It was not a good season by Farrington standards, but the Govs made a game of it in the Oahu Interscholastic Association quarterfinals Friday night and nearly came back to knock off No. 7 Waianae.
Trailing 27-7 with less than six minutes left, Farrington got to within 27-21 when the final whistle blew. It was Chasen Castilliano who got it going.
The senior has been a big defensive playmaker for the Govs (5-5) the past two seasons, and it appears he has a huge fan base, too.
At home games at the new Skippa Diaz Stadium, the top rows under the press box are filled with Castilliano’s family and friends. They all wear No. 37 maroon jerseys and they all scream when he makes a play.
So, here we are in the fourth quarter of a game against Waianae — in Waianae — that is seemingly over. A Waianae running back hits the hole and Castilliano rocks into him and goes for the ball. The ballhawk attempt works. He pulls the ball into his own arms at the Farrington 25 and takes off and runs as fast as he can. It looks like he might get caught, but no. He takes it the rest of the way for a 74-yard touchdown and a 27-14 game with 5:30 to go.
There was more Farrington fight left, but coach Randall Okimoto didn’t hesitate to mention the man who made the comeback bid possible. He wasn’t even prompted with a question like, ‘Can you tell us about Chasen’s big play?”
No, it came right from the coach. He knows his players and he knows who made it possible for them to come back.
“It was because of someone named Chasen Castilliano,” Okimoto said. “Lots of people talk about stripping the ball at a time like that, but he went out and did it. He started it and got us back in it.”
Castilliano, who was used at running back earlier in the season and scored a touchdown against Nanakuli, is a senior and was playing in his final game.
“That was a life-saver,” Farrington linebacker Blessing Umaga said. “It gave us hope to come back, but it is what it is and it turned out we lost.”
Umaga is also a senior who has been making hard-nosed, tough plays for the Govs for a while now.
“It was a great comeback,” Umaga added. “We had mistakes here and there, but we gotta move on. Next season starts tomorrow.”
Umaga is so much a part of the team that he was talking about the underclassmen. Umaga himself won’t be a part of the Govs next season.
The Governors’ 5-5 finish and inability to make it into the semifinals is sort of unusual. Unlike Waianae, they won’t have a chance to make it into the Division I-Open state tournament. Actually, the Seariders have two chances to get there. Even a loss to Mililani next week would not knock them out because they would then be playing in the third-place game — and three OIA teams will make the top-tier state tournament.
Farrington went into the game sitting outside the Honolulu Star-Advertiser Top 10, also a rare thing. After the loss, the Govs will certainly be finishing on the outside looking in.
“I don’t want to say we expected it (a down season),” Okimoto said. “It was a concern since the beginning of the season with all of the guys we lost and watching guys come up from the JV. They put in the work. The coaches put in the work. It was a tough season … so up and down. Next year is another one.”
Very disappointed with Okimoto’s comments about expecting a down season. That’s why you have the off-season so that you don’t need to make excuses. Last year they played in the OIA championship game a lot of your Current seniors were on that team. I think it’s time for changes at Farrington !!
I agree it’s time for change. So many years of disappointment Okimoto had his opportunity its time for new ideas and philosophy. Farringtons admin needs to step up and make the appropriate change. No championships. No Players sent to D1 schools. No community support. Kalihi parents send there kids to other schools. Now is the time don’t wait until we are D2 make the change NOW
I agree with comments. Kalihi area has way too much talent for them to not be in states every year. Hopefully they get better coaching. I miss Kahuku vs govs every year. Good luck next year.
RRFL
I agree also,thank you Okimoto ,but it’s over due to pass the torch! Stop being stubborn, it’s time!!! We got so much talent, just as much as Kahuku or even more if we didn’t lose our boys to the ILH!!
I also agree with the comments above. 4 of my sons played for the program. Though I got along fine with Coach Randall I did notice that a lot of good coaches left the program and are successful at other schools in the state. Why are these coaches leaving? A lot of Kalihi’s talent are going else where to play. The JV team was awful and undisciplined. I feel coach Randall had a good run and it’s time for a new direction in the program. Change will revitalize the program and bring pride to Kalihi. Principal Al needs to make the change for the community.
Waianae called off the dogs to early putting in second team players at 27-7 to run out clock at about 8 mins left in game.. instead they give up a strip fumble to the house and govz is right back in the game and they nearly had a chsnce to win if they recovered a onside kick. I know Waianae is always super classy and dont like to run up scores but i feel they shoulda left the starters in for atleast one more score or drive to run the clock safely then call off the dogs. If Govz did complete a miracle comeback then what? SEASON OVER AND YOUR WISHING U DIDNT PUT IN SECOND TEAM TOO EARLY lol .. WAIANAE GET ONE HELL OF A OFFENSE TO DEAL WITH NEXT WEAK , NEED TO PLAY DISCIPLINE FOOTBALL AND CATCH COUPLE BREAKS TO BE THERE IN THE END. OFFENSE NEEDS TO SHOW UP AND TRY RUN THE BALL AND SHORTEN GAME.
