There may be no rivalry that gets the blood going quite like this one.
When Kahuku and Farrington met a year ago in a regular-season clash, a full house at Ticky Vasconcellos Stadium saw the Governors pull out a 14-13 win. That ended the frustration of longtime Govs fans who had endured 12 consecutive losses to the Red Raiders — and 16 defeats in the previous 17 games.
That ecstasy came to a halt in the OIA Red title game with a decisive 23-0 victory by Kahuku. Then came the Govs’ opening-round loss at Baldwin in the state tourney, and the Red Raiders went on to capture the state crown.
If the Govs were hungry last year, it hasn’t been satisfied, not even with a 6-0 start this fall (4-0 OIA Red East). All eyes in Kalihi have pointed to this matchup Saturday at Aloha Stadium.
"We have a pep rally tonight. That’s the first time I can remember us having a pep rally at night," Farrington coach Randall Okimoto said. "It’s going to be another big crowd, an early championship-game kind of atmosphere."
The extra week of rest helped offensive lineman Mitchell Boyd (knee), who has been cleared to play. Boyd and the "Bamboolas" offensive line have dominated competition, paving the pathways for a lethal rushing attack while helping sophomore quarterback Montana Liana gain confidence.
Abraham Silva had just 16 carries against McKinley before last week’s bye. The league’s leading rusher (921 yards, 11 touchdowns, 8.7 yards per carry) has the luxury of resting up because of the strong return of Tyler Taumua.
Coming off an early-season shoulder injury, Taumua has built his strength up again and has three consecutive 100-yard games. The O-line will match up against a Kahuku defensive front that includes Tovia Tufaga, Lamone Williams, Siaumau Mapu and linebackers Johnny Tapusoa and Rashaan Falemalu.
The No. 1-ranked Red Raiders (5-0, 4-0 OIA Red East) have kept things simple offensively, so much so that there’s been hardly a rep with anything but handoffs to their running backs. Aofaga Wily opened the year with a 225-yard, three-touchdown performance against Punahou, but has surpassed 14 carries in a game just once since.
Farrington’s defensive front, led by Moto Heimuli, Renno Sagapolu, Breiden Fehoko, sets up plenty of play-making opportunities for linebackers Syndreck Dsio and Aisea Tavae, and cornerback Setefano Lavatai.
Here’s a look at this weekend’s matchups.
FRIDAY
No. 4 Mililani (5-1, 3-1 OIA Red West) at Aiea (3-3, 1-3 OIA Red West): In a division where, at one point, most teams seemed en route to 3-3 regular-season marks, the Trojans have emerged. Jarin Morikawa’s high-percentage, quick-release passing — the decision-making skills — are crucial to Mililani’s ball-control element and success. Morikawa, a second-team pick on the All-State team last year, has 1,370 passing yards and 16 touchdowns with just six picks.
Aiea’s swarming defense, led by Ualesi Sale, has been inhospitable to passing attacks. Na Alii will bend, but rarely break. Leilehua racked up 351 passing yards but just 15 points in a loss at Aiea. Campbell had just 37 passing yards against Na Alii a month ago.
No. 5 Saint Louis (3-3, 2-1 ILH) vs. No. 6 Kamehameha (4-2, 2-1 ILH), Aloha Stadium: Both teams need to win to stay in playoff contention. The Crusaders have found a quarterback gem in Ryder Kuhns, a sophomore who delivers as tight a spiral as quarterbacks coach Vinnie Passas. His emergence during the absence of Kawai Mook-Garcia (suspension, then injury) gives coach Matt Wright a good problem. Who should start in tonight’s critical battle?
Mook-Garcia is the more nimble of the two, and his passer rating (178.29) is actually higher. But Kuhns has evolved as a passer (11 touchdowns, four interceptions) and throws a tremendous deep ball.
Kamehameha had a similar dilemma early in the season before settling on Makoa Camanse-Stevens, who is on a roll with 10 touchdown strikes and zero interceptions.
