Time to dig in when these two meet

When two traditionally smashmouth football teams meet, it shouldn’t come down to this.

It probably will, though. When No. 5 Kahuku meets unranked Farrington on Thursday night under the bright lights of Aloha Stadium, it will come down to the precision and poise of underclassmen at quarterback.

Kahuku (5-2, 5-0 OIA Red East) has rolled to four wins in a row even with a shoulder injury to tailback Soli Afalava. Hiapo McCandless has filled in nicely in two games since: 30 carries, 145 yards, two touchdowns.

Fullback Polikapo Liua Jr. has anchored the attack as a ferocious lead blocker and leading rusher (394 yards, nine touchdowns).

But when — not if — teams stuff the box with nine defenders, as McKinley did two weeks ago, quarterback Tuli Wily-Matagi has been ready. The 6-foot-4 sophomore passed for 238 yards and three touchdowns without a pick against the Tigers. He added three more scoring strikes against Kailua last week. Take away the fullback dive and the option, Wily-Matagi will utilize receivers Kuuliko Carvalho and Huleia Naeole.

Even Liua is a reliable target out of the backfield. Carvalho has a whopping total — by Kahuku norms — of five grabs for 141 yards and two touchdowns in his past two games. Naeole has four catches for 121 yards in the same span, including two touchdown catches against Kailua.

Farrington (4-2, 4-0), like Kahuku, has rested up since rallying to beat Moanalua 41-38 two weeks ago. The Governors normally won’t look to pass out of its two-back set unless the risk-reward tilts in its favor. Even as they trailed in the second half, they were patiently handing the ball to their bread-and-butter weapon, Sanele Lavatai.

While Lavatai went for career-highs of 33 carries and 276 yards, linebacker/running back Bryce Tatupu-Leopoldo stepped up with three touchdowns (rush, punt return, pick-6). Expecting Lavatai, a converted linebacker, and Tatupu-Leopoldo to repeat their peak performances against the Red Raiders is a lot to ask.

It’s still a bit of a burden, this Govs-versus-Red Raiders rivalry, for the team in maroon. Since edging Kahuku 14-13 in 2011 to end a 12-game losing streak to the Red Raiders, Farrington lost twice last year: 31-6 in the regular season and 47-14 in the state semifinals.

As always in this bruising matchup, it’s about point of contact. Few defenders love to initiate contact like Farrington defensive tackle Breiden Fehoko and Kahuku defensive end Lamone Williams.

Kahuku’s interior offensive linemen — left guard Donald Barenaba-Setoki, center Lopaka Keoho-Lessary and right guard Kai Kubera — will square off against Fehoko. The Farrington junior has accumulated more than 20 college scholarship offers even as he adjusts from his old position, defensive end.

Farrington’s offensive line has found its rhythm, a front five that entirely replaced last year’s all-senior "Bamboolas." The biggest task belongs to left tackle Jordan Sataraka and right tackle Mason Semisi — whoever takes on Williams, another highly recruited senior.

Govs coach Randall Okimoto and Red Raiders coach Reggie Torres are longtime combatants. Each has a chapter or two of four-receiver, wide-open schemes in the playbook. But Farrington-Kahuku is about the line of scrimmage. Anything different would be stunning.

STANDINGS AND STATISTICS

ILH LEADERS (CONFERENCE ONLY) 

OIA RED EAST LEADERS (CONFERENCE ONLY)

OIA RED WEST LEADERS (CONFERENCE ONLY)

OIA WHITE LEADERS (CONFERENCE ONLY)

TODAY’S GAME
McKinley (3-4, 2-3 OIA Red East) vs. Kailua (2-5, 2-3), Aloha Stadium — Playoff berths are already in the grasp of each team. The Tigers had a bye last week, healing up from a 44-28 loss to Kahuku two weeks ago. Two-way iron men Gerime Bradley and Mathias Tuitele-Iafeta have helped them stay competitive. Since returning from injury, 6-foot-2, 180-pound senior Tyrell Tuiasosopo has 10 catches for 227 yards and one touchdown. Kailua sophomore slinger Noah Auld has been on the run much of the time, but he’s still found Koolauloa Gaspar often enough (30 receptions, 304 yards, two touchdowns).

