On this date in 1990, Mark Atuaia rushed for 228 yards on 24 carries and Kahuku beat Farrington 26-14 at Aloha Stadium.
The Red Raiders won the battle of unbeatens mostly because Farrington coach Skippa Diaz stubbornly double-teamed Kahuku end Itula Mili, who was held without a catch.
Atuaia didn’t carry the ball until seven minutes into the game and was thrown for losses three times in the first half.
Farrington running back Randall Okimoto had 111 yards on 21 carries but coughed the ball up twice. Atuaia and Okimoto remain the top rushing duo in Oahu history, with Atuaia finishing the season with 2,377 yards on 202 carries and Okimoto sitting second on the all-time list with 2,149 yards on 342 carries. Joe Igber (1998 Iolani) and Kama Bailey (2007 Damien) are the only other Oahu backs to eclipse 2,000 yards in a season.
The only other time the all-time great backs met, neither of them hit the century mark in a 9-7 Farrington victory.
Atuaia and Okimoto might not be the all-time greats they are remembered as without offensive lines that have to be among the best units ever. Atuaia was protected by Chris Naeole, Tala Toalei, Charles Crismon, Toele Faamoe and Tanoai Reed. They averaged 241 pounds per man.
Paving the way for Okimoto were Jason Se’e, Siamau Samatua, Shaun Pacheco, John Tatupu and All-American Patrick Kesi. They averaged 256 pounds per man.
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