Farrington fights through tragedies

There’s more to the singing of an alma mater now and then.

For most high schoolers, it’s something like required reading, except it’s something they’re supposed to sing as the bus pulls back onto campus after a game. The words take hold over time, with every speed bump as the bus nears the athletic department.

It’s repetition. It’s litany.

For the Farrington Governors, it’s something else. Practice makes perfect, no question. But there’s more. From the first word, the first note, the patient pace and rhythm make the pregame song different. It’s far different from what Gov Nation used to hear just four or five years ago, when the team sang the tune with a quicker, robust machismo — quite the same as most other teams from most other schools.

When the Governors sing their alma mater, it comes from a place that no boy or girl should have to experience at such a young age. The tenor and base blend together to tell a story that has a shared pain that goes beyond the lyrics. From Dayne Ortiz to Wesley Sula, two young Governors whose lives ended much too soon, to every player wearing maroon and white, to their managers and trainers to each coach, varsity and JV, this song is not just a song.

Listen just a bit closely, and there’s a heartbroken, yet unbending hope strewn through their collective voice. The Governors are no longer simply the Pride of Kalihi. They are, without a doubt, the Heart of Kalihi. There are scars, but the good news is that the wound is healing.

Each time the Governors have finished their alma mater this fall, there’s a soft buzz. Barely audible, but it’s there. The reaction is mostly stunned amazement that a group of young football players sing without the typical teenaged drone. It lasts for a second or two, then the applause follows. The Govs respond by playing elite football.

The only loss so far after five games in OIA Red play was a 31-28 defeat on the road at Mililani. Saturday’s matchup is at No. 5 Kapolei (5-1, 4-1 OIA Red), a team that throws the football even more than Mililani does.

With those three teams — Farrington, Kapolei and Mililani — having one league loss each, the final two weeks of the regular season are crucial. The top two finishers in the division will earn first-round byes in the OIA Division I playoffs, a chance to rest and heal from the pounding.

The third-place team will enter the OIA playoffs, which begin the week after the regular season closes on Oct. 1.

Sixth-ranked Farrington will not be at full strength, but there’s enough talent there to go toe-to-toe with the explosive Hurricanes. Challen Faamatau brings perhaps the most compelling combination of skills of any playmaker in the OIA. The senior has rushed for 645 yards (5.5 per carry) and 11 touchdowns, and both in the slot and out of the backfield, has hauled in 16 passes for 196 yards and three more TDs.

At 140.2 yards per game, Faamatau has few peers statewide, but he hasn’t matched last year’s production rate (163.5 yards per game). It hasn’t been as easy for him to slip away from defenses; in 2015, he gained 6.2 yards per rush.

The deep-ball prowess of Kingston Moses-Sanchez (30 catches, 484 yards, five TDs) is one way quarterback Justin Uahinui has made defenses pay for stacking the box against Faamatau. Uahinui has become entrenched as the starter in recent games. After splitting time for much of the season with Bishop Rapoza, Uahinui has played virtually every snap in the past three games. There has been no explanation regarding Rapoza’s demotion.

Farrington will need a boost from some of its two-way players, if they have any gas left in the tank after chasing Kapolei receivers on practically every down. Key defenders T.J. Tautolo and Iosefo Ah Ching have been productive when called into duty on the offensive side.

For Kapolei, the return of some previously injured offensive contributors — 285-pound running back Antoneo Brown, wide receivers Marquis Montgomery and Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala — is both a blessing and an adjustment midway through the season.

Sophomore QB Taulia Tagovailoa has picked defenses apart for the most part, racking up 1,894 passing yards and 20 TDs with only three interceptions.

Jaymin Sarono (59 receptions, 639 yards, 11 TDs) has been a perfect route-runner, setting the tone for a relatively young receiver corps. Wyatt Perez (26, 439, eight) and Isaiah Ahana (23, 290, one) are key parts of the attack now, and the increasing effectiveness of RB Josh Kansana has taken pressure off Tagovailoa.

Myron Amosa-Tagovailoa has been a key force for Kapolei’s defensive line, but a few missing pieces are still out with injury. Kailua exploited the ‘Canes interior at times last week, but Kapolei ultimately closed those gaps up in a 34-20 win.

TODAY’S GAMES

No. 2 Saint Louis (4-0, 3-0 ILH) at ‘Iolani (3-3, 0-3), 3:15 p.m. — Kamehameha gave the rest of the ILH renewed hope, perhaps, by making things difficult at times for Saint Louis. Tua Tagovailoa was sacked four times and hurried many more times. It’s the Crusaders defense that has raised its level of play.

The Raiders have scored at least 20 points against every team on its slate so far with one exception: a 49-7 loss to Saint Louis three weeks ago.

