There is no way to prepare for a week like this.
Somehow, the Farrington Governors are marching through. The Govs will travel to Maui for a matchup with Baldwin on Friday in the opening round of the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA State Football Championships. But since Saturday, a beloved teammate has been missing.
Dayne Ortiz, a starting cornerback, went missing during a family outing in Mokuleia on Saturday, one day after Farrington lost to Mililani in the OIA Red championship game. Ortiz, who loved the outdoors, was last seen in rough waters. His family and friends — the entire Farrington community — have been mourning since.
The Govs went to Mokuleia to support the Ortiz ohana during a search on Sunday.
On Monday afternoon, they returned to the beach and were joined by members of the Mililani Trojans. On Monday night, the school held a vigil as the community gathered to support the Ortiz family.
It is, as defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko put it, more than just football.
"We aren’t teammates. We are brothers."
On Tuesday, the Govs held a light practice at Mokuleia — helmets only — before a return to the beach.
Rescue units were making a last-ditch effort until sunset, the last day of the search.
"The family requested if we could come out," Governors coach Randall Okimoto said.
The tragedy has drawn the team, and even players from many other schools, into a brotherhood of support.
Farrington (8-3) was unbeaten in OIA play until the 37-6 loss to Mililani. The Govs were 0-2 in nonleague games, outscored 71-19 by Waianae and Kamehameha. Then came eight wins in a row, including victories over Top 10 teams Kahuku, Kapolei and Campbell.
"We know they’re big, they’re strong and they’re a physical team," Baldwin coach Keneke Pacheco said. "We have to find our best matchups and take our shots, play sound and physical football."
The Bears (6-4) have improved vastly over the course of the season. Baldwin lost two of its first three games, including 55-0 to Saint Louis. From that point, the Bears beat all foes in MIL play except for Division II champ Lahainaluna.
Pacheco, a first-year head coach, has instilled his principles, primarily discipline. His leadership is a big reason why Baldwin overcame the departure of some assistant coaches before the season when Cody Nakamura was hired as head coach at Kamehameha-Maui.
"We have a lot of good athletes. We’ve got to keep plugging away," said Pacheco, who was an assistant for 11 years. "The boys are really receptive to what we’re doing, focusing on schoolwork and all the little things. They’re taking pride in what they’re doing and doing their best to get it done. They’re learning that hard work does pay off."
The Bears have relied on their ground game, handing the ball to Dusty Flores 149 times for 848 yards and five touchdowns. The line is led by senior right tackle Alexander Ezera (6 feet, 250 pounds).
Quarterback Jeremiah Badillo has been an effective ballcarrier (306 yards, 4 TDs) when he’s not throwing from the pocket.
Badillo and Josiah Magiente-Tonu have split duties at quarterback. Badillo is the more accurate passer and has connected for 12 touchdowns. Their favorite target is Kawelakeapono Kaeo-Mata, who has 53 receptions for 610 yards and seven touchdowns.
Defensively, the Bears are rugged. Linebackers Teva Eldredge (6-2, 235) and Nohea Keahi (6-1, 210) have anchored the unit. The Bears might match up better against a straight-ahead, ground-and-pound offense like Farrington’s than a pass-first foe like Saint Louis.
Farrington has matured with five new starters on the offensive line. Another first-year starter, Sanele Lavatai, has prospered at running back.
Lavatai, a former linebacker, has racked up 954 yards and 13 touchdowns on 167 carries despite a lingering hamstring injury in recent weeks. The Govs have taken much of the pressure off Lavatai by hitting first-down passes, a key element in their regular-season win over Kahuku.
Quarterback Montana Liana has progressed in his second year as a starter, hanging in the pocket and taking hits so his receivers can get a clean look at his spirals.
Okimoto will battle for field position and opts almost always for the high-reward/low-risk decision. Then he’ll leave the job to his defense, which has been steady and sometimes spectacular. Until the Mililani game, the Govs had surrendered just 24 points in their previous four games.
Safety/linebacker Manly Williams has found his niche after making a position change. Linemen Motu Heimuli (6-2, 266), Fehoko (6-3, 280) and Nolan Eseroma (6-1, 341) have been productive as run stoppers. They struggled to get a pass rush on Mililani last week, but the second-seeded Trojans are, arguably, at an elite level with No. 1 Punahou.
The Govs will have to find a way to get past Baldwin without Ortiz, a starting cornerback. Baldwin will have to deal with a defensive front that is bigger and taller than every foe it has seen since its loss to Mission Viejo (Calif.).
"Our kids know what to expect. Our seniors have done this a third straight year," Okimoto said.
The Govs won at Kealakehe 34-25 in a first-round game last year. In 2011, they lost to Baldwin 28-24 at War Memorial Stadium.
