Athlete of the Week: Chasen Castilliano, Farrington football
During the Spring season, Chasen Castilliano spends his afternoons patrolling centerfield for the Farrington baseball team.

The senior put those skills to good use on the gridiron Friday night, leading a spirited defensive effort in a 28-7 win for the Governors over then-No. 3 Kapolei. Castilliano, a 5-foot-7, 153-pound safety was in on eight tackles — six of them solo stops, one of them for a loss — and came up with two timely interceptions.

"He played well. He's one of our leaders and our returning players that we expect to play at a high level, and the thing about that is I think he expects that from himself, too," Farrington coach Randall Okimoto said. "Those turnovers are crucial within and a game, especially like the one we had last week."

The Hurricanes were limited to 138 yards of total offense — more than 100 yards below their season average. They were 1 of 11 on third downs. Six different players notched a sack for the Govs.

"A lot of it was in the preparation and I've got to give credit to our coaches," Okimoto said.

Wendell Alob, a 5-foot-1, 155-pound junior, also recorded an interception in Friday's win and has four picks on the season.

"We moved some guys around after we lost some guys to injury. We moved Wendell Alob from offense to defense after the Kamehameha game," Okimoto said. "I know these guys are good and can help our offense, but I also know how much they can help our defense, so we had to make the decision to move them back to defense and our defense has been improving and getting back to the way we play defense."

Castilliano's first interception of the game came with the Govs holding on to a 22-7 lead late in the third quarter.

The Hurricanes picked up 57 yards on consecutive long pass plays after starting the drive at their own 20-yard line. They drove to the Farrington 28-yard line, but on a second-down pass play, Castilliano came down with the pick in his own end zone for a touchback.

"The first thing I saw was our linebacker missing the sack in the backfield and I thought, ‘Oh no,' because when you bring pressure, you don't have much help behind, and the receiver had a couple steps on our corner, but Chasen — like a good center fielder — came over and caught the ball before he did," Okimoto said. "It was a big turnaround for us because they were threatening to score at that point."

Kapolei's next possession ended in the same fashion. Castilliano intercepted the third-down pass at the Govs' 19 and returned it 32 yards across midfield.

"Earlier in the game he muffed a punt and his teammate recovered it on our own 8-yard line, so he made up for what could have been a disastrous mistake, but we always remind the kids that ‘if No. 1 fails, make up for it,' and he did," Okimoto said.

Castilliano, a second-year starter, can also play the outside linebacker position and has even seen time on offense this year. On the baseball diamond, Castilliano earned First Team All-OIA D2 honors last season, when he batted .356 with 20 runs batted in and 16 runs scored. He also went 5-0 with a 4.69 earned run average in 21 innings pitched.

Friday's win pulled the Govs into a tie for third place in the OIA D1 Red conference and keeps them within striking distance of unbeatens Mililani (3-0) and Kailua (2-0).

"It was a big win. We preach to our kids that we're playing for playoff position — that's our goal — and in order to do that we've got to win every conference opponent that we play against. We have to beat the guys in our (division), and it was our first win at home (at brand new Edward ‘Skippa' Diaz Stadium at Henry Kusunoki Field) so that was important."

After an 0-2 start to the season, Farrington has now won its last two games and moved up two spots to No. 8 in this week's ScoringLive/Hawaiian Electric D1 Power Rankings.

"Our goal is still to have the best playoff position we can and in order to get the best playoff position, we've got to win this week, so it's back to work," Okimoto said. "It's a long season and that was a good win, but it's time to move on."

Castilliano and the Govs will face ninth-ranked Kailua at Alex Kane Stadium Friday night.

FOOTBALL
Chayce Akaka, Baldwin — Threw for 119 yards and three touchdowns in a win over King Kekaulike

Wendell Alob, Farrington — Scored on a 60-yard interception return in a win over Kapolei

Braden Amorozo, Waipahu — Threw for 246 yards with three touchdowns on 19-of-37 passing and ran in another score in a win over Roosevelt

Jonah Apo, Kamehameha — Intercepted two passes and recovered a fumble in a win over Carson

Ikaika Asinsin, Pearl City — Passed for two touchdowns in a win over Waialua

Stephen Barber, Punahou — Threw for 240 yards with two touchdowns on 20-of-25 passing and rushed 17 times for 94 yards in a win over Torrey Pines

Fabian Bautista, Aiea — Caught 15 passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Radford

Anthony Bento, Radford — Intercepted two passes in a loss to Aiea

Paka Cacoulidis, Konawaena — Made 5 1/2 tackles, including one sack, forced three fumbles and recovered another in a win over Kealakehe

Babu Casupang, Aiea — Had eight tackles and intercepted a pass in a win over Radford

Makoa Cooper, Pearl City — Carried seven times for 140 yards and four touchdowns in a win over Waialua

