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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, October 2, 2009

No. 1 Red Raiders take on Govs


By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

With a site finally settled, top-ranked Kahuku will play No. 4 Farrington tonight at Roosevelt's Ticky Vasconcellos Stadium.

The winner of the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red East game clinches the division's top seed for the 10-team OIA tournament and earns at least a share of the division crown. Both teams enter the game with 6-0 overall records and 4-0 in division.

Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. and the game will be televised on OC 16.

Farrington's homecoming game has been tossed around like a political football. Originally scheduled to be played at Roosevelt, the game was moved to Aloha Stadium earlier in the week in anticipation of a large crowd, OIA president Meredith Maeda said. But a surge of Farrington supporters — students in particular, Farrington coach Randall Okimoto said — helped convince officials to return the game to the Governors' designated home site. (Farrington, Kaimuki and McKinley use Roosevelt for home games because they don't have their own stadiums.)

"I didn't know they felt that strongly about how important it is to have homecoming at Roosevelt," Okimoto said. "They also felt that because it's their homecoming, they should be able to choose where the game is."

Roosevelt's stadium holds about 3,500, but the biggest issue is the lack of parking in the Makiki neighborhood. While it may be easier for Farrington supporters to use the bus from Kalihi, it will be a chore for those driving in from the North Shore.

However, Kahuku coach Reggie Torres said, "Farrington deserves the right to choose. When we play at home, we have an advantage. Besides, we have to learn to play in adverse conditions."

The last time Farrington hosted Kahuku at Roosevelt was 2003. Since then, when Farrington was the home team, one game was played at Aloha Stadium (2004) and another at Mililani (2006). Games in 2007 and 2008 were at Kahuku. The Red Raiders lead the series, 26-15, and have won the last nine meetings.

This year's teams are similar offensively. Kahuku averages 6.2 yards per rush, and Farrington 5.8. The Red Raiders have passed for 192 more yards than the Governors.

"We have to control the line of scrimmage," Torres said.

Fundamentals will be of the essence, Okimoto said. Missed tackles, missed assignments and dropped passes "can change the outcome," he said.

In the Interscholastic League of Honolulu, No. 2 Saint Louis and No. 5 Kamehameha — both 5-1 overall and 2-1 in league — play at 7:45 p.m. tomorrow at Aloha Stadium. The winner takes sole possession of first place in the ILH Division I race.

The OIA Red West game between Kapolei (4-3, 3-2), which is tied for No. 10, at Mililani (6-0, 4-0) will be played tonight. The No. 3 Trojans can clinch at least a share of the division title with a victory.