Until Saturday night, Waianae did not have much to show for in a disappointing football season. But sometimes, a homecoming atmosphere is all that’s needed for a team with a burning itch to succeed.
The Seariders came back from an early deficit to dump No. 10 Farrington 28-25 for their first victory of the fall. It wasn’t wrapped up until the last second ticked away. With nine seconds remaining, the Governors’ Raymond Millare was open down the left sideline at about the 15-yard line ready to corral a pass from Chris Afe-Alaivanu. He was open and nobody was ahead of him, but the ball slipped through his hands.
“I had it right in my hands, but I was thinking too hard and I dropped it,” said Millare, a big contributor all season for Farrington. “We would have gone home with a ‘W.’ ”
Waianae (1-5 1-3 OIA Open) came back from deficits of 6-0 and 12-6 to go ahead 15-12 at the half. Farrington (2-6, 1-3) took a 19-15 lead on Samsen Tanuvasa’s 10-yard, third-quarter TD run before the Seariders looked like they were going to run away with it on Kenneth Joseph Jr.’s 35-yard TD run and Eteuati Lui’s 17-yard TD reception from quarterback Shaydon Lopes. That made it 28-19 with 0:29 to go in the third quarter.
“It was a good win for these kids,” Waianae coach Walter Young said. “It brings their spirits up. They played hard to the end. Farrington’s a good team. They also played hard to the end and it was a battle to the very end — and we came out on top.”
Much of the fourth quarter went scoreless and the Seariders had a chance to wrap it up with less than three minutes to go, but could not convert on a fourth-and-1. With 2:37 left, the Govs got closer — at 28-25 — when Afe-Alaivanu tossed a 34-yard scoring strike to Millare.
After forcing Waianae to punt, Farrington picked up two first downs and nearly had the game-winner to Millare.
“It’s not easy to come into Waianae and win,” Govs coach Daniel Sanchez said. “They (the Seariders) did a helluva job and came to play. Shoot, if he (Millare) makes that catch, that’s 6. It happens, you know.”
Both teams remain in the race for an OIA playoff spot, so every game is vital now.
“This win means a lot with homecoming and everything,” the Seariders’ Joseph said. “We’re going to fight to the last second on the clock.”
GAME SUMMARY
Waianae 28, Farrington 25
At Waianae
>> Farrington (2-6, 1-3) 12 0 7 6 — 25
>> Waianae (1-5, 1-3) 6 9 13 0 — 28
Farrington — Samsen Tanuvasa 71 run (kick failed)
Waianae — Elijah Lujan 8 run (kick failed)
Farrington — Selau Kalani 11 run (pass failed)
Waianae — Safety; Farrington punt snap out of the back of end zone
Waianae — Shaydon Lopes 1 run (Kenneth Joseph Jr. kick)
Farrington — Tanuvasa 10 run (Andre Elijah Juan Cabuco kick)
Waianae — Joseph 35 run (run failed)
Waianae — Eteuati Lui 17 pass from Lopes (Joseph kick)
Farrington — Raymond Millare 34 pass from Chris Afe-Alaivanu (pass failed)
RUSHING — Farrington: Tanuvasa 14-141, Millare 11-39, Kalani 1-11, Afe-Alaivanu 9-7. Waianae: Lui 14-91, Joseph 6-49, Elijah Lujan 11-32, Lopes 5-10.
PASSING — Farrington: Afe-Alaivanu 8-23-0-61. Waianae: Kevin Poepoe 0-1-1-0, Lopes 6-10-1-68.
RECEIVING — Farrington: Millare 2-39, EJ Liua 2-20, Demetry Shoaf 1-5, Kalani 3-(minus-3). Waianae: Adonnis Puou 2-19, Joseph 2-8, Diesel Tuinei 1-24, Lui1-17.
* JV — Waianae 48, Farrington 26