Waipahu (2-4, 2-2 OIA Red West) at No. 7 Leilehua (4-2, 2-2 OIA Red West): The Mules’ blueprint this year, stout defense and ball-control passing offense, has been efficient and disciplined since the nonconference opener against Service (Alaska). Justin Jenks’ best back-to-back passing performances (577 yards, six touchdowns) against Kapolei and Campbell are promising, but his three interceptions were a factor in the loss to Campbell last week.
Whether it’s Kaimi Paredes or Kai Mercado-Aiona, Waipahu always has an able quarterback ready to run the double-slot option, setting up gargantuan plays to wide receiver Dylan Pakau (21 receptions, 558 yards, seven touchdowns).
No. 8 ‘Iolani (4-2, 1-2 ILH) vs. Damien (3-3, 0-3 ILH), Aloha Stadium: Go back to Oct. 14, 2006, Monarch fans, for Damien’s last win over the Raiders. Kama Bailey rushed for 220 yards and two touchdowns in a 14-10 win at Eddie Hamada Field. Since then, it’s been all black and red. But this is a different Damien team. Syles Choy (840 passing yards, seven touchdown passes) and Kyle Sato (456 rushing yards, 5.5 per carry) give the Monarchs’ balanced attack a spark.
The Raiders have one consistent thread going back to ’10, however. In the past three games with Damien, they’ve had at least one rusher with at least 97 yards (Kody Mento, Jordan Lee, Ammon Baldomero). They still have Reece Foy, who passed for 220 yards and four touchdowns in the last matchup.
No. 9 Campbell (5-2, 3-2 OIA Red West) at Kapolei (3-3, 1-3 OIA Red West): The Hurricanes can still eke out a playoff berth, but it’ll take a reversal of the recent downswing (outscored by Leilehua and Mililani 92-0). In the wacky Red West, anything is possible. Jacob Kukahiko opened conference play with 217 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 28 attempts. But in the past two games, he’s had just 13 carries for 44 yards.
Campbell took the pressure off quarterback Justin Tago-Su‘e and gave Paul-Andrew Rhoden his heaviest workload of the season, 18 carries, 108 yards and a touchdown, in last week’s stunning 35-34 overtime win over Leilehua.
Radford (6-0, 5-0 OIA White) at Kaiser (5-2, 5-1 OIA White): Rams linebacker Mana Kakiva was a tormentor in last week’s 30-0 win over Kalani. He had three of his team’s six sacks against Kalani’s run-and-shoot offense. Meanwhile, Cody Lui-Yuen continued to show flashes of brilliance despite his youth, passing for 320 yards and two touchdowns.
Kaiser’s run-and-shoot has an able slinger in Makana Lyman (1,362 yards, 12 touchdowns). The Cougars won’t hesitate to hand the ball to monster linebacker Fitou Fisiiahi, a 6-2, 240-pound bruiser who doubles at running back.
Kai Gonda, Kaiser’s jack-of-all-trades, could also line up as their wildcat quarterback.
Radford’s versatile running back, Chris Jackson, had 237 yards from scrimmage against Kalani.
Pearl City (3-4, 3-3 OIA White) at Waialua (0-6, 0-4 OIA White): After a rocky start — 20 points in three games — the team in purple is on scoring tear with 45.5 points per game since. Brock Teixeira has found his groove and now has 1,215 passing yards and 17 touchdowns despite missing the first two games.
He has plenty of weapons, from Daicorri Briscoe (27 receptions, 560 yards, five touchdowns) to Tanner Tokunaga (36-527-4) to Isaac Amorin (24-513-9).
Kailua (2-4, 2-2 OIA Red East) vs. McKinley (2-4, 1-3 OIA Red East), Ticky Vasconcellos Stadium: The beauty of the OIA format is that it’s not about how you start, which is good news for a Kailua squad that could finish strong. The Surfriders picked up win No. 2 against Castle last week without running back Jarrin Young, who rushed for 266 yards and four touchdowns the week before against Kaimuki.
