No. 7 Farrington and Castle try to remain in the hunt for a first-round bye in the OIA playoffs tonight at Skippa Diaz Stadium. Castle hasn’t beaten Farrington since 2010, a span of four straight losses. The Knights did take them to OT in 2013, though.
Top performances in series
Castle passing vs. Farrington: Jaymason Lee with 372 yards in 2010
Castle rushing vs. Farrington: Doug Cozloff with 187 yards in 1988
Castle receiving vs. Farrington: Ikaika Ho with 163 yards in 2003
Farrington passing vs. Castle: Eti Antonio with 286 yards in 2004
Farrington rushing vs. Castle: Hercules Sula with 230 yards in 2006
Farrington receiving vs. Castle: Matt Bell with 111 yards in 2003
CASTLE KNIGHTS (3-4, 3-3 OIA Red)
Head coach: John Hao
Knights roster
VS.
NO. 7 FARRINGTON GOVERNORS (3-3, 3-2)
Head coach: Randall Okimoto
Govs roster
Cue that running clock again. Tanuvasa goes up the middle for 47 yards and has 163. Afe-Alaivanu throws a back-shoulder pass to Manala Sevao for a 7-yard TOUCHDOWN FARRINGTON. PAT good. 7:46 Q4.
After a long kickoff return, Castle cancels the running clock with a 35-yard pass from Uyemura-Lee to Makana Smith down the right side. TOUCHDOWN CASTLE. PAT blocked. 8:16 Q4.
On first and 15, Tymon Paleafei jumps an out route, tips the ball to himself before snagging it and returns it 28 yards for the pick-six. TOUCHDOWN FARRINGTON. PAT good. 9:18 Q4. Running clock in effect.
Afe-Alaivanu escapes a sack and scrambles for 15 yards to the Govs 45. Quarter ends with Farrington at the Castle 45. Tanuvasa picks up 14 yards and a pass interference call moves the ball to the 10. After a 1-yard run, Afe-Alaivanu hits Eter, who makes a leaping catch. TOUCHDOWN FARRINGTON. PAT wide left. 9:36 Q4. Governors have scored on all three possessions of the second half.
Castle has been rotating quarterbacks throughout the game. Jaylen Uyemura-Lee, the passing option, leads the Knights into Farrington territory. Castle reaches the 26, but Umaga stops Bruce Pakele for a 4-yard loss and a fourth-down pass falls incomplete. 1:21 Q3.
A 3-yard punt sets Farrington up at its 44. Afe-Alaivanu hits Eter for a 31-yard completion to the 12. An lineman downfield penalty wipes out a touchdown pass. But Tanuvasa picks up 11 to the 2 and Reginald Faamatau punches it in. TOUCHDOWN FARRINGTON. Govs again go for 2, this time Eter’s pass is incomplete. 5:45 Q3.
Farrington gets the ball to start the second half. Govs face fourth and 1 at their 28 and Afe-Alaivanu sneaks for 3. He then lofts a throw to Silva, who makes an over-the-shoulder catch for a 28-yard completion. Personal foul on Castle moves it to the Knights’ 26. Pass interference on Castle to the 13. Afe-Alaivanu finishes the drive with a 13-yard keeper. TOUCHDOWN FARRINGTON. Umaga takes the direct snap and runs in Farrington’s third 2-point conversion of the night. 10:27 Q3.
Naki keeps on two short runs and Farrington takes its last two timeouts. Chasen Palaylay-Shuford picks up the first down with a 15-yard run and the Knights run out the clock.
Tanuvasa picks up 9 and 11 to get to the Castle 5. After a sack and an offside penalty, the Govs have third and goal at the 2. Eter takes the handoff on a counter, takes a hard hit and fumbles. Kauka Umiamaka recovers for Castle at the 2. 1:25 Q2.
Castle runs a reverse for a gain of 1. The Knights try it again, this time the pitch is high and fumbled. Umaga recovers for Farrington at the Castle 25. 2:38 Q2.
Afe-Alaivanu fakes a handoff, appears to stumble, but hits Eter over the middle. Eter breaks loose to the Castle 19 for a 38-yard pickup. Eter is hit late and a Castle player is ejected. First and goal at the 9. Holding penalty on a Tanuvasa run moves the ball back to the 14. After a third down incompletion, Blessing Umaga hits a 32-yard FIELD GOAL. 3:42 Q2.
Illegal block on the kickoff return pins Farrington at its 5. A fumbled snap is recovered by Castle’s Elijah-Po’o Kekiwi. Keanu Tilton punches it in from 2 yards out on third and goal. TOUCHDOWN CASTLE. PAT good. 7:46 Q2.
Castle picks up its first first down on Kalai Cabana-Zukeran’s 17-yard gain on a reverse. After an incomplete pass, personal foul and ejection on Farrington. Quarter ends with Castle facing third-and-15 at the Farrington 39. Drive is aided by a pass interference call but stalls at the 16 and Cheyden Costa drills a 33-yard FIELD GOAL. 9:41 Q2.
Castle loses 6 yards on its second possession and punts. Farrington QB Chris Afe-Alaivanu goes 3-for-5 for 51 yards in a seven-play drive and hits Chad Silva on a 32-yard scoring pass. TOUCHDOWN FARRINGTON. Tymon Paleafei runs in the 2-point conversion.
Castle goes three-and-out and punts to the Farrington 39. Governors march 61 yards in nine plays. Samsen Tanuvasa carries four times for 20 yards and scores on a 4-yard run. TOUCHDOWN FARRINGTON. Stephen Eter rolls right and completes a pass to Foi Sila for a 2-point conversion. 5:35 Q1.
Farrington wins the toss and defers. Castle will receive the opening kickof.
The JV game ends in a 12-12 tie in the homecoming night opener in Kalihi. Farrington completed a pass to the Castle 5 as time expired. Varsity coming up around 6:45 p.m.
The Knights appear to have enough players, size and talent to be competitive with everyone in the league. However, their inability to adapt to opposing teams and to adjust in real-time game situations has resulted in games like this one. It seems that when Castle’s offensive strategies are not working, instead of adjusting Castle opts to put the ball in the hands of their best players in the backfield and become a very one-dimensional and almost self-destructing predictable team. Also, there is only so much Castle’s defense can do when it has to be on the field too many times due to an ineffective offense. And if Castle is going to mix it up with their offensive play calling (misdirection plays, etc.), those plays need to be executed with more basic fundamental precision with less sloppiness.
Impressed w/Farrington performance. QB Afe throwing & decision making, RB Tanuvasa outstanding running, Umaga hard hitting at MLB, among others, were impresssive on TV. Farrington dominated both sides of the ball and out coached Castle’s Coaches. Castle could not adjust to Farrington’s PAT formation which resulted in 3 straight successful 2 pt conversions. The score could have been worse if Farrington did not fumble on their own 5 yard line and dropped passes. Yes, Castle does have the size, numbers, talent but something is missing as they obviously are underperforming. Their musical chairs at the QB position, is not effective. Hopefully they’ll peak in the playoffs. Go Castle! Go Govs!