[ OIA RED EAST ]

Governors open
conference season
with victory

Farrington defeats Kaimuki 29-13
behind big plays from Faumui and Mendoza

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After two losses against ILH teams, the Farrington Governors couldn't wait for the OIA season to begin.

Kenneth Faumui rushed for two touchdowns and Alex Mendoza added a 64-yard touchdown run as the Governors defeated the Kaimuki Bulldogs 29-13 last night at Kaiser Stadium.

"It helped to have our guys back from probation," Farrington head coach Randall Okimoto said. "It wasn't the way we wanted it to happen, but a win is a win."

Early on, it was the Bulldogs who looked like the dominant team, as Kaeo Neal's 42-yard run on the second play of the game set up a 2-yard Semi Qoro run to give Kaimuki a quick 7-0 lead.

However, the defense responded by holding the Bulldogs to 17 rushing yards the rest of the half, opening the door for the offense to take over.

"After the first drive, our coaches did a great job of making adjustments," Okimoto said.

After the slow start, the Governors reeled off the next 22 points, beginning with an Eti Atonio 36-yard touchdown pass to Faumui late in the first quarter.

The Governors' defense set up the next touchdown. With Kaimuki backed up inside its own 15-yard line, Farrington's James Sagapolutele recovered a fumble to set up Faumui's 9-yard touchdown run to put the Governors in front. After a roughing-the-kicker penalty on the extra point, Brandon Agbunag ran in a successful 2-point conversion to give the Governors a 15-7 lead going into the half.

"Our defense is what keeps us in games, but our offense needs to do a lot more," Okimoto said.

Leading by eight, the Governors nearly gave it away immediately as a fumble and interception on their first two drives of the second half gave Kaimuki the ball twice deep in Farrington's territory, but the Bulldogs couldn't convert.

The Governors' offense finally managed to break through in the second half as Mendoza took a reverse 64 yards for the score to give the Governors a comfortable 22-7 lead midway through the third quarter.

The score remained the same until early in the fourth quarter, when Bulldogs quarterback Andre Agbayani took the option keeper 41 yards into the end zone to cut the Governors' lead to nine. The Governors responded 3 minutes later as Agbunag caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from Atonio for the game's final score.

KIF

Kauai 20, Kapaa 2: Kekoa Crowell threw for 213 yards as the Raiders defeated the Warriors at Kapaa.

Crowell completed 14 of 32 passes and scored all three touchdowns in both team's KIF's season-opener.

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