Welcome to the Red, where one mistake can lead to disaster.

Trendt Marsom's 90-yard interception return for a touchdown turned a close game into Farrington's 61-14 rout of Moanalua in O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red East football last night at Roosevelt stadium.

Quarterback Elijah Filifili completed 14-of-22 passes for 323 yards and three touchdowns, all to receiver Elijah Lesu, who had eight receptions for 234 yards for the Governors (2-0 overall, 1-0 Red East). Lesu also had an 85-yard kickoff return for a TD to open the second half.

Moanalua (1-1, 0-1), which was promoted from the White, was threatening to score trailing, 21-14 midway through the second quarter. Na Menehune moved from their 32 to the Governors' 25 when on third-and-9, Marsom intercepted Jordan Monico and raced 90 yards for the TD. It was the start of seven unanswered scores by the Governors.

"Our boys showed we could compete," Moanalua coach Arnold Martinez said. "I'm proud of them.

"With young teams, that's the thing. Snowball effect. He throws that ball for a touchdown and all of a sudden that snowball got bigger and bigger. Our guys buckle up, they've never been in that position before."

Farrington coach Randall Okimoto said it was critical that his team did not panic early, when Moanalua responded to each Farrington score, making the first 17 minutes close.

"At first, we thought we were going to go back-and-forth," Okimoto said. "But that interception really helped us."

Farrington scored on their first three series on TD runs of 1, 5 and 4 yards by running back Hercules Sula.

Moanalua scored on their second and third series behind its effective option offense behind quarterback Jordan Monico. Running back Pono Tiave took a pitch to the left from Monico and raced 50 yards for the first TD and Monico scored on a 60-yard keeper. Tiave took a pitch from Monico to score the 2-point conversion to pull Moanalua to 15-14 with 42 seconds left in the first quarter.

Sula's third TD run made it 21-14 and Marsom's interception — the first of two on the night; he could've had three, but one was nullified by a penalty — changed the dynamics of the game.

Farrington widened its margin with Filifili's strong passing, especially to Lesu. Lesu's kickoff return to start the second half made it 49-14 and put the game on the running clock because of the 35-point differential mercy rule.

Except for the interceptions, Monico was effective with the option, rushing for 93 yards on 14 carries. Tiave had three rushes for 57 yards taking pitches.

The teams return to nonleague action Saturday with Moanalua at Iolani, and Farrington at Kamehameha.

MOANALUA (1-1, 0-1) 14 0 0 0—14

FARRINGTON (2-0, 1-0) 15 28 12 6—61

FARR—HERCULES SULA 1 RUN (MAELI SILIGA RUN)

MOAN—PONO TIAVE 50 RUN (PASS FAILED)

FARR—SULA 5 RUN (FAIFAIESE EMOSI KICK)

MOAN—JORDAN MONICO 60 RUN (TIAVE RUN)

FARR—SULA 4 RUN (KICK FAILED)

Farr—Trendt Marsom 90 interception return (Emosi kick)

Farr—Elijah Lesu 22 pass from Elijah Filifili (Emosi kick)

FARR—LESU 18 PASS FROM FILIFILI (KELEMETE TALIA RUN)

FARR—LESU 85 KICKOFF RETURN (KICK FAILED)

FARR—LESU 52 PASS FROM FILIFILI (KICK BLOCKED)

Farr—Talia 14 run (kick failed) RUSHING—Moanalua: Monico 14-93, Tiave 3-57, Jarin Salvador-Atabay 4-11, Darryl Nicely 1-4, Mark Tupas 3-2, Team 1-(minus 15). Farrington: Filifili 2-(minus 11), Sula 9-35, Joshua Agasiva Fernandez 6-46, Talia 4-31.

PASSING—Moanalua: Monico 7-18-2—56, Salvador-Atabay 1-1-0—3. Farrington: Filifili 14-22-0—323.

RECEIVING—Moanalua: Savai'i Eselu 3-40, Tiave 2-7, Salvador-Atabay 1-1, Nicely 2-11. Farrington: Lesu 8-234, Siliga 5-81, Sula 1-8.

JV score—Farrington 25, Moanalua 7

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.