MILILANI - Even mud can't slow down this offense.

Quarterback Trent McKinney threw a pair of touchdown passes to Hassan Richardson and ran in another score to lead Mililani to a 21-14 win over Farrington in an O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red (Division I) Tournament game at John Kauinana Stadium Friday night.

The Trojans, ranked third in the ScoringLive-OC16 Power Rankings, improved to 8-1 before a home crowd of about 1,500 and advanced to next week's semifinal round at Aloha Stadium, where they will meet Waianae. The Governors, who entered the game with a No. 8 ranking, saw their season end at 6-4.

"I'm proud of our boys, I'm proud of our coaching staff. We came in with a good game plan and we stuck to it - that's the good thing," Mililani coach Rod York said.

Despite muddy field conditions, the Trojans' offense showed little signs of slowing down. McKinney was 16-of-21 passing for 171 yards with completions to seven different pass catchers. Richardson caught eight passes for 103 yards with touchdowns of 45 and 30 yards while Zachary Payomo carried the ground game with 105 yards on 12 attempts.

"The two big plays to Hassan were big," York said. "Those are game-changing plays and momentum-breakers so to speak."

An early Mililani miscue led to the first points of the game. McKinney was intercepted by Farrington's Bryston Doctolero on the Trojans' first possession and the Govs' took the ball at the Mililani 27-yard line.

Farrington kept it on the ground on the four-play drive, which was highlighted by a 1-yard sneak by quarterback Jared Hakuole. Sung Saengpetsiriphan added the extra point to give the Govs a 7-0 lead with 5:21 left in the first quarter.

Mililani answered with its ground game - namely a big dose of Payomo. The senior carried on five consecutive plays to set-up McKinney's 1-yard sneak with 47 seconds left in the first. Jarin Morikawa's PAT evened the score at 7-apiece.

Following a Farrington punt, the Trojans reclaimed possession at their own 35. Payomo broke free on a 20-yard run on the second play of the drive and McKinney connected with the 6-foot-4 Richardson on a deep ball over the middle for a 45-yard score. After Morikawa tacked on the extra point, Mililani took a 14-7 lead midway through the second quarter and into the half.

"I'm thinking 'I gotta make this play, I gotta make this play,' " Richardson said play. "I just tried to outrun the defender and out jump him to the ball."

The Trojans extended their lead on the first drive of the second half. They drove 72 yards on eight plays, capped by Richardson's 30-yard TD grab.

"You know, if you give (Richardson) a chance to go get it, he'll go get it," McKinney said of the scoring passes. "It was a muddy ball, but I just had to get it up and we expected him to come down with it."

The Govs managed a last-ditch Hail-Mary pass that fell incomplete in the end zone with no time left on the clock.

Farrington was held to 191 offensive yards, including just 54 through the air. Mililani was 9-of-12 on third-down conversion attempts.

The win sets up a rematch against Waianae, which handed the Trojans their lone loss in a 42-28 drubbing back on Sept. 4.

"For the past two years, not only have (the Seariders) been beating us, they been sort of blowing us out and this is make-it-or-break-it time," McKinney said. "We know what they are capable of and what they do and now it's just a matter of making corrections from those past few years."

See also:

> StudentVoices: Richardson stepping up for Mililani

> StudentVoices: McKinney was key in Mililani win

> StudentVoices: Taumua, Smith ran hard for Govs

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