Va‘aimalae Fonoti scored three long touchdowns and all-purpose playmaker Kaimana Carvalho added two as No. 1 Kahuku overwhelmed Farrington 48-20 on a windy Friday night at Skippa Diaz Stadium.
Fonoti scored on runs of 56 and 59 yards, and added a 44-yard TD catch on a screen pass from reserve quarterback Sitani Suguturaga. Kahuku starting QB Tuli Tagovailoa-Amosa shared playing time with Suguturaga and still had a TD run of 38 yards and a 35-yard scoring strike to Bryant Lauano as the visitors rolled up a 42-6 lead by halftime. Fonoti finished with 167 yards on just 12 attempts.
“Fonoti is tough. He’s definitely a great runner and they have a great offensive line,” Farrington coach Daniel Sanchez said. “Best of luck to them on the mainland.”
Kahuku improved to 4-0 overall with the nonconference win. Next up is a trip to California to play the nation’s top-ranked team, Mater Dei.
“Our kids read (online) touting that (Farrington) has the best defense in the state, the best running back. Our boys are prideful. They’ve proven themselves time and time again, so tonight they just wanted to make a statement,” Kahuku coach Sterling Carvalho said. “We just want to make sure we do our job, not worry what other people say or think. Just do what we need to do each and every week.”
Farrington running back Sitani Mikaele, who played JV football at Kahuku, came into the game averaging 172.5 yards per game and 10.1 yards per carry. Against Kahuku, the powerful senior rushed for 42 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries before leaving with an injury. Sanchez believes it is not serious.
“We just wanted to execute and go after (Mikaele). That’s just assignment football,” Carvalho said.
“We have the best running back in the state,” Kahuku defensive lineman Hyrum Moors said. “Va‘aimalae Fonoti, that’s my dog.”
The Governors took their first loss after two early-season wins.
“The first half, it was us, making mistakes on both sides of the ball, but Kahuku’s a great team. That’s why they’re No. 1 in the state. I’m proud of my guys hanging in there. I don’t see a lot of teams playing them. Teams are forfeiting, but that’s not our style. We want to become great, so in order to become great, you’ve got to play the great ones,” Sanchez said. “Much respect to the Kahuku guys. Best of luck to them the rest of the season.”
With the 35-point, running-clock mercy rule in effect during the second half, Kahuku went to full-house sets with Fonoti taking snaps. He broke off a 59-yard touchdown to open Kahuku’s lead to 42 points in the third quarter.
Farrington’s backup quarterback, Noah Spencer, tossed a 27-yard TD pass to Jacob Talamoa with 6:48 left in the game.
After a fumble recovery by Tyrik Namelo, Spencer added a 7-yard TD strike to Chansen Smith with 30 seconds remaining.
Kahuku plays at Mater Dei on Sept. 9. Mater Dei (2-0) is ranked No. 1 in the USA Today Super 25 and MaxPreps rankings. The USA Today poll lists Kahuku as “On the rise…” Kahuku is ranked No. 51 by MaxPreps.
Liberty (Nev.), which edged Saint Louis last week and Campbell on Friday, is ranked No. 20 by USA Today.
At Skippa Diaz Stadium
Kahuku (4-0, 0-0) 21 21 6 0 — 48
Farrington (2-1, 0-0) 0 6 0 14 — 20
KAH—Tuli Tagovailoa-Amosa 38 run (Manoa Kahalepuna kick)
KAH—Va‘aimalae Fonoti 44 pass from Sitani Suguturaga (Kahalepuna kick)
KAH—Kaimana Carvalho 83 punt return (Kahalepuna kick)
FAR—Sitani Mikaele 10 run (run failed)
KAH—Fonoti 56 run (Kahalepuna kick)
KAH—Bryant Lauano 35 pass from Tagovailoa-Amosa (Kahalepuna kick)
KAH—Carvalho 65 interception return (Kahalepuna kick)
KAH—Fonoti 59 run (kick blocked)
FAR—Jacob Talamoa 27 pass from Noah Spencer (Talamoa kick)
FAR—Chansen Smith 7 pass from Spencer (Talamoa kick)
JV—Kahuku 49, Farrington 0.
RUSHING—Kah: Tagovailoa-Amosa 4-55, Fonoti 12-167, Suguturaga 3-(-7), Beau Pruett 1-6, Damon Lauaki 1-0. Farr: Mikaele 11-42, Ikaika Kuaana-Lacno 11-47, Moreno 3-(-15), Noah Spencer 3-10.
PASSING—Kah: Tagovailoa-Amosa 4-7-0-60, Suguturaga 3-3-0-59.Farr: Moreno 7-14-1-29, Spencer 4-9-0-44.
RECEIVING—Kah: Carvalho 2-10, Tavian Hallums 1-16, Ku Ponciano 1-7, Lauano 1-35, Fonoti 1-44, Diezel Kamoku 1-7. Farr: Giovanni Siamani 2-8, Chansen Smith 3-7, Ocean Iona 2-4, Talamoa 1-27, Tristan Sullivan 1-5, Mikaele 1-11, Kuaana-Lacno 1-11.