The Tigers have plenty of rock solid defense against the run, led by junior linebacker Mathias Tuitele-Iafeta.
Roosevelt (0-5, 0-5 OIA White) at Nanakuli (3-2, 3-2 OIA White): The Golden Hawks can take another step toward a playoff berth by taking care of business against the Rough Riders. Chazz Troutman leads all quarterbacks in rushing and his 247-yard, three-touchdown outburst against Kalani three weeks ago is among the best of all rushers.
Hilo (3-2, 2-1 BIIF) at Keaau (0-5, 0-3 BIIF): Junior Drew Kell leads the Vikings in passing — 405 yards in a loss to Kealakehe — and rushing.
Hawaii Prep (2-4, 2-2 BIIF) at Honokaa (3-3, 2-2 BIIF): Ka Makani running back Bobby Lum has been a bright spot. He had 97 yards on 19 carries against Konawaena last week and is among the top rushers in the state with 532 yards (7.1 per attempt).
Lahainaluna (5-0, 4-0 MIL) at King Kekaulike (0-5, 0-4 MIL): The Lunas have yet to allow a point in league play, buoyed by mainstays like Hercules Mata‘afa up front. Two-way standouts Semisi Filikitonga (DL/RB) and Kiko Kohler-Fonohema (QB/S) are part of a strong senior class. Kohler-Fonohema passed for 123 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Maui last week.
SATURDAY
Kamehameha-Hawaii (7-0, 4-0 BIIF D-II) at No. 10 Konawaena (6-1, 4-0 BIIF D-II): The 115-mile trek from Keaau to Kealakekua won’t help the visiting Warriors, especially if they spend most of the night chasing down receivers. Kahoali‘i Karratti (1,709 passing yards, 26 touchdowns) has the second-best passer rating in the state and a vast arsenal of weapons to choose from.
KS-Hawaii won’t lack confidence. Dan Lyons’ team blanked Konawaena in their last meeting, 28-0, on Sept. 10, 2011. This time, the Warriors go to running backs Faaolaina Teofilo and Shaun Kagawa to keep Air Karratti off the field.
Castle (0-6, 0-4 OIA Red East) vs. Kaimuki (0-7, 0-5 OIA Red East), Ticky Vasconcellos Stadium: A win keeps playoff hopes alive for the victor.
Kalaheo (3-3, 3-2 OIA White) vs. Kalani (3-3, 3-2 OIA White), Kaiser Stadium: This is a crucial matchup for playoff leverage. The Falcons have struggled against the run, which is Kalaheo’s preference. Nanakuli’s Chazz Troutman and Radford’s Chris Jackson had career games against the Falcons. But the Mustangs had trouble against Pearl City last week, and Kalani will bring its four-wide attack with quarterback Noah Brum (1,062 yards, eight touchdowns).
Kapaa (3-1, 1-1 KIF) at Kauai (5-1, 2-1 KIF), Vidinha Stadium: It’s been musical chairs in the KIF, where defending champ Kapaa has beaten Kauai and lost to Waimea. The Warriors dominated the Red Raiders 43-14 three weeks ago.
Kealakehe (5-1, 3-0 BIIF D-I) vs. Waiakea (2-4, 1-2 BIIF D-I), Wong Stadium: Giuseppe Zapataolive, who normally plays wide receiver, became the latest Waverider to enjoy the onslaught of a massive, run-first offensive line. Zapataolive rushed for 193 yards and two touchdowns, and also caught a scoring pass in last week’s win at Keaau.
Maui (2-3, 2-2 MIL) at Kamehameha-Maui (1-4, 1-3 MIL): The Warriors get a chance for redemption against the Sabers. Maui won their first matchup 10-7 on a 1-yard touchdown run by Moana Vainikolo with 18 seconds left in that battle on Aug. 24.
Ka‘u (0-4) at Kohala (0-4): Forfeited by Kohala.
