No. 6 Farrington beats No. 7 Campbell, 31-19, for state berth


Farrington running back Ranan Mamiya heads to the endzone on a 95-yard touchdown run against Campbell. Greg Yamamoto | SL

MILILANI - Farrington will make its 10th First Hawaiian Bank Division I state football tournament appearance after beating Campbell, 31-19, Saturday night at John Kauinana Stadium.

The No. 6 Governors (8-2) will meet Maui Interscholastic League champion Maui (7-2) in the first-round, 7:30 p.m. Friday at Aloha Stadium.

The No. 7 Sabers (7-4), who made their Division I tournament debut last year by winning the Oahu Interscholastic Association third-place game, will have to wait another year.

Running back Ranan Mamiya's electrifying 95-yard touchdown run after Campbell lost the ball on downs at the Governors' 5 put Farrington ahead for good late in the first quarter.

"That was a back-breaker," Campbell coach Amosa Amosa said. "That kind of turned the momentum around for us."

Farrington's defense pretty much shut down Campbell's running game. The Sabers managed on 116 yards net rushing, 49 coming on Austin May's TD run late in the game. It was a turning point.

"It really helped us," Farrington coach Randall Okimoto said. "He made a great play off that. He ran through the blockers. Everybody thought he was going to be down, but he kept his balance and he just took it to the house."

It was a 14-point swing for Farrington. The Sabers' Nicholas Kernaghan had just blocked to give Campbell possession at the Govs' 11. But on fourth-and-5 at the 6, Campbell elected to play instead of try for a field goal. But Siaosi Pakileata knocked the ball out of receiver Noah Esprecion's hands in the end zone on pass by Savea. Mamiya scored on the sweep to the right side.

"We wanted to see if we could get up on them," Amosa said of the decision to forgo the field goal.

Still, it was Farrington's defense making plays.

"We started off slow offensively, but defensively, we came up with good turnovers, scored on D,"  Okimoto said. "That always helps."

Bryce Tatupu-Leopoldo returned a fumble 18 yards for a score after Breiden Fehoko, who had three tackles for losses, put a hit on QB Ezra Savea. William Prescott, who also forced a fumble, Ansen-Joe Faamasino and Tatum Tanuvasa each had a sack. Dylan Helsham had an interception for Farrington.

It was a physical game that got somewhat chippy at times. Campbell was penalized 11 times for 101 yards, which included two helmet-contact fouls. One resulted in Farrington receiver Kingston Moses-Sanchez suffering a possible concussion, Okimoto said. The game was delayed 25 minutes as an ambulance was summoned for Moses-Sanchez.

"He had feelings in his arms, legs, so it was precautionary," Okimoto said.

Campbell took an early lead thanks to an interception by Zibrex Cabel at Campbell's 35. The Sabers droves 65 yards in nine plays, scoring on Savea's 5-yard TD pass to Kona Reiny-Aloy, whose PAT gave Campbell a 7-0 lead with 2:48 in the first quarter.

Farrington scored on its ensuing series on Kekoa Sasaoka's 42-yard field goal.

After Mamiya's TD put Farrington ahead, 10-7, an interception by Dylan Helsham was recycled by the Governors on Montana Liana's 11-yard TD pass to Kaohu Kealoha with 10 seconds left in the half to make it 17-7.

The Governors' forced two turnovers to start the second half that led to scores. Tatupu-Leopoldo's 42-yard fumble return came on the Sabers' first series of the second half.

Later, a fumble forced and recovered by Prescott led to Liana's second TD pass, a 9-yarder, to Kealoha made it 31-7.

Campbell scored later in the third quarter when Solomon Matautia picked up a loose ball from Challen Faamatau and returned it 56 yards to pull the Sabers to 31-13.

With 1:23 left in the game, May scored on his 49-yard run.

Campbell ends its season with four losses coming from their nemeses: Farrington and Mililani.

"I really thought we had a great year," Amosa said. "We're in this (third-place) game, so if we put ourselves in this situation every year. I think our program is up and coming. I'm proud of what my kids accomplished. I'm thankful to my seniors; I'll really miss them."



Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at [email protected].