Cameron Copeland, Radford — Caught two touchdown passes in a loss to Aiea

Austin Ewing, Konawaena — Passed for 308 yards and five touchdowns on 19-of-31 passing in a win over Kealakehe

Kahale Huddleston, Hilo — Ran in three touchdowns and scored on a 97-yard kickoff return in a win over Hawaii Prep

Onyx Freitas, Kamehameha — Caught four passes for 115 yards in a win over Carson

Dillon Gabriel, Mililani — Threw for 222 yards and a touchdown on 17-of-28 passing and rushed for another score in a win over Castle

Justin Genovia, Iolani — Caught nine passes for 153 yards and a touchdown in a win over Kaimuki

Chanse Hoopai-Tofili, Campbell — Scored on a 7-yard fumble return in a loss to Waianae

Krenston Kaipo, Campbell — Threw for 234 yards and a touchdown on 19-of-37 passing in a loss to Waianae

Zachary Kalahiki-Basque, Aiea — Caught five passes for 89 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Radford

Kaulana Kaluna, Jr., Kaimuki — Caught eight passes for 110 yards in a loss to Iolani

Kasey Kikuyama, Pearl City — Scored on a 40-yard interception return in a win over Waialua

Teron Kitashima, Aiea — Caught seven passes for 99 yards in a win over Radford

Dylan Kurahashi-Choy Foo, Kailua — Scored on a 30-yard interception return in a win over Nanakuli

JL Lavea, Kahuku — Rushed for two touchdowns in a win over Moanalua

Tyler Libarios, Konawaena — Caught five passes for 102 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Kealakehe

Sioeli Lopes-Liutolo, McKinley — Scored on an 80-yard interception return in a loss to Kalani

Ferenisi Lualemana, Aiea — Had five tackles, including two sacks, in a win over Radford

Sione Mahe, Kahuku — Carried 11 times for 99 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Moanalua

Kilifi Malepeai, Mililani — Rushed for 82 yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries in a win over Castle

Jack Raven Mamizuka, Baldwin — Returned a blocked punt 28 yards for a touchdown in a win over King Kekaulike

Chauncey Mariani-Louis, Konawaena — Rushed 24 times 118 yards with three touchdowns and caught two touchdown passes in a win over Kealakehe

Ty Matsunami, Aiea — Threw for 397 yards with five touchdowns on 34-of-45 passing and rushed 12 times for 31 yards and another score in a win over Radford

Kanai Mauga, Waianae — Rushed for a touchdown and scored on a 46-yard fumble return in a win over Campbell

Shayden McMoore, Pearl City — Scored on a 56-yard interception return in a win over Waialua

Aaron Mejia, Kailua — Threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score in a win over Nanakuli

Kyan Miyasato, Hilo — Threw three touchdown passes in a win over Hawaii Prep

Jonah Miyazawa, Iolani — Caught six passes for 115 yards and a touchdown in a win over Kaimuki

Tai-John Mizutani, Iolani — Passed for 503 yards and three touchdowns on 30-of-44 passing and rushed for another score in a win over Kaimuki

Alex Muti, Konawaena — Scored on a 7-yard fumble return in a win over Kealakehe

Naia Nakamoto, Maui — Carried 19 times for 120 yards in a loss to Lahainaluna

Kaua Nishigaya, Iolani — Rushed for two touchdowns and caught another score in a win over Kaimuki

Skyler Ramos, Kamehameha — Caught four passes for 89 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Carson

Isaiah Ripley, Aiea — Scored on a 37-yard interception return in a win over Radford

Jerick Robinson, Kalani — Caught five passes for 161 yards in a win over McKinley

Rico Rosario, Waianae — Carried 18 times for 93 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Campbell

Teuaigaava Sagapolu, Kailua — Had two sacks in a win over Nanakuli

Rocky Savea, Kapolei — Had 10 tackles in a loss to Farrington

Jordan Solomon, Kaimuki — Passed for 295 yards and two touchdowns on 18-of-33 passing and rushed for two other scores in a loss to Iolani

Kyle Sudog, Radford — Had nine tackles, including one sack, in a loss to Aiea

Matai Suitonu, Radford — Scored on an 83-yard kickoff return in a loss to Aiea

Travis Tagad, Kalani — Caught five passes for 82 yards and two touchdowns in a win over McKinley

Thane Tanuvasa, Farrington — Returned a blocked punt 32 yards for a touchdown in a win over Kapolei

Seth Tina-Soberano, Kalani — Passed for 333 yards and three touchdowns on 15-of-21 passing and rushed 10 times for 75 yards and two other scores in a win over McKinley

Bishop Wickes, Baldwin — Rushed for 187 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries in a win over King Kekaulike

Thomas Yam, Kamehameha — Threw for 262 yards and three touchdowns on 11-of-16 passing in a win over Carson