The last time Baldwin won a state tournament football game was in 2007 against Farrington.

The Bears are hoping for the same result when they take on the Governors in an opening-round game of the First Hawaiian Bank Division I state football tournament Friday at War Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is 6 p.m. The game will be aired live on OC 16.

The Maui Interscholastic League champion Bears have had their season end the last three years on the Valley Isle by Leilehua. But the Mules are in the opposite bracket and the only way they meet is for the championship.

Baldwin (8-1), ranked seventh in the ScoringLive/OC16 Power Rankings, are making their seventh consecutive tournament appearance and 10th overall, while the No. 2 Governors (10-1) are in their seventh tournament, but first since 2009.

Farrington suffered its first loss of the season a week ago against Kahuku in the Oahu Interscholastic Association Red championship. The Governors had hopes of drawing the first-round bye.

"We wanted to stay home, of course, but this is the way we have to go," Farrington coach Randall Okimoto said. "We try to instill in them that this is a new season, the state tournament. The prize is a little bigger. Better."

The teams come in with very good defenses. Until the OIA semifinals against Campbell and the championship against Kahuku, Farrington's defense had not allowed more than two touchdowns in a game. The Bears have allowed more than one TD in MIL play only once. After a 48-10 loss to Edison of California in August, the Bears have shutout opponents four times and held them to one TD on three other occasions.

Compared to Leilehua, which passed its way past the Bears behind Andrew Manley in 2008 and 2009 and Kenan Sadanaga last year, is relatively moderate through the air.

"They're big up front and they like to run," Baldwin coach A.J. Roloos said.

Leading the ground attack is RB Tyler Taumua, the Division I state leader with 1,507 yards rushing and 17 TDs. Kahuku contained him to 24 yards last week. The Bears stack the box with a 4-4 alignment anchored by LB B.J. Wilhelm-Ioane.

Quarterback Travis Tamapua has 1,147 yards passing with 11 TDs, so the threat through the air is there.

The Bears also have a formidable running game, too. If RB Vetekina Malafu (828 yards, 12 TDs) doesn't break a defense, QB Keelan Ewaliko (811 yards rushing, 12 TDs) will. And with his 1,059 yards passing and 14 TDs, the Bears, too, can deep defenses honest.

Farrington's defense is led by a solid linebacking corp of Semo Sila, Austin Faumui and Manly Williams.

The winner of this game takes on second-seeded Punahou, the Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion, on Nov. 18 at Aloha Stadium.

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