FRIDAY’S GAMES

No. 1 Punahou (6-0, 4-0 ILH) vs. No. 4 Saint Louis (5-1, 3-1) — There would be nothing like a Crusaders win to mess up the playoff format. If Saint Louis, Punahou and Kamehameha finish regular-season play tied with one loss each, a coin flip may end up being the tiebreaker for playoff seeding, Punahou coach Kale Ane said. The league hasn’t determined this yet, not officially. Punahou, which has beaten Kamehameha, could make it simpler with a win over Saint Louis. This is entertainment value at its finest with playmakers everywhere. Punahou quarterback Larry Tuileta has passed for 1,152 yards and 11 touchdowns in all games, including five scoring strikes to Kanawai Noa (28 receptions, 619 yards). Sophomore Wayne Taulapapa has rushed for 564 yards (6.3 per attempt) and nine TDs. Saint Louis quarterback Ryder Kuhns has 1,388 yards and 18 TDs through the air. Adam Noga has rushed for 570 yards (9.7 per carry) and seven TDs. Allan Cui has been a reliable possession receiver (21 grabs, 230 yards) while Devan Stubblefield (23, 426, 8 TDs) and Drew Kobayashi (15, 470, 5) stretch defenses deep.

Aiea (2-5, 0-5 OIA Red West) at No. 3 Mililani (6-1, 5-0) — The Trojans have earned the top seed in the West plus a first-round bye in the playoffs. Na Alii were on fire with Jordan Liilii at quarterback, but after two early wins, he was out with a foot injury. He is slated to return in this game.

No. 9 Kapolei (5-2, 3-2 OIA Red West) at No. 7 Campbell (5-2, 3-2) — Waianae has already sealed second place and a first-round bye, but Kapolei and Campbell would love to secure third place. That would put the Red West 3 in the same bracket as the Red East 2, which would be the loser of Thursday’s Farrington-Kahuku game.

No. 10 Kaiser (6-1, 6-0 OIA White) at Pearl City (5-2, 5-1) — The Cougars landed in the Star-Advertiser Top 10 for the first time this season. Since a nonconference loss to Campbell, they have averaged 61 points per game. There has been little resistance so far in conference play as the once-pass happy Cougars have pulverized D-II competition on the ground with Fitou Fisiiahi (454 yards, 10.8 yards per carry, 10 touchdowns) and Thomas Leong (338, 11.7, 10). The Chargers may be up to the task. Since an early loss to Kalani, coach Robin Kami’s squad has averaged more than 41 points per game. Their five-game win streak matches last year’s run under then-coach David Hallums.

‘Iolani (4-4, 2-3 ILH) vs. Pac-Five (1-5, 1-3), Aloha Stadium — The Raiders have lost three of their past four, including last week’s 56-0 loss to Punahou. Starters Max Look, J.T. Los Banos and Jordan Ross are injured. Still, they have the inside track to the top seed in the ILH’s Division II playoffs.
Leilehua (4-3, 2-3 OIA Red West) at Waipahu (2-5, 1-4) — Both teams have clinched playoff berths, but neither has forgotten last year’s battle. Leilehua pulled out a 27-26 overtime loss at Hugh Yoshida Stadium and have won the past three, including a 27-21 game at Waipahu.

Kaimuki (1-6, 0-5 OIA Red East) vs. Castle (2-5, 1-4), Kaiser Stadium — A playoff berth is on the line in this matchup. The Knights currently lead in the standings, but a Kaimuki win would create a tie, and the head-to-head tiebreaker would favor the Bulldogs. Castle won last year’s game 26-16.

