In a battle between defending Division II girls basketball champions Kaimuki and defending Oahu Interscholastic Association Red Division champions Farrington, the Governors nipped the Bulldogs 42-40 on Monday, November 22 at Kaimuki to open the 2010-2011 season.

Led by Kristen-Marie Liana and Leilani Mageo-Pacheco, Farrington (1-0) overcame a 23-20 halftime deficit to get the win.

The game was close throughout as Kaimuki chose to operate its offense from the outside the entire contest. The Bulldogs’ outside shooting permitted them to take an early lead and kept Farrington from running away in the second half.

The score was tied at 30-all at the conclusion of the third quarter then Farrington came out of the break with a determination to win.

The visitors finished strong in the closing minutes with Liana and Mageo-Pacheco taking turns in knocking down crucial shots to overtake Kaimuki. Mageo-Pacheco connected on back-to-back baskets midway in the final quarter to break a 33-33 tie and give Farrington a four-point advantage. Liana added a basket a minute later to help Farrington managed that margin.

But Kaimuki kept fighting to the end with scoring from Letishah Fa’asoa and Keana Paez. In the final minute, Farrington withstood Kaimuki’s effort to tie the score by maintain control of the ball.

“This was a great win for us,” Liana said after the game. “We started off slow, but this is a long season. We have to continue to work hard in practice to get our timing.”

Liana played strong the whole game with her inside presence. Her defense and rebounding held Kaimuki in check from scoring inside the lane. She altered several Kaimuki attempted shots in the final quarter allowing Farrington to narrowly edge ahead.

“Despite the loss, our team played well. We lost most of our championship team to graduation so this is a brand new team. They are young and need game experience to get better,” Kaimuki coach Ramona Fa’asoa said.

The Bulldogs finished last season with a 16-2 and captured the state Division II crown behind the offensive scoring punch of Dejah Fa’asoa and Alison Pologa. Both players graduated in 2010 along with starter Puanani Akaka. This season, the Bulldogs have moved up to the Red Division.

Farrington, coached by Caroline Tatupu, ended last season with the OIA Red Division title and a 17-2 record. They secured fifth place in the state Division 1 tourney after losing to Iolani in the quarterfinals.