TOO EARLY*
#37 should be in the Polynesian Bowl he’s been a consistent on the Govs Defense.
As for the Gov faithful, Waianae can empathize with you guys cause we waited too long with Coach Matsumoto. Even had 2 losing seasons in ’03 and ’04, first time in like 45 years.
To the comment above, I agree the coaches took the players out too early, it’s playoff football.
what I liked about Farrington is that they are trying to change the offense. They’re passing game is way more advanced than Waianae. Waianae’s pass plays are elementary, QB looking at his receiver the whole way and even throwing in traffic cause that’s “the play”…Waianae is also in need of new coaches on the offensive side of the ball. 2nd and 8 they run, making it predictable on 3rd and long. They rotate linemen every other play, not series PLAY!! How can the offensive get in a rhythm like that. Noland Takuda Seems to know some of the waianae coaches, he would be a major upgrade at OC. Atleast he could incorporate a legit passing game and not just the basic route tree.
Sorry trying not to be negative just feel bad for the kids. They are out there all summer and this is the outcome. Just look at the sideline during the game they have an entourage of people who are not coaches. They see what’s going on enough is enough just look at the crowd for these 2 playoff games the fans ain’t buying it anymore. Isn’t the schools motto Strive for Exellence ?
WhoCalledDaDogzOut, I can sympathize with what your saying, and yes Waianae always has class. The only explanation I can come up with, for Waianae’s premature substitution, is the exhausting criticism from outside, especially the fan base. It’s apparent that many, if not all high school sport teams experience this, but Waianae Football critics are consistent, persistent, and relentless!!!LOL! My apologies for adding humor to a subject many schools struggle with, but as a Waianae alumni and former player, seeing and hearing the belligerent comments of some, is so appalling, that you can’t help but giggle a little. Playing under the likes of Larry Ginoza, Harry Mitsui and their awesome staff, was tough, because they demanded respect from all involved! Some may call it dictatorship I call it a disciplined family! In the past if asked to jump, we’d say “How high?” or face consequences both on the field and at home. Today, when asked to jump, the players respond with “Why?” and any consequences would be met with overwhelming political discourse from both the families and community! I commend the Waianae Football Staff and all high school coaches for taking a job that’s applauded conditionally!!! On a side note, Jamm Aquino and Hawaii Prep World, just wondering why the victors of lastnights quarterfinal games receive awesome heading and reviews on their performance yet you choose to talk about a failed comeback against Waianae?! Hmph, Seariders; The real “Enemy Of The State!!!” And the one true “Rooted Not Recruited!” Football team!
Gotta agree, waianae thought they had it in the bag. Interesting stat is waianae only musters up 162 yards of offense per game? Something wrong. Coaching if you ask me. Special teams is shady aswell.
RANDALL OKIMOTO MUST GO. His football teams have consistently been mediocre at best and flat out embarassments to the Kalihi community at worst. The game planning is terrible. The defense is always bad. The kids don’t even lift weights during offseason conditioning because the coaching staff thinks lifting weights will make them slow.
uh… if that was the case, then why does EVERY single powerhouse high school program lift weights? Why does every college program lift weights? NFL anybody?
As a proud Farrington grad, it shames me to see the football program to fall apart from the skippa diaz days when i used to play. How much longer must the Kalihi community suffer because of Randall Okimoto’s incompetence?
RANDALL OKIMOTO MUST GO. SAY NO TO NOKIMOTO
Getting rid of Coach Randall isn’t the answer like I said people complain only when there losing winnining you dont hear that often. The Staff he had the previous years were producing and it showed on the field I think thats why the ILH picked those guys up over the years. I think they also recruit Coachs as well maybe the pay is better with better facility’s lol.:) They also had more varsity experience* All these years talking about a stadium it’s here now we pledge our love and loyalty right!!!
A good OC and DC will do giving Randall some new ideas cant be everywhere needs help the staff he has is okay and there trying to help but some to hard head it is what it is no offense. you only pay attention to what your conscious of and he’s not the type of letting go guys because they losing games coming practice everyday or trying to learn trump’s that. Randall is trying change’s with what he has if it was Coach Diaz I think they would be running up the middle the whole game against Waianae that was Diaz’s style and I think you wouldn’t have anybody complaining on this website if that was the case right even Randall know’s that. This year was undersized cannot help seasons come and seasons go and the year went pretty well for what they had next year.