It was 23 years in the making, but the Farrington Governors not only posted a win over Damien, but moved one step closer to a state title.

Farrington came up with touchdowns on a kickoff return, a fumble return and an interception return to rally past Damien for a 48-26 win on Saturday night.

Sitani Mikaele rushed for 205 yards on 29 carries to power Farrington’s bread-and-butter smashmouth attack.

The win advanced OIA runner-up Farrington (7-3) into the semifinal round of the Division I bracket of the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Football State Championships. The Governors will meet OIA champion Waipahu on Saturday at the Marauders’ field.

Senior edge rusher Anelu Lafaele was a wild card, coming up with two sacks and rattling Damien’s passing game. His sack and forced fumble led to a return to the end zone by Heimana Richmond, opening the Governors’ lead to 22-14.

“They were trying to RPO off me, but they weren’t looking at me, so I read it and made the play. Their quarterback is a big kid. He’s a baller,” Lafaele said. “Waipahu is stars. They’ve got ballers, players who can make the play. We’ve got to come out there prepared and work as a team.”

Farrington’s balance — and strength in special teams — was difficult for a young Damien squad to match.

“Offensively, we started slow, but once we got moving, it jelled for us. Defense did a great job getting turnovers, and we scored on special teams. We’ve got our work cut out for us next week,” Farrington coach Daniel Sanchez said. “And our O-line did a great job.”

Jacob Talamoa was active as can be. The Farrington speedster returned a kickoff for a TD, ran for a TD and caught a TD pass. he also kicked two PATs.

“I just want to thank my heavenly father, Jesus Christ, and thank my O-linemen,” he said. “We’re going to play Waipahu and bounce back.”

Waipahu beat Farrington in the OIA final by the same score as Saturday’s game between the Govs and Monarchs, 48-26.

ILH champion Damien closed the season 8-4 overall. The Monarchs were ahead 14-6 with a chance to score again when the tide changed.

“I give my hat’s off to Farrington. You’ve got to give it to them. They came out and fought. I’m proud of my kids. We didn’t execute when we needed to,” Damien coach Anthony Tuitele said. “The game plan was to keep them one dimensional — to pass the ball. We were almost there until the pick-6. The turnovers were key.”

Everest Cole Rodriguez’s 98-yard interception return prevented Farrington from potentially falling behind by two scores. His pick-6 allowed the Governors to tie the game and seize momentum.

It was Farrington’s first win over Damien since 2000. The teams met just one time since, in 2007, a game that Tuitele played QB in. That game was a 14-all tie.

Wind was a factor at Cougar Stadium on Saturday, gusting to 20 mph from the mauka end zone to the makai side. The proved to be an advantage for Farrington’s ground-and-pound game.

Damien opened the game with a four-play, 60-yard touchdown drive. Tuifua found Dayton Savea on a 12-yard pass to the left corner of the end zone for a 7-0 lead.

Farrington quarterback MJ Moreno appeared to have wide receiver Talamoa open for a long completion, but the 20 mph tradewind held it up and it was deflected by the Monarchs. Moments later, Damien cornerback Pono Sales made a leaping interception near the sideline .

The Monarchs seemed to be on another scoring drive when Tuifua’s pass was picked off by Rodriguez near the goal line. He returned the ball 98 yards up the right sideline for a pick-6. After Farrington’s third illegal-procedure call of the game, the PAT was moved back 5 yards and Talamoa missed to the right.

Damien’s third possession proved fruitful. Tuifua had an astounding play in Farrington territory, completing a 13-yard pass with a pass rusher draped on him. He then rifled a 27-yard strike to Savea, splitting two Governors defenders for a 14-6 Damien lead with 1:57 left in the opening quarter.

Farrington appeared to score when Mikaele broke away from a scrum for an 8-yard TD run. He dove over a tackler at the goal line and landed in the end zone with the ground causing a fumble. However, instead of a touchdown, officials ruled a fumble and touchback after Damien recovered the ball.

