Farrington QB Montana Liana attempts to break free from a McKinley defender. Eugene Tanner | SL

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McKinley's Mathias Tuitle-Iafeta blocks for teammate Gerime Bradley who runs into the end zone for a touchdown in the second quarter. Eugene Tanner | SL

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McKinley Kona Bagood-Makanui makes a leaping catch against Farrington. Eugene Tanner | SL

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Farrington's (11) runs back an interception for a touchdown against McKinley in the first quarter. Eugene Tanner | SL

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Sat, Sep 14, 2013 @ Roosevelt [ 6:00 pm ]

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McKinley

13

Farrington

25

Final	1	2	3	4	T
McKinley (5-5-0)	0	7	0	0	13
Farrington (9-4-0)	0	7	12	6	25

• Pass
• Rush
• Rec

Montana Liana 135 yd

Chevas Pacheco 83 yd

Sanele Lavatai 57 yd 2 TD

Gerime Bradley 27 yd 1 TD

Derrick Chaffin 76 yd

Tyrell Tuiasosopo 46 yd

MAKIKI - Sanele Lavatai made contributions from both sides of the line of scrimmage to help Farrington stop McKinley, 25-13, Saturday night at Roosevelt's Ticky Vasconcellos Stadium.

The win keeps the Governors unbeaten in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red East with Kahuku, both at 3-0. Farrington (3-2 overall) plays at Moanalua's homecoming, while the Red Raiders play McKinley at Roosevelt, both on Friday.

Lavatai, who starts at linebacker, led a defense that limited the Tigers (3-3, 2-2) to 148 yards of offense. Except for their last score late in the game, McKinley could not sustain any sort of drives. Their first touchdown, a 7-yard run by Gerime Bradley, was set up by Kona Bagood-Makanui's 62-yard kickoff return to the Farrington 24.

But when the Govs needed boost on offense, in came Lavatai, who rushed for 57 yards on 13 carries, but scored on runs on 1 and 5 yards in the third quarter to put Farrington ahead.

Lavatai isn't used full-time on offense because he needs to be fresh on defense. But sometimes, his experience and talent is needed behind the team's inexperienced offensive line.

"Because our O-Line is still trying to mesh," Farrington coach Randall Okimoto said. "I don't want him to take some hits he doesn't need to take, especially after a concussion."

Lavatai suffered a concussion in a non-league game against Kamehameha last month.

As for the Govs' defensive prowess, Okimoto said it's just a matter of gaining experience over the past weeks.

"It's just about the defense getting their reps," Okimoto said.

It's been tough for the Tigers, especially up front where they could not sustain blocks long enough to give their runners and passers space and time.

'It all comes down to our O-Line," McKinley coach Joe Cho said. "If our O-Line doesn't block, we're in trouble. Our defense played well enough to hang in there with anybody, but you're talking 16-year-old, 17-year-old kids. They can't do it all night. That's what happened."

The game was delayed about 25 minutes with 3:07 left when Tigers' receiver Kani Kuhia suffered a shoulder injury after making a 17-yard reception. He left the game by ambulance.

"He dislocated his shoulder," Cho said. "They couldn't pop it in here, so they had to take him to the hospital."

The game started off as a defensive duel. Neither team could move the ball. Although McKinley got an interception by Kona Bagood-Makanui, it could not capitalize on the turnover and ended up punting. The Tigers started the game with Denzel Kalahiki-Gasper at quarterback, but after going 1 for 6 for 5 yards, he was replaced by Chevas Pacheco just before the end of the first quarter.

Since the offenses weren't doing anything, Farrington defensive back Jacob McEnroe jumped the route on a McKinley receiver and intercepted Pacheco's third pass of the game and returned it 32 yards for a TD. Kekoa Sasaoka's PAT gave Farrington a 7-0 lead 4:47 left in the half.

Bagood-Makanui returned the ensuing kickoff 62 yards to the Farrington 24. After Bradley had a 14-yard TD run nullified by a holding penalty, he scored three plays later from seven yards. Liva Logoi tied the game with his PAT with 1:47 left in the half.

Farrington received the second-half kickoff and promptly generated an eight-play, 66-yard drive that ended with Lavatai's 5-yard TD run. The Govs missed the PAT, but took a 13-7 lead at 10:02.

The Tigers were hampered by yet another turnover, losing a fumble on their second play from scrimmage at their 27. The Govs needed only five plays before Lavatai scored on fourth-and-goal at the 1. The 2-point try failed, but Farrington cushioned its lead to 19-7 with 7:17 left in the third quarter.

For McKinley's struggling offense, it was an insurmountable lead. The Governors secured the game when Sitaleki Hufanga scored on a 5-yard run to make it 25-7 with 4:45 left in the game.

McKinley finally sustained a decent drive, moving 71 yards in eight plays - aided by an automatic first down from a roughing the passer penalty - scoring on Mathias Tuitele-Iafeta's 1-yard run with 3:18 left.

The Tigers executed their onside kick at the Farrington 48. Kuhia got injured on first down, but after the 25-minute delay, the Farrington defense stiffened and McKinley lost the ball on downs at the Govs' 16.