Kahuku turned a longtime nemesis — its own kicking game — into a game-winning asset tonight, as Cameron Mercado’s 28-yard field goal lifted the Red Raiders to a thrilling 9-6 overtime victory over Farrington in the First Hawaiian Bank/Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association state semifinals.

Kahuku, the O‘ahu Interscholastic Association champion, improved to 12-0 and will face Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion Kamehameha (11-1) in Friday’s title game at Aloha Stadium.
Farrington ends its season at 9-3.
Kahuku’s scoring came on Mercado’s field goals of 49, 37 and 28 yards.
“This came out perfect, I couldn’t have asked for anything better,” said Mercado, a 6-foot, 170-pound senior who transferred from Boca Raton (Fla.) High in January.
Mercado’s 49-yard field goal on the final play of the first half cut the Governors’ lead to 6-3, and his 37-yarder with 4:32 left in the game tied it.
The Red Raiders won the overtime coin toss and elected to play defense first, with Farrington starting at the Kahuku 20-yard line.
After tailback Harry Tuimaseve gained 4 yards on first down, quarterback Jared Hakuole rolled out to his left on a pass play but was sacked by outside linebacker Keoni Tafuna, who came from the blind side and stripped the ball loose.
Defensive end Hauoli Jamora recovered the fumble, giving the Red Raiders their turn on offense.
Kahuku got 8 yards on two running plays, but fullback Viliami Pasi was stopped short of the first down on 3-and-2.
Mercado then came in and — after the Govs called timeout — promptly split the uprights.