Posted on: Friday, September 26, 2003

Farrington tests unbeaten Kahuku

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

At $6 general admission, tickets for tonight's O'ahu Interscholastic Association football game between Red Conference powers Kahuku and Farrington probably will be quite the bargain.

That's if you can find a seat.

By the time Kahuku (4-0 overall, 3-0 OIA) and Farrington (3-2, 3-1) kick off at about 7:30, every available space in Roosevelt's Stadium (about 3,000 capacity) is expected to be occupied. That includes areas where people sit on mats or stand above the concrete bleachers.

"The problem with games like this is parking," Roosevelt athletic director Rodney Iwasaki said. "We have very few stalls on campus, and there's parking at Stevenson (Intermediate), but the rest is in neighborhoods. People need to be aware of the correct areas and not park illegally. Hopefully, they will carpool."

The game itself should be worth all the hassles.

At stake is first place in the tight Red-East division standings and a step closer to one of the East's four playoff spots. With Castle (3-1), Kailua (2-1) and McKinley (1-2) also in the hunt, there is little margin for error.

"It's a tough division, and we're in a perfect position to stay in front," Kahuku coach Siuaki Livai said. "But we've got our hands full with Farrington. We respect them, because they ended our season last year."

Here is a closer look at tonight's game, as well as an Interscholastic League of Honolulu showdown between Saint Louis and Punahou.

Farrington vs. Kahuku

Where: Roosevelt High School, 1120 Nehoa St.
When: 7:30 tonight
Records: Farrington 3-2 overall, 3-1 OIA; Kahuku 4-0, 3-0
Last week: Farrington defeated McKinley, 27-26; Kahuku had a bye
Advertiser Top 10 ranking: Kahuku No. 2, Farrington No. 10

MATT BELL

Notes: Farrington has an All-State running back in Matt Bell, but the Governors' offense is much more than "Bell left, Bell right, Bell up the middle." Quarterback Eti Atonio completed 10 of 20 passes without an interception for 186 yards against McKinley. "Matt Bell is a complete running back in all phases, but I'm concerned about how they use him as a decoy and get the ball to other guys," Kahuku coach Siuaki Livai said. Two of those "other guys" are receivers Alvin Faumui, who caught three passes for 70 yards and one touchdown, and Harrison Harris (four catches, 65 yards, one TD). Kahuku showed a balanced attack against McKinley (257 yards rushing, 130 passing), but Livai said consistency and turnovers are still a concern. The Red Raiders lost five fumbles in a playoff loss to Farrington last season. "I guarantee if we turn it over five times (tonight), we'll lose again," Livai said. "Our offense is way ahead of where we were last year, but when we mess up, we really mess up. Like I told our boys, it depends on which Kahuku team shows up."

Punahou vs. Saint Louis

Where: Aloha Stadium
When: 7:30 tonight
Records: Punahou 2-2, 0-1 ILH; Saint Louis 1-1, 0-1
Last week: Punahou lost to Kamehameha 42-20; Saint Louis had a bye
Advertiser Top 10 ranking: Saint Louis No. 3, Punahou unranked.

JOHN MORRIS

Notes: Punahou moved the ball well against Kamehameha, gaining 371 yards (258 passing, 113 rushing). But the Buffanblu also had five interceptions and lost a fumble. "It was frustrating because we worked hard to move the ball, but against teams like that we can't have any breakdowns," coach Kale Ane said. "It was a learning stage for a lot of people, not just our quarterback (John Morris)." Morris completed 29 of 56 passes to eight different receivers, led by Koa Duncan's nine catches for 90 yards. Running back Micah Strickland kept the defense honest by rushing for 99 yards on 12 carries. Saint Louis displayed an awesome defensive front and showed signs of its crisp passing game in a 16-13 loss to Kamehameha two weeks ago. But the Crusaders were missing the vertical pass threats common in previous years, as only one play went for more than 20 yards. Coach Darnell Arceneaux said that was partly because of penalties (13 for 97 yards) and partly by design. "We had nine offensive penalties in the first half, and it really stalled us because the run-and-shoot is all about rhythm," Arceneaux said. "We also tried to get into a rhythm so we could keep our defense off the field." Quarterback Keali'i Perbera played all but a couple downs for Saint Louis, but Arceneaux said that did not mean he sealed the starting job over Stanley Nihipali. "Everything is open every week," Arceneaux said. "We've been shuffling a lot."

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2456.