Kahuku's Kesi Ah Hoy crosses the goal line for the winning score against Farrington. Peter Caldwell | SL

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102414_1212_Kahuku_093.JPG - Peter Caldwell | SL

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HALAWA — Following a proven recipe it has used all season, Kahuku did just enough to get by Farrington Thursday night.

Kesi Ah Hoy punched in the go-ahead score on a 4-yard run with 10 seconds remaining to lift the Red Raiders to a thrilling 21-14 win over the Governors before a crowd of about 5,500 fans at Hawaiian Airlines Field at Aloha Stadium.

The win was Kahuku's fourth straight and put them into next Friday's title game of the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I tournament — where it will play Mililani at approximately 7:30 p.m. — and punched its ticket into next month's First Hawaiian Bank/Hawaii High School Athletic Association State Tournament.

"We're totally pleased and we're excited," said Alohi Gilman, who caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from Tuli Wily-Matagi in the second quarter and set-up Ah Hoy's late score with his 53-yard kickoff return. "We worked hard this week, so we're glad and happy to know that we're in the championship again."

The Red Raiders (8-1) outgained the Governors (7-2) with 346 yards of total offense to 219 and relied on their defense and special teams once again. Wily-Matagi had 205 passing yards, despite completing just 5 of his 17 attempts.

"It feels great," Wily-Matagi said. "As seniors we're really excited — we missed out on it last year — and now we're just happy to have an opportunity to get a chance to play against Mililani, which in my opinion is the top team in the state with a great offense and we're just looking forward to it."

Wily-Matagi, who threw a 95-yard touchdown pass to Keala Santiago in the third quarter, was doubtful to play after sustaining a knee injury in practice earlier in the week.

"I really planned on holding Tuli out because his knee was so sore all week and he didn't practice, but I looked at him in pregame and I just got the feeling that he needed to play," said Red Raiders' coach Lee Leslie, who noted that sophomore backup Samuta Avea was ready to step in if Wily-Matagi couldn't play. "We had all our I's dotted and our T's crossed for this one, so we feel good because know we beat a darn good football team."

Kahuku held a 14-3 lead after three quarters before Farrington staged a fourth-quarter rally. Challen Faamatau's 11-yard touchdown run and the consequent two-point conversion was good on a pass from Montana Liana to DJ Chaffin pulled the Govs within 14-11 with 7:51 to play.

After a three-and-out by the Red Raiders, the Govs put together a 12-play drive that was capped with Kekoa Sasaoka's 20-yard field goal that tied it at 14 with 1:41 left on the clock.

Gilman provided a needed spark for Kahuku with his ensuing 53-yard kickoff return to the Farrington 44-yard line.

"My blockers did a good job, they had a good wall and I just saw the hole and hit it hard," Gilman said.

Two plays later, Gilman picked up 13 yards on a lateral and a first down and following a Wily-Matagi incompletion, the quarterback found Gilman for a 29-yard completion down the left sideline. Ah Hoy followed the block of left guard Siotame Uluave and went untouched into the end zone. Gabriel Pinheiro-Alves tacked on the extra point — his third of the game — to close out the scoring.

"This week, the defense and special teams tried to push the offense so we can depend on each other, not just depend on one side of the ball," Santiago said.

Farrington got the ball back at its own 20, but Liana's desperation heave as time expired fell incomplete.

Kahuku leads the all-time series against Farrington, 35-16, and avenged a 21-7 loss in the team's last meeting on Oct. 3 of last year.

The Govs will have to beat Campbell in the third-place game on Nov. 1 to secure the OIA's final state-tournament berth.