Jacob McEnroe catches a pass to bring Farrington just inside the goal line in the first half. Evan Asato | SL

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Kahuku's Hiapo McCandless stiff arms defenders as he makes his way down the field. Evan Asato | SL

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Farrington's Sanele Lavatai rushed for 113 yards with two touchdowns on the night. Evan Asato | SL

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Farrington's Sanele Lavatai rushed for 113 yards with two touchdowns on the night. Evan Asato | SL

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Thu, Oct 3, 2013 @ Aloha Stadium [ 7:00 pm ]

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Kahuku

7

Farrington

21

Final	1	2	3	4	T
Kahuku (6-5-0)	0	0	0	7	7
Farrington (9-4-0)	7	7	0	7	21

• Pass
• Rush
• Rec

Montana Liana 104 yd

Tuli Wily-Matagi 60 yd

Sanele Lavatai 113 yd 2 TD

Polikapo Liua, Jr. 26 yd 1 TD

Derrick Chaffin 29 yd

Kuuliko Carvalho 57 yd

HALAWA – The United States might be under a government shutdown, but that didn’t stop the Farrington Governors from doing their thing in a 21-7, win against the two-time defending state champions at Hawaiian Airlines Field on Thursday night.

Farrington, ranked ninth in this weeks’ ScoringLive/OC 16 Division I Power Rankings, improved to 6-2 overall, and an unblemished 6-0 record in the Red East.  The fifth-ranked Red Raiders dropped to 5-3 and 5-1. 

“Kahuku is a well-respected program; they’re well coached,” said Farrington coach Randall Okimoto.  “Anytime you can beat Kahuku it’s like a feather in the cap.”

The win locks Farrington as the number one seed out of the Red East giving them a first round bye in the OIA Red playoffs that starts next weekend.  This is the Govs' third Red East title ever since the OIA separated the Red division into East and West in 2002.  Kahuku finishes with the second seed out of the Red East, and also receives a first round bye.

“Everything came into focus right at this game,” explained Okimoto.  “Every week we’re getting better and better; it just came into fruition (in the) last game of the regular season.”

Farrington used a balanced game plan to garner 231 yards of total offense, totaling 127 yards on the ground and 104 through the airwaves.  Leading the ground attack for the Govs was senior running back Sanele Lavatai, who rushed 27 times for 113 yards and two scores.

“Thanks to God first,” said Lavatai.  “It was great; I couldn’t have done it without my offensive lineman (and) my fullback.  We just came out strong.”

Complementing the run game was junior quarterback Montana Liana who completed sixty percent of his passes for 104 yards.  Liana made several key throws to extend some drives, as well as showing great awareness and presence in the pocket.

“He worked so hard in the offseason,” said Okimoto on his signal caller.  “You can how much he wanted it tonight.  That’s what happens when you put all that work in, and you invest in improving yourself and your game.  Tonight showed that he’s a leader out there, a field general; someone who we’re not afraid to put the game on his’ shoulders.

Defensively the Governors were stout all night, only giving up 148 yards of total offense.  The Govs’ forced Kahuku into eight, three-and-out situations.  Linebacker Pumba Williams had an interception at the end of the first half and defensive lineman Motu Heimuli had a big sack to force a punt that led to a Farrington scoring drive.

“They were excited to play the game; they understood the game plan and they took it to heart,” said Okimoto on the defense.  “That’s probably what we’re happiest about the most; now it becomes a total team win.”

The Governors established their ground game early on in the game with a 72-yard, 14-play drive that milked six minutes and three seconds off the game clock.  Liana completed four of five passes for 39 yards and capped the drive with his one yard quarterback sneak for a score.  Kekoa Sasaoka’s PAT was good and the Governors had the lead, a lead they would not relinquish.

Two drives later, Farrington got the ball back in good field position thanks to a sack by Heimuli who dropped Kahuku quarterback Tuli Wily-Matagi at the Kahuku one yard line.  After a punt, the Governors got it back at the Red Raider 30-yard line and went three plays in 39 seconds for a score.  Liana completed two consecutive passes -- a 10-yard dig route to Derrick Chaffin, a 19-yard corner pass to Jacob McEnroe -- to set up Lavatai’s one yard plunge and score with nine minutes and 51 seconds remaining in the first half.  Sasaoka’s kick was good and Farrington had a 14-0 that they would take into the break.

Neither team could get anything going on offense the rest of the first half as both teams traded punts and turnovers to close the second quarter.  Kahuku was held to only 26 yards of total offense in the first half.

The third quarter was almost a mirror image of the second quarter until about the one minute mark when Kahuku started to found their groove.  Facing a 3rd and nine situation from their own 33-yard line, Wily-Matagi pumped fake and then fired a 28-yard strike to receiver Kuuliko Carvalho down the right sideline for a first down.  That pass reception was Wily-Matagi’s first completed pass after starting the game throwing seven straight incompletions.  Eight plays later, running back P.J. Liua danced his way in for a 5-yard touchdown run.  Liua’s scoring run capped off an 11-play, 68-yard drive that took three minutes and 51 seconds off the clockl.

Things seemed like they would swing the Red Raiders’ way when they forced the Govs into a three-and-out situation on the ensuing possession, but the offense could not get another score and the Govs were able to come away with a homecoming victory.  Lavatai scored a late touchdown run to pad the lead after Kahuku turned it over on downs at their own 20-yard line.

“For us, we got to celebrate real short because now it’s a new season,” said Okimoto.  This is just for seeding.  It’s a great win, but at the same time, I’m sure we have bigger goals.  We cannot think that our season is over because we beat Kahuku.  It’s a stepping stone for us and hopefully we can build on this win.”