Farrington running back Taumua ranks third in the state with 1,127 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. ScoringLive file photo

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Kealakehe tailback Lennox Jones has run for a team-high 592 yards and also leads the team in receiving yards with 308 on 22 catches. ScoringLive file photo

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In an era of the wide-open passing attack, Farrington and Kealakehe will go a little old school in their tilt Friday night.

An old-fashioned, smashmouth affair is expected when the Governors (9-2) visit the Waveriders (10-1) in a first-round game of the First Hawaiian Bank/Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division I State Championships.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Waveriders Stadium in Kailua-Kona. The winner will advance to next week's semifinal round at Hawaiian Airlines Field at Aloha Stadium, where it will meet tournament top-seed Kahuku (10-0).

Farrington, ranked fourth in the ScoringLive/OC16 Power Rankings, qualified for the six-team tournament as the third-place finisher from the Oahu Interscholastic Association. The Govs took care of Leilehua, 52-26, Saturday to earn a shot at Kealakehe, the Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion. The 10th-ranked Waveriders beat Hilo, 40-22, in the BIIF title game, which was completed Saturday after the tsunami warning postponed the game late in the second quarter.

The game will feature several standout backs in Farrington's duo of Amo Silva and Tyler Taumua along with Kealakehe's stable of Lennox Jones, Jordan Cristobal and David Fangupo.

"We know what Farrington has - a powerful running game - we have a powerful running game and so it's going to be a clash of smashmouth football," Kealakehe coach Sam Papalii said. "We're going to do what we do. We'll breakdown what they do both offensively and defensively and special teams wise, and hopefully come up with a game plan since it'll be a short week for us, but hopefully we'll be good enough to continue to run the ball how we have so far this season."

The plan is much the same for Govs' coach Randall Okimoto.

"We're going to do what we do best - what we've done the whole season and concentrate on improving on that - because we haven't mastered that by any stretch, so I think we have to concentrate on improvement."

What Farrington has done is run the ball is great efficiency. The Govs have accumulated a state-best 2,858 rushing yards - or 259.8 per game and 5.9 per attempt - and 34 rushing touchdowns. Silva leads the state with 1,460 rush yards on 203 carries with 16 touchdowns while Taumua ranks third with 1,127 rush yard on 176 attempts with 14 scores.

Okimoto is banking his team playing with the passion that helped it overcome Leilehua.

"Saturday, people made comments that we had a lot of energy on our sideline and I would hope that our players wouldn't have to have their backs against the wall to have that type of energy," Okimoto said. "If we can have that type of attitude at all times, it gives us the best chance to give our best on the field."

Farrington had won its first six games until a 31-6 loss to Kahuku back on Sept. 29. A 42-21 loss to Mililani in an OIA semifinal nearly two weeks ago is the Govs' only other defeat.

In the win over Leilehua Saturday, Taumua accounted for four touchdowns (3 rushing, 1 receiving) and 168 rushing yards and Silva ran for 187 and two scores.

Okimoto has been pleased with the play of brothers Tyler and Montana Liana.

"Our tight end, Tyler Liana, is one of our most improved players. Blocking, catching, leading by example as far as his work ethic and even in the classroom," Okimoto said. "The quarterback, Montana Liana, is young - he's a sophomore - but being able to manage the team as a young player, it's not easy to do being a quarterback and being a leader at that age, is not easy."

The Govs allow opponents an average of 17.2 points and 195.5 yards per game, including just 47.4 rushing.

"Defensively, Aisea Tavae, our leader on defense. He's been consistent the whole season with his work ethic and attitude, as well," Okimoto said of the senior linebacker.

Defensive back Jacob McEnroe returned an interception 25 yards for a score against the Mules Saturday. Linebackers Syndreck Dsio and Austin Faumui, along with defensive linemen Dane Tai and Breiden Fehoko help anchor the defense.

This was the third consecutive league title for Kealakehe and seventh in nine seasons. It was the third overall BIIF crown won under Papalii, who returned to the school this year after previously leading the Waveriders to titles in 2004 and 2005.

"We're where we expected to be as BIIF champions, now we want to make some noise in the state tournament," Papalii said. "We're a senior-laden team, we have about 24 seniors. We don't have huge numbers, but we've got a few guys playing both ways, specifically in the skill positions, but I think that this is the best team that I've coached. If we're going to do it in the state, this is the year, so hopefully we can get by the Govs."

Defense has led the way for the Waveriders this season. They are allowing just 16.1 points and 172.7 yards by opponents and have won their last nine contests.

"Our two inside linebackers, we feel, are two of the best in the state," said Papalii. "One of them has got five scholarship offers - Manase Hungalu - and the other guy - Kyler O'Halloran - was the BIIF Defensive Player of the Year last year."

Hungalu is 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds while O'Halloran stands 6-2 and weights 220. Both are used on offense as well - Hungalu at running back and O'Halloran at tight end.

"We're an attacking 4-3 defense with multiple coverages. Our secondary, we've got guys that were green, but now they're experienced after the (regular) season," Papalii said. "Four of our best athletes are back there, so we hope we can withstand the powerful running game of the Farrington Governors, but our defense sees it everyday. We're pretty big and we run the football, but Farrington's got two great running backs, that's for sure."

The Waveriders are one of few teams statewide that can match the size of Farrington's offensive front.

"We have a big offensive line. I think we average like 6-2, 310 across the front," Papalii said. Whatsmore, the 350-pound Fangupo doubles at fullback and defensive tackle.

"Offensively, we like to run the football. We do it out of the spread formation and multiple formations," Papalii said. "We run some options. We run some power game - off-tackle, sweeps, play-action also - along with our spread run-and-shoot game. We'll spread you out and run the ball and play-action pass and if you crowd us, then we'll throw the football."

Senior tailback Lennox Jones has run for a team-high 592 yards on 67 carries (8.8 per rush) and leads the team in receiving yards with 308 on 22 catches. He ran for 157 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries against Hilo Saturday. Cristobal, a senior quarterback, has thrown for 765 yards with eight TDs against two interceptions. He's also rushed for 218 yards. Fangupo has 39 rushes for 288 yards and five TDs.

"We like to distribute the ball through our double-slot formation. We have four or five guys that we can utilize to get the ball to in space," Papalii said. "The reason why I like to spread is because we will throw. If you give us the pass, we will throw it. We're capable, he's not the best passer, but he's efficient enough. We try to get him passes that are easy to complete, short passes, but if you give us the deep ball, we'll go for it. But, we run the football, that's what we do. We have a big O-line, a big fullback, athletes in our backfield and we'll try to utilize them to the best of our abilities."

Kealakehe's lone loss - 34-0 shutout against Kamehameha back on Aug. 24 - came without several key players.

The only common opponent shared by the teams is Kailua. Kealakehe beat the Surfriders, 10-3, on Oahu in its season-opener back on Aug. 10 while Farrington also won, 18-7, in an OIA Red East regular-season game on Oct. 5.

The Waveriders are 0-7 all-time in seven previous state-tournament appearances. The Govs are making their eighth appearance and are 3-7 overall, including a 3-4 mark in the quarterfinal round.