The JV game between those schools starts at 4 p.m.

The OIA Red West teams will be in interleague action as part of an agreement with the Interscholastic League of Honolulu. The games are considered nonleague games and do not count in each league's standings, but do in overall records.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.