For the Farrington High School football team, sometimes the best offense really is a strong defense.

Four of the Governors' 32 touchdowns this season have been scored by their defense, another two TDs came on special teams defensive plays, and they've logged two safeties.

That's 40 points scored with the offense on the sideline.

"We try to teach 'situational defense,' and part of that is trying to score," said Farrington head coach Randall Okimoto, who doubles as defensive coordinator. "With fumbles, we've encouraged them to 'scoop and score,' whereas in the past we might have told them to just fall on it. We've moved to that mindset now of scoring on defense."

Farrington (9-2) will take that mindset to the Big Island tomorrow when it meets Honoka'a (8-3) in the first round of the First Hawaiian Bank/Hawai'i High School Athletic Association Championships.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Kealakehe Stadium in Kailua, Kona.

The Governors' defense — to begin with — is big and fast. That makes the opponents' yards hard to come by, whether through the air or on the ground.

"Before the game, our first goal is 'No one (on the other team) scores,' " said safety Alvin Fa'amausili. "But if they do score on us, Goal No. 2 is to try and make up for it. So if I make an interception, I'm thinking of taking it back to the house."

Fa'amausili, a 6-foot-1, 170-pound senior, did just that two weeks ago against Castle, intercepting a pass with 1:25 remaining and returning it 35 yards for a touchdown to help seal a 42-26 victory that clinched the state tournament berth.

Earlier in that game, linebacker Charles "Mo" Tauaefa recovered a bad punt snap in the end zone for another TD. In a 26-7 win over Kapolei in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association quarterfinals, Tauaefa returned a fumble 45 yards for a score to put Farrington up, 20-0, with 10:34 left in the game.

In addition to Tauaefa and Fa'amausili, linebacker Seth Ilae scored on a 30-yard interception reíturn against Castle during the regular season, defensive back Vaughn Tomas took a pick 33 yards to the house against McKinley and Shane Dsio stripped the ball from a Castle kick returner and returned it 27 yards for a game-clinching score two weeks ago.

Even without scoring directly, the Govs' defense has provided the offense with other opportunities by creating turnovers. Tauaefa has recovered six fumbles this season, and Fa'amausili has five interceptions.

Linebacker Justin Vele has three interceptions and four forced fumbles, recovering three. Defensive end/linebacker VJ Fehoko has forced five fumbles, recovering three, and intercepted one pass.

"We always set goals before the game," said Tauaefa, a 5-9, 210-pound junior. "We set team goals, position goals and individual goals."

Okimoto said Farrington has benefitted from continuity on the defensive coaching staff, which includes Al Torco (line), Malo Torres (linebackers) and Gery Graham (secondary).

"We've been together the past four years, and we work well together," Okimoto said. "We try to teach speed and agility in the offseason, and guys like (former linebacker) Isaiah Iuta showed the younger guys that (scoring on defense) is possible."

The Governors' play-making and opportunistic defense complements a physical, ground-oriented ball-control offense led by tailback Harry Tuimaseve (1,323 yards rushing, 12 TDs).

Fa'amausili and Tauaefa said their unit takes an aggressive approach to defense, applying constant pressure and trying to force opponents into making mistakes.

"Our coach said when he watched the film, we looked like caged dogs that just got unleashed," Fa'amausili said. "We'll adapt our defense to whatever offense the other team is running, but we're always going to come at them hard."

Tauaefa said, "We're always going to give our all, 110 percent."

Honoka'a coach Fred Lau said he watched Farrington on film and compares them to "a junior college team."

But he said, "Kealekehe is like that, too — big and fast."

The Dragons defeated Kealakehe twice this season, 7-6 and 37-14.

Lau said his own defense is used to being undersized.

"We're all (about) speed," Lau said. "We put our quickest players on defense, and try to take good angles."