JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM Leilehua's Edieson Dumlao leapt to pull in a touchdown reception over Farrington's James Smith and Steven Kamano last night.

Mules move on to Red final

Leilehua has a chance to accomplish something it hasn't done since the days of Hugh Yoshida.

Junior Edieson Dumlao returned from a concussion that kept him out of the previous two games to haul in eight catches for 101 yards and the game's only touchdown as Leilehua knocked off Farrington 7-3 last night in the semifinals of the OIA Red playoffs at Aloha Stadium.

The Mules will try to win their first OIA championship since 1984 -- when Yoshida was coach -- as they meet Waianae on Friday at 8 p.m.

"We're going to do what we always do," Dumlao said. "Practice hard, pick up our teammates when they are down and play our best."

Farrington and Leilehua hadn't met since the 2005 OIA playoffs, when the Govs won 28-20.

This game didn't feature nearly as much offense, thanks in large part to a combined seven turnovers from both teams.

The Governors' last chance came down with 4 minutes remaining, but quarterback Alefesio Iu was intercepted by Rob Siavii for the second time in the game. It was one of four takeaways by the Leilehua defense and enabled the offense to run out the clock.

"We said we were going to hang our hat on the defense all year," Leilehua coach Nolan Tokuda said. "It wasn't just the 11 guys on the field, but it was the entire defensive unit."

Sophomore quarterback Andrew Manley, who was called up from the junior varsity just two games ago, pulled out a second straight playoff victory for the Mules. He finished 16-for-27 for 155 yards and the touchdown pass to Dumlao.

"My coaches were telling me not to try to do everything but to just manage the game," Manley said. "It also helped having (Dumlao) back. With him out there it gave me a lot of bullets to work with."

In addition to Siavii's two interceptions, the senior linebacker forced a Farrington fumble that resulted in Leilehua's only score of the night.

After a fumble by Rico Newman, Siavii stripped Matt Stowers of the ball on the very next play to give it back to the Mules at the Farrington 27-yard line.

Facing a third down, Manley dropped back and lobbed the ball into the back of the end zone, where Dumlao came down with it for the 11-yard score and a 7-0 lead.

"During practice all week we would go off to the side and work on our timing," Dumlao said. "It's great what he has done because I don't think I could come up from JV and step in like he has."

On the ensuing drive, Farrington drove the ball inside the red zone and had it first and goal at the Mules' 6-yard line. Back-to-back sacks by Art Laurel and Christian Collado moved the ball back 11 yards and Farrington had to settle for a 34-yard field goal by Lutua Folaumahina to cut the lead to four.

The Mules finished with five sacks by five different players and limited Farrington to 190 yards of offense.

Iu finished 9-for-17 for 114 yards and Ani Isumu caught eight balls for 103 yards for Farrington.

The Governors still have a shot at the OIA's third and final state tournament berth when they face Kapolei on Saturday.