72
KAILUA-KONA >> Farrington slightly — yet significantly — altered the postseason mantra of “win or go home” Friday night.
For the Governors, their state tournament opener became a case of win and go home.
Unlike last year, when Farrington’s season ended with a neighbor island trip, the Governors’ excursion to the Big Island on Friday yielded a 34-25 win over Kealakehe in the first round of the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Division I Football State Championship at Waverider Stadium.
Farrington’s running back duo of Tyler Taumua and Abraham Silva combined to rush for 317 yards and five touchdowns to carry the Governors into the state tournament semifinals.
“Basically our game plan was to stick to our bread and butter and just run the rock,” said Taumua, who finished with 171 yards and three touchdowns, including the clincher with 2:41 left in the game.
Silva ran for 108 of his 146 yards in the second half and scored twice after halftime as the Governors averaged 11.1 yards on their 20 rushing attempts in the second half behind their beefy offensive line.
“Workhorses,” Farrington coach Randall Okimoto said of the line. “It goes back to all the hard work they put in in the offseason and the time they spent together from way before their sophomore years. I think it shows it’s paying off.”
Farrington (10-2) is scheduled to return to Honolulu this afternoon after advancing in the tournament to face OIA Red champion Kahuku in the state semifinals at 7:30 p.m. next Friday at Aloha Stadium. Mililani plays Punahou at 4:30.
