Turnovers help Governors clinch playoff berth

Farrington's Peter Nethon (left) and A.J. Fernandez (right). Leighland Tagawa | SL

KALIHI — TJ Paleafei recorded two sacks and forced a fumble that led to the go-ahead touchdown in No. 15 Farrington's 19-14 win against visiting Waianae Friday night to clinch an Oahu Interscholastic Association Open tournament berth.

The Governors (2-5 overall, 2-2 OIA) trailed 14-13 at the end of three quarters before scoring with eight minutes, 43 seconds left on running back Raymond Millare's 10-yard run to cap homecoming festivities at Edward Skippa Diaz Stadium at Henry Kusunoki Field.

Kapolei (4-5, 1-3) and Waianae (1-6, 0-5) are eliminated from the postseason. Farrington's win against Kapolei on Sept. 6 gives the Governors the head-to-head tiebreaker regardless of the Hurricanes' outcome at Mililani on Oct. 5.

Following Millare's TD, the Seariders threatened on their ensuing series, but Paleafei jarred the ball loose from quarterback Shaydon Lopes with 5:55 left at the Farrington 36. Waianae did get the ball back with 2:18 left after a punt pinned the Seariders at their 4. Waianae eventually lost the ball on downs to preserve the Govs' lead.

Millare led the Governors with 122 yards rushing on 23 carries, while the Seariders were paced by running back Kolu Quisquirin-Sabagala, who packed the ball 25 times for a game-leading 161 yards, including a 54-yard TD run in the first quarter that gave his team a 7-0 lead at the half.

Farrington tied the game at 7 midway through the third on QB Darius Chaffin's 3-yard run.

The Governors took the lead with 3:45 left in the third when A.J. Fernandez returned a fumble 31 yards for a TD, but Samson Cook blocked the PAT to keep it 13-7.

Waianae regained the lead with 35 seconds left in the third on Lopes' 17-yard TD pass to Saege Ayala. Joshua Centeno-Cid's PAT gave the Seariders a 14-13 lead.

Farrington roared back with a nine-play, 82-yard drive that ended with Millare's 10-yard TD run for the go-ahead TD.

Farrington registered seven sacks — two each by Paleafei and Bu Kama-Toth — and had an interception by Abraham Tatupu on a fake punt by Waianae.