No. 12 Farrington runs over No. 15 Leilehua to clinch OIA playoff top seed


Sitani Mikaele (7) is greeted by Kingston Jennings (55) and Ikaika Kuaana-Lacno (21) in the end zone after rushing for one of his two touchdowns. Mikaele finished with 25 carries for 265 yards to beat Leilehua on homecoming night. Brandon Ching

KALIHI — Sitani Mikaele and Jacob Talamoa each exploded for a pair of touchdowns and No. 12 Farrington got defensive in their decisive 40-9 win over No. 15 Leilehua on homecoming night at Edward ‘Skippa' Diaz Stadium at Kusunoki Field Friday.

The Governors (5-2 overall, 4-2 league) conclude their regular season with a bang and wrap up the OIA Division I group A top seed and first round bye in the upcoming playoffs.

The Mules fell to 4-4 overall and 3-2 in league play.

Mikaele rushed for a season-high 265 yards on 25 carries and Talamoa added a rushing touchdown and caught three passes for 59 yards and another score.

The Govs' defense registered six tackle-for-losses led by a pair from Shannon Iosua-Talamoa who got a safety in the fourth quarter.

Everest Rodriguez had an interception and broke up five passes to lead the secondary.

Hanahano Plunkett threw for 159 yards on 16-of-37 passing and was picked off four times, twice by Zion Vea.

Talamoa got the Govs on the scoreboard after hauling a 45-yard pass from Noah Spencer.

Plunkett fumbled and Kilinahe Aki returned it the other way for six for a 12-0 lead after a missed PAT.

Flemister finished a five play, 51-yard scoring drive with a 6-yard touchdown to trail, 12-7.

MJ Moreno completed two 26-yard passes to Chansen Smith down to the 3 that set up Mikaele's 3-yard run and Talamoa ran it in for two for a 20-7 lead going into halftime.

Farrington capped a seven play, 70-yard drive on the ground with Talamoa's 10-yard run but Mikaele's two-point run was stopped short to make it, 26-7.

Leilehua scored its final points of the night off a safety after the snap went out-of-bounds on a punt attempt.

The Govs poured it on in the final seven minutes with a 34-yard touchdown run from Mikaele and Iosua-Talamoa sacked Plunkett in the end zone for a safety. Willis Lilly's 45-yard interception return with no time remaining ended the game.

Cole Northington rushed for 103 yards on 24 carries and Timothy Arnold caught a game-high eight passes for 128 yards in the loss.

Jordan Paredes and Vea each had seven total tackles and Aki added six for the Gov defense.

Matteus Ioane had 10 total tackles, one for a loss and a pass break up.

Leilehua concludes the regular season at No. 1 Kahuku (7-1 overall, 4-0 league) on Saturday, Oct. 14.



Reach Brandon Ching at [email protected].