Tenth-ranked Farrington came to play, but No. 3 Mililani clutched up with a 20-yard touchdown pass from sophomore Dallas Carter to Nakoa Kahana-Travis in overtime for a 20-14 win at Skippa Diaz Stadium.
Farrington came into the OIA Open Division battle needing a win to keep playoff hopes alive. Using a run-heavy, clock-eating game plan, the Governors nearly pulled off the upset. They had the ball for 31 minutes and 14 seconds, dominating time of possession. Mililani had the rock for 16:46 but exploited the left side of the field for all three of their touchdowns, all through the air.
“It was a rough win. We didn’t want it like this. Farrington is not a team to play around with. They’re good,” said Kahana-Travis, who finished with 14 hard-earned rushing yards on six carries. “I knew the corner was playing man on his side. I knew our receivers were going to do their job and take the corner and the ’backer, so I leaked out and I was open.”
It was his two TD receptions, four catches for 87 yards, that made a key impact in a defensive battle. Carter was poised once again. A recent call-up from the junior varsity, he split time with Kekoa Koong (two TD passes) and made the most of his opportunity in the extra period.
“We have great plays, great coaches. They gave us the best situation we could be in,” Carter said.
Farrington (3-5, 0-4) will close its season next weekend at Waipahu.
“We’ve got a lot of team on the team, a lot of guys who worked their butts off to get to this point. Winning is not easy to do. You’ve got to be excellent at everything,” Farrington coach Mike Lafaele said. “It’s a good lesson for all of us as coaches and players to know the cost that’s involved. The commitment. It sucks to lose, but it’s great to see a lot of potential in what we’re doing in such a short period of time.”
Mililani (7-1, 3-1), which sealed a playoff berth with the win, will play at Kapolei on Saturday. Farrington lost to Kapolei last week, 21-10, after leading 10-7 at the half.
“It was sink or swim, this game. We had some life for the playoffs if we win this,” Lafaele said. “I love how these guys competed tonight. I’m so proud of my team. My hat’s off to Coach Rod (York) and Coach Vae (Tata) and what a great job they’ve done. They’ve been plagued with injuries, but they find ways to win. We’re going (to) get there. That’s my promise to this team and this community.”
The visitors struck quickly with a 44-yard pass from Carter to Lehiwa Kahana-Travis down the hash mark, but the drive stalled and Phoenix Umi sacked Carter on fourth and 19.
During their second series, the Governors switched to a jumbo set after Smith scrambled to the Mililani 37-yard line. Offensive lineman Kolo Keli and running back Ku Ponciano suffered injuries on back-to-back plays and were helped off the field. The series ended with the Trojans chasing Smith to the sideline, and an incomplete pass.
Farrington stuck to life in the trenches, going to Kingsten Samuelu on four consecutive carries, only to be stopped by Mililani at the Trojans’ 44-yard line on fourth and 3.
Farrington had a fourth and 3 at the Mililani 37-yard line, called time out and opted to punt. The resulting punt was 12 yards, setting up the game’s first scoring drive.
The stalemate by the defensive units was stifling. Farrington had two first downs and Mililani just one in the first 18 minutes. The Govs had three sacks in the opening quarter, including two by Phoenix Umi, on Carter.
Mililani inserted Koong at quarterback, and three snaps later, he found Nakoa Kahana-Travis on the left sideline, where the speedy senior hauled in the pass, raced downfield, cut back at the 20-yard line and raced untouched into the makai end zone for the first points of the game.
Mililani led 7-0 with 5:13 left in the first half.
The momentum resumed for Koong and the Trojans offense after Farrington’s three-and-out. Koong found Derek Tsuchiyama open in the flat for a 9-yard gain on fourth-and-6. After a 19-yard completion to Gaige Pascual-Folster, Mililani had the ball at the Farrington 11-yard line with 29 seconds to go in the first half.
Two plays later, Koong eluded the blitz and heaved an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jonah Togafau-Tavui with 18 seconds remaining in the first half.
Chansen Smith took matters into his own hands on the next snap from scrimmage, faking to Kingsten Samuelu on a read-option and racing down the right sideline 80 yards for Farrington’s first TD. Filling in for Ku Ponciano, Zaden Mariteragi made the PAT kick. The Governors trailed 14-7 with five seconds left in the first half.
The home team opened up the playbook in the opening series of the second half. Joah Mossman had two first-down receptions, and Samuelu had his first catch of the game. Lauititi Liufau’s 6-yard TD run up the gut tied the game at 14 with 4:54 to go in the third quarter.
An interception by Zion Vea on a pass by Koong set up Farrington in Mililani territory, but an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the Govs pushed the ball back to their 44-yard line.
The fourth quarter returned to defensive stalemate mode. Mililani got the ball back after a Farrington punt on its 8-yard line with 1:49 remaining. The Trojans drove to their 30-yard line before punting.
Farrington regained possession with 31 seconds to go and the ball at its 42-yard line. Smith suffered a leg injury with 12 seconds on the clock after a scramble. That made Donny Faavi the QB when overtime began, but Smith returned for the second play from scrimmage, missing Ponciano on a deep post near the goal line. On fourth and 16, Smith was sacked by Chevy Robinson.
Farrington finished with 10 penalties for 80 yards.
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NO. 2 MILILANI 20, NO. 10 FARRINGTON 14, OT
At Skippa Diaz Stadium
Mililani (7-1, 3-1) 0 14 0 0 6 — 20
Farrington (3-5, 0-4) 0 7 7 0 0 — 14
MIL—Nakoa Kahana-Travis 57 pass from Kekoa Koong (Pookela Tom Makue kick)
MIL—Jonah Togafau-Tavui 11 pass from Koong (Tom Makue kick)
FARR—Chansen Smith 80 run (Zaden Mariteragi kick)
FARR—Lauititi Liufau 6 run (Mariteragi kick)
MIL—N. Kahana-Travis 20 pass from Dallas Carter (no kick)
RUSHING—Mililani: Koong 3-16, N. Kahana-Travis 6-14, Team 1-(minus 2), Carter 7-(minus 25). Farrington: Smith 12-86, Kingsten Samuelu 25-49, Liufau 4-15, Jacob Talamoa 1-5, Princeten Samuelu 1-2, Ku Ponciano 3-0.
PASSING—Mililani: Carter 8-14-0-101, Koong 8-13-1-122. Farrington: Smith 8-12-0-71, Liufau 1-1-0-36, Donny Faavi 1-1-0-17.
RECEIVING— Mililani: N. Kahana-Travis 4-87, Lehiwa Kahana-Travis 1-43, Onosai Salanoa-Foumai 4-35, Derek Tsuchiyama 4-26, Togafau-Tavui 2-13, Gaige Pascual-Folster 1-19. Farrington: Talamoa 4-30, Joah Mossman 2-28, P. Samuelu 1-36, Govanni Siamani 1-17, K. Samuelu 1-7, Tunoa Lolotai 1-6.
JV—Mililani 33, Farrington 0
