OIA Red Playoffs FOOTBALL: Farrington earns final state berth

Photo courtesy Brien Ing/ScoringLive.com

By Wes Nakama
HHSAA

Tyler Taumua scored four touchdowns -- three rushing and one receiving -- and rushed for 169 yards on 20 carries Saturday night and Farrington scored 25 unanswered points in the second half to pull away from Leilehua, 52-26, for third place in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association.

The victory at Kaiser Stadium improved the Governors to 9-2 and secured the OIA's third and final berth into this week's First Hawaiian Bank/Hawai'i High School Athletic Association Division I Football State Championships.

Leilehua's season ends at 7-4 and its streak of state tournament appearances is snapped at five. 

Leading 27-26 after an entertaining, back-and-forth first half, Farrington opened the second half with Jacob McEnroe's 25-yard interception return for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage, then took a 40-26 lead on a 66-yard TD ramble by Amo Silva with 4:34 remaining in the third quarter. Taumua's 5-yard scoring run made it 46-26 with 4:39 left in the game, and Silva sealed the victory with a 7-yard touchdown run with 1:17 remaining.

Silva finished with a game-high 187 yards on 27 carries.

Mules starting quarterback Justin Jenks left the game with an injury at the end of the first quarter and was replaced by sophomore Fletcher Washington, who spent the season as the JV starter before being recently called up to the varsity.

Jenks connected with Keoni Piceno on a 54-yard TD strike just four minutes into the game, but the Govs answered just two minutes later with Montana Liana's 9-yard scoring pass to Tyler Liana and Justin Tamashiro's extra point, then took a 13-6 lead on a 60-yard touchdown burst by Taumua.

Leilehua tied it at 13-13 on Washington's 7-yard touchdown pass to Piceno on fourth-and-goal followed by Brennon Jacinto's extra point with 10:38 left in the half, but Syndreck Dsio returned the ensuing kickoff 50 yards to the Mules' 32 and Montana Liana threw a perfect rainbow to Taumua in the front left corner of the end zone on the very next play to put Farrington back in front.

Leilehua went three-and-out on its next possession, but got a break when defensive lineman Robert McCarthy picked up a fumble and returned it 34 yards to paydirt. Jacinto's PAT tied it at 20-20.

On the Governors' ensuing series, a punt snap sailed over punter Taumua's head and the Mules recovered at the Farrington 7. Two plays later, Washington threw a 16-yard TD pass to Andrew Sesepasara to give Leilehua a 26-20 lead with 5:29 remaining before halftime.

Taumua then put the Govs ahead for good with an exhilarating 59-yard scamper in which he made a nifty cut at about the 25 before out-racing two defenders to the end zone with 1:48 left.


LEILEHUA (7-4) 6 20 0 0 -- 26
FARRINGTON (9-2) 13 14 13 12 -- 52

Lei -- Keoni Piceno 54 pass from Justin Jenks (kick failed)
Farr -- Tyler Liana 9 pass from Montana Liana (Justin Tamashiro kick)
Farr -- Tyler Taumua 60 run (kick failed)
Lei -- K. Piceno 7 pass from Fletcher Washington (Brennon Jacinto kick)
Farr -- Taumua 32 pass from Montana Liana (Tamashiro kick)
Lei -- Robert McCarthy 34 fumble return (Jacinto kick)
Lei -- Andrew Sesepasara 16 pass from Washington (pass failed)
Farr -- Taumua 59 run (Tamashiro kick)
Farr -- Jacob McEnroe 25 interception return (Tamashiro kick)
Farr -- Amo Silva 66 run (run failed)
Farr -- Taumua 5 run (kick failed)
Farr -- Silva 7 run (kick failed)

RUSHING -- Leilehua: Ikaika Piceno 5-12, David Dawson 2-10, K. Piceno 1-3, Shai Pulawa 1-1, Justin Jenks 3-(minus-2), Washington 6-(minus-49). Farrington: Silva 27-187, Taumua 20-169, Jackie Anakalea 1-4, M. Liana 1-(minus-6), TEAM 1-(minus-39).

PASSING -- Leilehua: Washington 16-37-1-153, Ju. Jenks 9-13-0--132, K. Piceno 1-3-0--19. Farrington: Liana 5-6-0--54.

RECEIVING -- Leilehua: K. Piceno 5-123, Josh Jenks 6-54, I. Piceno 4-42, Tristin Kamaka 3-40, Nick Rodriguez 4-16, Sesepasara 1-16, Conrad Supnet 3-13. Farrington: Taumua 1-32, James Hashimoto 2-13, T. Liana 2-9.