Farrington keeps Kailua
at bay in must-win game

Farrington senior quarterback Eti Atonio passed for 187 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Governors past Kailua 25-13 in an Oahu Interscholastic Association Red East game that both teams desperately needed to salvage seasons of unfulfilled expectations.

The loss dropped the Surfriders to 2-2-1 in the conference (3-3-1 overall) and threw their playoff hopes into limbo.

After Kailua senior running back Kekoa Sua threw an interception on the Surfriders' first possession, Farrington (3-4 overall, 3-2 Red East) took a 3-0 lead off a 22-yard field goal by junior kicker Larry Siuta.

Early in the second quarter, Kailua junior linebacker Troy McCreadie recovered a muffed punt on the Governors' 14-yard line. Two plays later, Surfriders senior running back Damien Torres took it in from 11 yards out to give Kailua a 6-3 lead.

Farrington stormed back later in the half, as Atonio connected on a 36-yard touchdown toss to junior tight end Tanner Fetui, and a two-point conversion to senior tight end Mika Letalu to regain the lead 11-6.

With 3:12 left in the second quarter, Farrington junior defensive lineman Laupou Kivaha recovered a Kailua fumble on a bad quarterback-center exchange. Atonio found senior fullback James Hakuole on a slant over the middle, and 27 yards later the Governors had a 17-6 lead.

The Surfriders' inside-outside duo of Sua and Torres combined for 158 yards and two touchdowns, including a 63-yard scamper by Sua early in the third quarter to cut the lead to 17-13.

But in the end, a safety and blocked punt by Farrington senior linebacker Ioane Siuta recovered in the endzone by teammate Neemia Tuua gave the Governors a 25-13 lead, the game, and a winning record in division play.