Farrington vs. Kahuku
RED CHAMPIONSHIP
Today, 7:30 p.m. Aloha Stadium, OC 16
On paper: Their last meeting, a 14-13 win by Farrington before a full house at Roosevelt field, had as much to do with Farrington’s defensive prowess as Kahuku’s kicking game. Bad long snaps led to a botched field-goal opportunity in the first half, and a blown PAT in the second.
Despite the loss, that game marked the comeback of Aofaga Wily, who rushed for 136 yards on 24 carries after enduring injury issues through the first half of the season.
Though Wily was an All-State first-team pick last year, his counterpart in maroon has garnered more headlines this fall. Tyler Taumua is on pace for a 2,000-yard season. The junior, who had injury issues of his own last season, has accumulated 1,605 yards and 16 touchdowns. His one-cut-and-explode ability is a perfect fit for the Govs’ offensive line, a.k.a. “The Bamboolas,” who specialize in power blocking with rarely a toss sweep or screen pass to meddle with.
Farrington (10-0) averages 275 rushing yards per game, but the connection between first-year starting quarterback Travis Tamapua and receiver Toma Barrett has only gotten better since midseason.
The skinny: Barrett is practically the lone target in Farrington’s West Coast offense and play-action schemes, going up against a talented Kahuku secondary that limited explosive Leilehua to seven points last week.
Kahuku’s devotion to smashmouth football worked well against the rest of the OIA Red East, but it may have come at the cost of developing the passing game. Viliami Livai was 3-for-14 with two picks in the loss to Farrington, but there is a wealth of athletic receivers to work with.
As for the kicking-game issues, Kahuku coach Reggie Torres believes they’re a thing of the past.
“Our snapper took it hard. I told him, ‘You can finish your career only thinking of that snap or work hard on it. Get back on the saddle.’
“He hasn’t had a bad snap since.”
X factor: Kahuku’s Kawehena Johnson scored on a 92-yard pick-6, and on a 2-yard bootleg in the first meeting.
“No. 7, they had him on both sides of the ball,” Farrington coach Randall Okimoto recalled. “He’s a threat. I don’t see them wavering on their game plan, but you never know.”
Campbell vs. Leilehua
RED THIRD PLACE
Saturday, 6 p.m. at Leilehua
On paper: Their previous meeting resulted in a 32-13 win for the Mules, limiting Campbell to 88 passing yards. The rematch will again be at Hugh Yoshida Stadium. Unlike years past, when November brought torrential rain and lakes of mud to the field, the synthetic turf will permit both teams to use their four-wide offenses to the maximum.
The Sabers (8-2) scored as much on Farrington last week (24 points) as any team had, but dropped passes cost them at least two more touchdowns. Coach Amosa Amosa’s defense is rock-solid, while his run-and-shoot offense has actually been highly productive on the ground (nearly 120 yards per game).
Leilehua senior Kenan Sadanaga has piled up huge stats (33 touchdowns, 17 interceptions) while his receiver corps has matured. Jeremiah Andrade has 10 touchdown receptions despite missing two games (concussion).
The skinny: The first game with Campbell proved to be a key lesson for the Mules (8-1), who lost receiver Mikhal Peyton and safety Russell Siavii to ejections and subsequent one-game suspensions.
“That just showed that we can’t leave any doubt out there. Just play the right way and not do anything questionable,” interim Leiliehua head coach Mark Kurisu said.
The Mules have moved on quickly since last week’s 9-7 loss to Kahuku.
“It’s like every game. It’s a 24-hour rule. Address the corrections and move on. Living in the past is not going to help you for the future,” Kurisu said.
The Sabers continue to rotate Justin Tago-Su‘e and Isaac Hurd at quarterback, resulting in 19 touchdown passes with just 10 picks. Their favorite target remains Keoni Piceno (36 receptions, eight touchdowns), though Aries Pihi, Amosa Amosa Jr., and B.J. Halmos get plenty of touches on short routes.
X factor: Tim Momiyama (six field goals) has touchback-range on kickoffs, giving Leilehua a consistent advantage in field position. Campbell missed all three of its PAT attempts in the loss to Farrington.
Waipahu vs. Pearl City
WHITE CHAMPIONSHIP
Today, 4:30 p.m. Aloha Stadium, OC 16
On paper: Two high-octane, run-and-shoot offenses could combine for 21 points in a matter of minutes, right? When these teams met a month ago, Pearl City (9-1) escaped with a 13-8 win.
The Chargers’ prolific attack — 335 yards per game — managed just 203 yards against Waipahu’s defensive wall. The good news that night at Bino Neves Stadium was a Chargers defense that picked off Waipahu slinger Drake Yoshioka twice and limited one of the division’s top rushers, Gregorio Alip, to 66 yards (3.7 per carry).
“We squandered three or four scoring opportunities in the red zone,” Pearl City coach Kai Kamaka said. “One thing that really pops out — we weren’t efficient, had some missed reads. Kaimi (Paredes) missed a couple open receivers. He knew he had locked in. He’s grown over the season, getting more and more mature and confident in his decisions. He started with six interceptions, and in the last six or so games, only two.”
The elusive junior is a playmaker who has 25 touchdown passes and is also Pearl City’s leading rusher. Daicorri Briscoe, a junior speedster, has 31 receptions for 511 yards and six touchdowns. Kelson Laboy (nine touchdown catches) has benefitted from defensive game plans that shadow Briscoe.
The skinny: Alip’s rushing output has eased since a midseason injury and Waipahu coach Eric Keola’s adherence to the four-wide principles of the run and shoot. But the Marauders (7-3) have gone more smashmouth recently.
“I’m expecting them to go more big ball,” Kamaka said of Waipahu’s recent I-formation sets.
Middle linebacker Wesley Nagaseu, a 5-foot-11, 240-pound junior, has become a bruising lead blocker. Defensive back Tydro Ate-Taito (5-8, 190) has become the tailback in the new smashmouth attack.
“They ran it against Kaimuki and they pound it inside,” Kamaka added. “When Alip rotates in, they’re more in a passing formation.”
In the win over Kaimuki, Alip, Ate-Taito and Nagaseu combined for 158 rushing yards with a touchdown each.
X factor: The Chargers don’t see a lot of 240-pound fullbacks, which makes this matchup intriguing.
