Governors roar back

Farrington talked itself into its first win of the season.

The Governors pulled off some sort of miracle to get into overtime without any semblance of an offense, and once they got there they finished the job for a 20-14 win over Castle on Saturday night.

The host Black Knights, who lost in overtime to Kailua the week before, moved the ball 1 yard in the extra period before summoning kicker Kyle Urasaki for a 36-yard field goal. Urasaki got a good snap and hold, but the kick fluttered harmlessly into the back of the end zone.

Referees waited a second before throwing a flag and calling roughing the kicker on a Farrington player who crashed into the holder just after Urasaki’s foot struck leather.

New life, right? Nope.

Govs coach Randall Okimoto immediately called timeout and lobbied the referees for a tip, saying he saw Dayne Ortiz tip the ball. Once the timeout expired, referees gathered at the 10-yard line, where Castle was supposed to have it. The man in charge waved the flag over his head, saying that Farrington did indeed tip it and would get the ball at the 20.

"I (saw) it, the flight of the ball changed," Okimoto said. "It was a hell of an effort and that’s the reason why I called the timeout."

Farrington running back Sanele Lavatai covered 15 yards after order was restored, then covered 10 more after a false start for a touchdown.

Castle’s Colby Kruse met him at the goal line, but there was no denying a kid who came in as Farrington’s leading rusher.

"It’s heartbreaking to have the officials rule one way and then reverse it," Castle coach Nelson Maeda said. "That is very demoralizing, that is tough. But that’s the call."

Trailing 14-0, Roger Boyd broke the ice for Farrington in the fourth quarter when Chaffin hit Enele Scanlan for 34 yards and jogged to the bench in favor of Boyd. Boyd had come in to play quarterback previously with not much success, but this time he followed a wall of blockers on a sweep right to make it 14-7 after Kekoa Sasaoka’s extra-point kick was good.

The Governors, who played without starting quarterback Montana Liana, still didn’t have anything on offense after that, but it didn’t matter. Farrington’s defense kept Castle at bay long enough to get a break with 3:15 left.

The Governors forced the Knights into a third and 12 from their own 33 when the ball was snapped right through quarterback Stephen Lee’s legs in the shotgun. Lee backtracked to find it, but was too late. Farrington linebacker Titus Lave found the treasure at the 18, picked it up and shook off Lee on his way to the end zone.

Castle took advantage of Farrington’s anemic offense with a touchdown on its third possession.

Farrington started that drive with successive sacks on Lee by Aaron Kesi and Motu Heimuli, but Heimuli’s hit drew a personal foul. Lee then hit Urasaki for 39 and 20 yards to get the ball down to the 1-yard line.

The Governors defense scared Castle into trying to pass on third down, and Joseph Lilio made a difficult catch off his shoulder. Ryan Mohika converted the extra point for Castle.

Late in the half, Castle got the ball in Farrington territory, starting at the 26.

Sonny Oana took an inside handoff 12 yards and Lee followed it up with an 8-yard touchdown pass on a fade to Urasaki. Mohika’s extra-point kick was good for the 14-point lead.