No. 8 Kamehameha (2-3, 1-2 ILH) vs. No. 3 Punahou (3-1, 2-1), Aloha Stadium, 7:30 p.m. — A rematch between the two storied programs is an opportunity for the Warriors to show, once again, that they’ve ascended as a defensive force. When the teams met three weeks ago, Punahou was overwhelming in a 56-14 win. Kamehameha wide receiver Jaykob Cabunoc returned from injury that night and played sparsely. He has become a consistent, sure-handed target for QB Thomas Yam. Cabunoc caught six passes for 117 yards against Saint Louis.

Punahou’s young, talented offensive line has held down the fort quite well. The Buffanblu average 54.8 points per game. Nick Kapule has passed for 1,267 yards and 17 TDs with just two interceptions.

No. 4 Waianae (6-1, 5-1 OIA Blue) at Campbell (3-3, 3-2), 7:30 p.m. — The Seariders have won three in a row since losing at Kahuku on Aug. 26. Through that stretch, they have permitted only 13 points, but going on the road to visit the Sabers may be fraught with peril. Campbell kept a lid on Moanalua during last week’s 12-6 double-overtime win.

Unlike Waianae’s past three opponents, Campbell may find more success and consistency on the ground. RB Tasi Faumui and the Sabers’ O-line came up big against Moanalua.

The Sabers did a number on Moanalua’s normally prolific passing game last week, including four picks.

No. 7 Mililani (4-1, 4-1 OIA Red) at Kailua (2-3, 2-3), 7:30 p.m. — Both teams have young first-year starters in key positions. Mililani’s Kailiohu Kia has established himself as a major breakaway threat, averaging more than 10 yards per carry (377 yards, five TDs). Kailua, meanwhile, is coming off a road loss at Kapolei, but continues to improve as RB-turned-QB Mark Lagazo gets more and more comfortable at the steering wheel.

The division’s top three teams — Farrington, Kapolei, Mililani — are vying for the top two spots and the accompanying first-round byes. The Trojans have a win over Farrington and a loss to Kapolei. The road won’t be easy for the Trojans, facing Kailua and Leilehua. They need wins over both teams to have their best chance at one of those top spots. Mililani has won the past four meetings; Kailua last defeated Mililani in 2003 in a playoff game at Aloha Stadium.

Damien (4-1, 2-0 ILH D-II) vs. St. Francis (2-2, 1-1), Aloha Stadium, 5 p.m. — The Monarchs are sitting atop the league’s D-II standings with two games left in the regular season. A win over St. Francis would clinch a spot in the championship game. QB Marcus Faufata-Pedrina continues to handle a heavy workload with efficiency. He has passed for 768 yards and 15 TDs with just four picks, and has rushed for 365 yards and four more TDs. Justice White and Deacon Kapea have also developed into reliable RBs in a run-first attack.

Tyson Shimabukuro exploded with his finest performance (170 yards, TD on 28 carries) as a running back last week in the Saints’ 30-27 win over Pac-Five. Wembley Mailei, one of the Saints playing both ways, ran for two TDs.

Waipahu (4-1, 3-1 OIA D-II) at Waialua (3-1, 3-1), 6 p.m. — The Marauders got back on the winning track against McKinley last week and took one more step toward a playoff berth. With games against Waialua, Kaimuki and Kalani, claiming one of those four playoff berths is far from automatic.

Braden Amorozo passed for 221 yards and two TDs in the win for Waipahu.

The Bulldogs have eked out close wins over Kalani and Roosevelt, and if not for an overtime loss to Kaimuki in the league opener, they would be unbeaten. Coach Lincoln Barit’s squad has enough of a ground game to borrow the Pearl City blueprint: move the chains, eat the clock and keep a dangerous Waipahu offense on the sideline as long as possible.

QB Tevesi Toia has passed for 631 yards and rushed for 189, averaging 205 yards of total offense per game.

Nanakuli (0-6, 0-5 OIA Red) at Castle (2-4, 1-4), 7:30 p.m. — The Golden Hawks and Knights have struggled against the bigger programs in OIA D-I, but their chance to reach the playoffs hinges on this matchup. Head-to-head is the first tiebreaker between two teams that finish in a regular-season tie. As Campbell showed last season, a one-win team during the regular season is more than capable of upsetting a higher seed — Kaiser — in the opening round.

Radford (0-6, 0-5 OIA Blue) at Aiea (2-4, 2-3), 7:30 p.m. — Aiea can clinch a playoff berth with a win over the Rams. Radford, which faces Campbell next week, needs to win its last two regular-season games to have a chance at reaching the playoffs. The Rams trail Kaiser in the chase for that sixth and final spot in the Blue.

