A minor misstep wasn’t enough to derail a resilient Farrington team that marched into Castle’s home grounds and left with a 24-20 win on Friday night.
“Tough win. Castle is a tough team,” Farrington coach Daniel Sanchez said. “It was an ugly win, there’s a lot for us to improve on. But I’m glad we got the victory. We can get better next week and get ready for the next one.”
The Governors trailed for less than five minutes throughout the game, but made the game exciting with a last-minute game-winning drive to move above .500 for the season.
Ikaika Kuaana-Lacno was the hot hand out of the Farrington running back stable. He carried the ball 20 times for a game-high 80 yards.
“We have a bunch of backs that can run,” Sanchez said. “And whoever gets hot, we’re going to go with them.”
The first quarter was quiet, with neither team able to reach the end zone. Both special teams units starred, with three of the first four drives starting inside the attacking team’s own 5-yard line.
After an early turnover in the second quarter, the points started coming in bunches. Farrington returned a punt to the Castle 1-yard line but fumbled. A Knights player recovered but fumbled as well. Kilinahe Aki recovered the loose ball in the end zone for a Governors touchdown.
The touchdowns that followed were scored through more conventional means. Castle quickly recovered from its mistake, with Daunte Ching launching the ball for a 59-yard touchdown to Coby Tanioka. Farrington kept the run of touchdowns alive on its next drive, which lasted six plays and was capped by Kuaana-Lacno’s goal-line carry.
Castle tied the score 14-14 on its first possession of the second half. The seven-play scoring drive was boosted by Ching’s 52-yard completion to Xavier Kekahuna. On the next play, Tanioka carried the ball into the end zone from 3 yards out.
The Knights had a chance to take their first lead of the game after recovering Farrington’s muffed kickoff return, but their drive stalled on the Farrington 25-yard line. Instead, it was the Governors who reclaimed the lead. Following an 11-play drive, Jason Felipe’s 42-yard field-goal attempt sailed through the uprights, making it 17-14 Governors.
With a chance to extend the lead late, Farrington QB Chansen Smith’s swing pass was intercepted by Castle’s Jesse Reppuhn, who returned it 39 yards for seven points and the Knights’ first lead of the game with 4:30 left to play. The kick was blocked, leaving the score 20-17 Castle.
The lead wouldn’t last long, as Smith bounced back to lead the Governors on an 11-play game-winning drive that drained nearly four minutes off the clock. He extended the drive with a big 13-yard scramble on fourth down, then found Kuaana-Lacno for a 17-yard touchdown pass, which proved to be the game-winner.
“My coach was telling me to keep my head up,” Smith said. “Stop getting frustrated. Just believe in him, believe in my coaches, and they believe in me.”
“That’s one thing that’s great about being young. You forget about your mistakes quickly and you look forward to the next play,” Sanchez added. “He kept playing, he didn’t get down. He’s improving week by week, and he’s getting it done.”
—
FARRINGTON 24, CASTLE 20
At Castle
Farrington (4-3, 2-1) 0 14 3 7 — 24
Castle (1-5, 1-2) 0 7 7 6 — 20
Farr—Kilinahe Aki fumble recovery (Jason Felipe kick)
Cast—Coby Tanioka 59 pass from Daunte
Ching (Laakela Miner-Quidachay kick)
Farr—Ikaika Kuaana-Lacno 1 run (Felipe kick)
Cast—Tanioka 3 run (Miner-Quidachay kick)
Farr—FG Felipe 42
Cast—Jesse Reppuhn 39 interception return (kick blocked)
Farr—Kuaana-Lacno 17 pass from Chansen Smith (Felipe kick)
RUSHING—Farrington: Kuaana-Lacno 20-80, Smith 6-27, Kamakana Tisalona-Perez 1-27, Zechariah Molitau 2-23, Keona Taba 3-21, TEAM 1-(minus 1). Castle: Ching 14-45, Xavier Kekahuna 2-19, Tanioka 5-6, Ezekiel Totten 5-4, Chayse Nakayama-Hose 1-(minus 2).
PASSING—Farrington: Smith 6-13-1-98. Castle: Ching 13-22-0-235.
RECEIVING—Farrington: Tisalona-Perez 3-66, Kuaana-Lacno 2-25, Molitau 1-7. Castle: Tanioka 8-151, Kekahuna 1-52, Zayden Uyemura 1-14, Nathaniel-Seth Rombawa 2-12, Nathaniel Medina 1-6.
