The Baldwin Bears don’t believe in too many details when it comes to facing a smashmouth offense.
They just operate with discipline and agility at the point of attack. In fact, the girth of Farrington’s "Bamboolas" offensive line couldn’t always halt the Bears from making some key stops in Friday’s 28-24 upset win over the Govs in the Division I quarterfinals of the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA State Football Championships.
Tyler Taumua rushed for 157 yards and four touchdowns, but the battle of power versus finesse gave Baldwin a pivotal stop in the second half.
Farrington had the ball and an 18-14 lead with 1:51 left in the third quarter. Another touchdown would put the state’s No. 2-ranked team at least two possessions ahead in a see-saw battle. With first down inside its 30-yard line, the visitors lined up in a pure power formation: a double-tight end set. Instead of normal tight ends, the Govs lined up two linemen, giving them seven all bunched together at the point of contact. That would be roughly 2,000 pounds of might.
Baldwin didn’t do anything radical defensively to counter, other than filling the box with eight defenders. The four down linemen were joined by linebacker Kaipo Lapenia-Lau (34), who remained upright on the edge. Three other linebackers crept toward the line just before the snap.
Left defensive tackle Miki Fangagua (6-foot-0, 242) practically jumped the snap, taking an initial hit from Farrington right guard Colin Kaalele (66), a 6-2, 361-pound junior, before penetrating through a tight split. He wasn’t alone. Right defensive tackle Izeah-Edward Fernandez Ruiz (63) also found a crease and was the first to disrupt the play in the backfield, forcing Taumua (21) to change direction.
As Taumua changed his plans, Fangagua stuck a paw out and popped the ball out of Taumua’s grasp. Defensive end Pasoni Tasini (66) was nearby, but it was outside linebacker Kaipo Lapenia-Lau (34), who had stayed home all the way through, who pounced on the loose ball for a key fumble recovery.
That was just one of several key plays by both teams, but this one helped Baldwin avoid a breakdown at a critical juncture. Skill, explosiveness and discipline is what helped the smaller Bears overcome a massive line that paved the way for the state’s top rusher.
