Challen Faamatau’s ability to carry a heavy workload helped Farrington earn some time off.
Faamatau ran for 114 yards on 24 carries and scored all three of the Governors’ touchdowns in their 21-14 win over Campbell on Saturday at Aloha Stadium.
With the win, Farrington secured second place in the OIA Blue and a bye in the first round of the OIA Division I playoffs. The Governors will face the winner of the first-round matchup between Campbell and Kaiser in the quarterfinals.
Farrington and Kailua both finished 5-2 in the division and the Governors’ 19-13 win over the Surfriders on Sept. 12 gave them the tiebreaker edge.
Saturday’s win halted a two-game skid and the bye was one of the Governors’ objectives going into the game.
“Our bye was way at the beginning of the season,” Farrington coach Randall Okimoto said. “Eight straight weeks, so it’s so nice to have that week off.
“That was one of our team goals, first-round bye. Everybody needed it. Coaches, players, everybody.”
Faamatau accounted for close to 60 percent of Farrington’s total yardage on Saturday. Along with his rushing production, Faamatau caught three passes for 16 yards.
While Okimoto said the Governors went “back to Farrington football,” he said the Governors are also looking to balance the offense. Quarterback Bishop Rapoza completed nine of 17 passes for 65 yards.
“In the playoffs we gotta be able to do both,” he said.
The Governors pushed Campbell back for negative-36 rushing yards and held the Sabers to 95 yards in total offense before giving up a 79-yard scoring drive late in the fourth quarter.
“They came out practiced hard, pursued to the ball lot in practice and understood the culture of practice,” Okimoto said. “We’re not where we want to be, but this past week at least they showed it and I hopefully we can build on this.”
When you have no field to practice on its hard get the feel of things especially if you aiways running into class rooms. But coach Randall will get his boys ready for the playoffs at full speed they had to challenge themselves and adapt to things all year and at 6-2 what can you say in the D1 Blue.