The Farrington football team seems to have adopted the "scary but fun" approach of late.

Tyler Taumua scored on a 1-yard run with 7 seconds remaining as the Governors survived a major scare by beating Mililani 25-20 in an Oahu Interscholastic Association Red Conference quarterfinal game Friday night at Roosevelt.

"That’s what we’ve been doing all season," Farrington coach Randall Okimoto said. "What they did in the second half is what they’ve done all year."

Mililani led 20-6 before Farrington got it going in the third period. Travis Tamapua scored on a 2-yard quarterback keeper with 3:45 left and Taumua’s 31-yard run up the middle with 1:34 left made it 20-18.

On the game-winning drive, Farrington drove 85 yards on 13 plays. Taumua took a handoff and angled in off the left side of the end zone. Quan Ho’s PAT made it 25-20.

"We just stayed strong and had faith in God and we came through," said Taumua, a junior who had 23 carries for 164 yards.

Farrington (9-0), ranked No. 1 in the Star-Advertiser’s Top 10 poll, had beaten its first four OIA Red East opponents by an average of 42.8 points before edging Kahuku 14-13 on Oct. 1, and toppling Moanalua 28-24 on Oct. 7.

"The last three games we almost lost, but came back after halftime," Farrington receiver Toma Barrett said. "We just wanted it more. It’s scary but fun. We love the challenge."

Farrington will play the winner of today’s Campbell-Aiea game in the semifinals next Friday at Aloha Stadium.

Mililani quarterback Jarin Morikawa was on fire in the first half. He completed 18 of 26 passes for 253 yards and three first-half touchdowns by throwing accurately into the flats and on the occasional vertical route.

Morikawa’s favorite target in the first half was Deshawn Duncan-Benson, who caught eight passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns.

"We have to be confident to cover their receivers," Okimoto said. "We needed to get a little closer. We gave too much cushion and we have to give credit to the quarterback and the receivers made so many great catches."

On the game’s opening possession, Mililani (4-6) drove 73 yards on seven plays, capped by Morikawa’s 3-yard pass to Duncan-Benson with 8:30 remaining.

Mililani’s defense forced a punt and the offense drove 67 yards on eight plays, with Morikawa’s 7-yard scoring strike to Duncan-Benson making it 14-0 with 2:48 left.

Farrington cut the deficit to 14-6 on a 28-yard pass from Tamapua to Barrett with 9 seconds left in the first period. Barrett made the catch in the end zone despite defensive pass interference.

The Trojans made it 20-6 on a 14-yard pass from Morikawa to Kaimi Wilson with 5:12 left before halftime.

Farrington blew a couple of scoring opportunities in the final minute of the first half.

The Governors had the ball at the Trojans’ 14 after a 39-yard punt return by Setefano Lavatai and horse-collar tackle penalty on Mililani. Two plays later, Mililani’s Bronson Kauleinamoku-Chun picked off a pass in the end zone and returned it to the 4.

The Trojans had 28 seconds on the clock and tried to take a knee, but the center-quarterback exchange was botched and Farrington recovered at the 5. After two running plays, Mililani’s Jonathan Makaiau had a sack as the final seconds ticked away.

In a rainy second half, Mililani’s Morikawa threw for only 65 yards. Meanwhile, the Governors took over with their punishing running game. Taumua gained 131 of his yards in the second half.

At Farrington