One play later, Farrington’s Anelu Lafaele rushed off the edge untouched and sacked Tuifua, who lost the ball in the pocket. Richmond scooped up the pigskin and raced 18 yards to the end zone for a Governors touchdown. Mikaele then scored on the 2-point conversion, tying the game at 14 with 9:05 left in the first half.

With Mikaele and Farrington’s offensive line establishing control, Damien ganged up on him in the box. That opened things up for Moreno, who connected with Chansen Smith on a 28-yard bomb — with the wind at their backs — with 1:17 left in the first half. Mikaele’s wildcat keeper on the PAT opened the Governors’ lead to 22-14.

Damien ran into trouble on its final series of the first half. A bad snap on a punt led to a shank off the foot of Sylas Alaimalo, a punt of minus-5 yards. Farrington took possession at the Damien 29-yard line with 21.4 seconds left. Moreno scrambled for 11 yards before getting out of bounds with nine seconds left.

Talamoa lined up to kick a 35-yard field goal, which was wide left with 4.3 seconds left in the first half.

Mikaele had 15 carries for 82 yards by intermission.

After scoring two TDs on defense, the Govs opened the second half with an 81-yard kickoff return for a TD by Talamoa. The PAT was blocked by Micah Neizman, but the Govs had a 28-14 lead with 11:48 remaining in the third quarter.

An interception by Willis Lilly set up Farrington’s next scoring drive. Ikaika Kuaana-Lacno finished off the drive with a 14-yard gash up the middle, extending the lead to 34-14 with 6:30 left in the third stanza.

Tuifua again had trouble throwing into the wicked wind. Rodriguez picked off his pass in Damien territory, and three plays later, Talamoa scored on a 33-yard screen play. The Govs led 41-14 with 43.9 seconds to go in the third quarter.

Damien tacked on a TD on a 28-yard pass from Tuifua to Alaimalo, who leaped over two defenders on the high lob. One of the cornerbacks even gave Alaimalo a handshake for the athletic effort. Farrington’s lead was 41-20 with 8:48 remaining.

After scoring on a kick return and a reception, as well as a PAT kick, Talamoa added a 53-yard TD run. Lining up in a jumbo formation, he raced around right end untouched into the mauka end zone with 8:27 remaining.

The Monarchs added a 10-yard TD toss from Tuifua to Savea on fourth-and-goal with 4:42 to go.

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At Kaiser Stadium

Farrington (7-3) 6 16 19 7 — 48

Damien (8-4) 14 0 0 12 — 26

DMS—Dayton Savea 12 pass from AJ Tuifua (Samuel Kawakami kick)

FARR—Everest Rodriguez 98 interception return (kick failed)

DMS—Savea 27 pass from Tuifua (Kawakami kick)

FARR—Heimana Richmond 14 fumble return (Sitani Mikaele run)

FARR—Chansen Smith 28 pass from MJ Moreno (Mikaele run)

FARR—Jacob Talamoa 82 kickoff return (kick blocked)

FARR—Ikaika Kuaana-Lacno 14 run (run failed)

FARR—Talamoa 33 pass from Moreno (Talamoa kick)

DMS—Sylas Alaimalo 28 pass from Tuifua (pass failed)

FARR—Talamoa 53 run (Talamoa kick)

DMS—Savea 12 pass from Tuifua (pass failed)

RUSHING—Farrington: Mikaele 29-205, Talamoa 1-53, Kuaana-Lacno 7-52, Moreno 3-42, Team 1-(minus 2), Lauititi Liufau 1-(minus 4), Noah Spencer 2-(minus 5). Damien: Alaimalo 14-39, Tuifua 9-(minus 4), Savea 1-(minus 6), Team 1-(minus 6).

PASSING—Farrington: Moreno 5-13-1-87. Damien: Tuifua 21-42-4-262.

RECEIVING—Farrington: Talamoa 2-50, Smith 3-37. Damien: Savea 8-121, Chinen-Zablan 9-96, Alaimalo 3-38, Ian Sera 1-7.