Radford (6-1, 5-1 OIA White) at Roosevelt (1-7, 1-6) — Quarterback Cody Lui-Yuen has astronomical numbers: 1,994 yards, 26 touchdowns, just four picks. The offseason work of Jameson Pasigan (37 receptions, 637 yards, 12 TDs) and Absolom Henry (39, 760, 10) has been rewarded. But the Rams also have key pieces in Tobias Powell, Chance Cacatian and Rashone Osborne. Powell has 615 yards and nine touchdowns from scrimmage. Cacatian and Osborne have combined for 612 rushing yards and nine TDs.

Nanakuli (2-5, 2-4 OIA White) vs. Kalaheo (2-5, 2-4), Kailua High School field — Since moving from running back to quarterback two games ago, Nanakuli senior Chazz Troutman has passed for 242 yards, rushed for 220 and accounted for five touchdowns. The Golden Hawks still lost to Kalani and Pearl City, but Troutman, who also starts at safety, is as fun to watch as any player in the state.

Hilo (6-1, 5-0 BIIF) at Konawaena (6-1, 5-0) — These teams met in August, an exhibition won by Konawaena (38-24). Now they’ll play at Julian Yates Field, where the Wildcats average 43.7 points per game. Brandon Howes has passed for 2,020 yards and 18 touchdowns with a yards-per-attempt average of 9.8.

Hawaii Prep (5-2, 3-2 BIIF) at Kamehameha-Hawaii (4-3, 3-2) — Ka Makani responded to a last-minute loss to Konawaena by blanking Keaau last week 28-0. With defenses keeping all eyes on running back Bobby Lum, HPA goes as far as Koa Ellis (152.1 passer rating) goes.

Baldwin (4-3, 4-1 MIL) at Kamehameha-Maui (1-5, 1-4) — The Warriors are scoring a lot of points these days, 80 in their past three, to be exact. Problem is they’ve given up 105 in those games. First-year head coach Cody Nakamura, the former Baldwin pass-catching standout and assistant coach, will return from a one-game suspension.
Saturday’s games

St. Francis (1-5, 0-4 ILH) at No. 2 Kamehameha (6-1, 3-1) — The Warriors had a history, under former coach David Stant, of deploying their reserves in potential blowout matchups like this. The Saints, in their first varsity season, have a fraction of the manpower and size of the Warriors. Ranan Mamiya, their running back-turned-quarterback, remains a bright spot (656 yards from scrimmage).

No. 8 Lahainaluna (6-0, 4-0 MIL) at King Kekaulike (1-4, 1-4) — The Lunas have been in defensive lockdown mode, permitting just 34 points so far. A seamless, exquisitely executed wing-T offense has produced outstanding rushers in Christian Whitehead, Jared Rocha-Islas and quarterback Makoa Filikitonga. Each is averaging more than 8 yards per carry. King Kekaulike stunned Kamehameha-Maui 36-31 last week. The Lunas beat Na Alii four weeks ago, 49-0.

Waialua (2-5, 2-4 OIA White) vs. Anuenue (0-7, 0-6), Kaiser Stadium — The Bulldogs rolled to a big win over Kalaheo last week, but they have yet to win on the road in three tries.

Waimea (1-5, 0-3 KIF) at Kauai (5-0, 3-0), Vidinha Stadium — The Menehune are getting a nice season from running back Destin Miguel, but putting points on the board hasn’t been easy. Kauai won their earlier matchup 35-13.

Honokaa (0-6, 0-5 BIIF) at Keaau (0-5, 0-5) — Tough times are upon once-storied programs. The Cougars have not scored more than two touchdowns in a game yet. The Dragons have not scored since the first week of the season.

Waiakea (3-5, 2-3 BIIF) at Kealakehe (2-4, 2-3) — Konawaena slowed Waiakea’s offense down last week, limiting workhorse running back Devin Preston below the 100-yard mark. The Waveriders are coming off a 6-3 loss at Hilo.