McKinley (0-4, 0-3 OIA D-II) vs. Kaimuki (3-2, 3-1), Kaiser Stadium, 7:30 p.m. — The Bulldogs are in a three-way tie for second place, but looming close by is Kalani (2-2 in league play). The Falcons beat Kaimuki earlier in the season, which is one reason the Bulldogs want to keep a step ahead. They have Waipahu and Pearl City in the following two weeks.

Kalaheo (1-5, 1-4 OIA D-II) at Roosevelt (1-6, 1-5), 7:30 p.m. — Kalaheo is on the verge of being eliminated from playoff contention, while the Rough Riders close out the season with this home game.

Kealakehe (1-3, 1-1 BIIF) at Konawaena (3-1, 2-1), 7:30 p.m. — There was a time during the past decade when Kealakehe was the king of the BIIF hill, and scheduling Konawaena for preseason action — back when the league’s D-I and D-II teams played separate schedules — was low priority.

Now, the Waveriders would like nothing better than to topple their district rivals. Kealakehe is on a roll of sorts, with a narrow loss to defending league D-I champion Hilo and a stunning 3-0 win at Kamehameha-Hawaii over the past two weeks.

The Wildcats have regained their footing with consecutive blowout wins since a narrow loss to Hilo on the road.

Hilo (3-1, 3-0 BIIF) at Honokaa (2-2, 1-2), 7:30 p.m. — Even as the Vikings reload, Coach Kaeo Drummondo’s team finds a way to win the close games — quite possibly a residual benefit of winning BIIF titles and playing in state-tourney games during the past few years.

Since starting the season with two wins, one as a preseason contest, the Dragons have lost to KS-Hawaii and fell short, 13-12, against Keaau last week.

King Kekaulike (0-4, 0-4 MIL) at Kamehameha-Maui (1-4, 1-3), 7 p.m. — With last week’s 45-6 loss to Baldwin, Na Alii ended their scoreless drought.

The Warriors have lost three in a row since their last win, which was over King Kekaulike on Aug. 18.

SATURDAY’S GAMES

No. 1 Kahuku (5-1, 5-0 OIA Blue) at Moanalua (3-3, 2-3), 6:30 p.m. — Na Menehune did their part defensively in the 12-6 OT loss at Campbell last week. Moanalua came up with four interceptions.

Containing Kahuku’s smashmouth attack hasn’t been done in a long while by any team from the islands.

The Red Raiders lost offensive lineman Stennett Alapa for the season with an arm injury suffered in last week’s loss at Bishop Gorman (Nev.).

Waimea (2-2, 1-1 KIF) vs. Kapaa (5-0, 4-0), Vidinha Stadium, 2:30 p.m. — The Warriors are quietly producing one of their finest seasons in recent memory. They have shutouts in their last four outings, along with wins over D-I Maui and longtime MIL D-II powerhouse Lahainaluna.

Waimea’s offense has been largely dormant since a 51-0 wipeout of Waiakea to start the slate, but the Menehune did just enough in a 7-0 win over Kauai two weeks ago.

Lahainaluna (3-3, 2-2 MIL) vs. Maui (3-3, 3-1), War Memorial Stadium, 7 p.m. — The Lunas rebounded from a tough loss to D-I front-runner Baldwin by routing a dangerous KS-Maui team 35-7 last week. Thanks to their spiffy stadium, they’ve already played four home games, with at least two more on the slate. Lahainaluna lost at home to Maui 14-2 on Aug. 19.

The Sabers finished second to Baldwin in the MIL’s D-I first round.

Kamehameha-Hawaii (4-1, 2-1 BIIF) at Keaau (2-1, 2-1), 7:30 p.m. — Last week’s loss to D-I Kealakehe puts KS-Hawaii in a tight spot in the D-II standings with one-loss Konawaena. A win over Keaau would put KS-Hawaii in position to win the regular season outright, securing home-field advantage in the playoffs, by running the table at Konawaena and Hawaii Prep. No easy roads in the BIIF.

Keaau lost momentum with a lopsided loss at Waiakea two weeks ago, but stunned Honokaa on the road 13-12 last week. The Cougars may have been affected by the resurgence of football at nearby Pahoa, which is playing 8-man this fall, but at 2-1, the effects haven’t shown yet.

Waiakea (1-5, 1-4 BIIF) at Hawaii Prep (0-4, 0-3), 4:30 p.m. — Two decades ago, these programs battled for first place and the title of the BIIF. This is the second long bus ride in as many weeks for the Warriors, who lost at Konawaena last week 48-13. There’s always hope, though, via the league playoffs.