Week 3 features critical games in OIA title chases

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

Here is what's on tap tonight in O'ahu Interscholastic Association football:

Two unbeaten Red Conference title contenders (Castle and McKinley) going head-to-head, another unbeaten Red contender (Kailua) facing the defending Red champion (Wai'anae) and the top two White Conference teams ('Aiea and Waipahu) squaring off.

It's only Week 3, but much is at stake. A closer look at each game:

McKinley at Castle

• Where: Castle High School, 45-386 Kane'ohe Bay Drive, Kane'ohe
• When: 25 minutes after 5 p.m. JV game
• Records: Castle 2-1 overall, 2-0 OIA Red Conference; McKinley 3-0, 2-0
• Last week: Castle beat Wai'anae, 55-35; McKinley beat Leilehua, 42-13

• Notes: Castle's biggest weapon is quarterback Joel Botelho, who leads the Red in both passing and rushing. But the Knights also have two of the conference's top receivers in Ikaika Ho (11 catches, 196 yards) and Treston Kaneao (7, 168), as well as the division's top scorer, running back Ola Keliiholokai (32 points). ... McKinley quarterback Abel Werner is a sophomore who is getting better by the week. In just his second varsity start, Werner completed 13 of 15 passes for 115 yards and two touchdowns against Leilehua, and also ran for a touchdown. He was not intercepted.

Wai'anae at Kailua

• Where: Kailua High School, 451 Ulumanu Drive, Kailua
• When: 25 minutes after 5 p.m. JV game
• Records: Kailua 2-0, 1-0 OIA Red; Wai'anae 2-1, 1-1
• Last week: Kailua had a bye; Wai'anae lost to Castle, 55-35

• Notes: Like Castle's Joel Botelho, Kailua's Taleki Mailau and Wai'anae's Kekoa Reyes are quarterbacks who are equally dangerous passing or running. ... Kailua racked up 480 yards of offense in its opener against Campbell, despite two lost fumbles and five dropped passes.

Waipahu at 'Aiea

• Where: 'Aiea High School, 98-1276 Ulune St., 'Aiea
• When: 25 minutes after 5 p.m. JV game
• Records: 'Aiea 3-0, 2-0 OIA White; Waipahu 3-0, 2-0
• Last week: 'Aiea beat Kalani, 39-0; Waipahu beat Kaiser, 28-0

• Notes: 'Aiea's Lole Laolagi is yet another quarterback in the Botelho-Mailau-Reyes mold, an athlete who can hurt you through the air and on the ground. ... Waipahu tailback Andrew Hale is the OIA's leading rusher, averaging 136.5 yards per game. ... 'Aiea and Waipahu have the top two defenses in the White, each allowing less than 115 yards per game.

Other games today:

OIA Red — Kaimuki vs. Farrington at Roosevelt, 25 minutes after 5 p.m. JV game; OIA White — Moanalua at Kaiser, Roosevelt at Waialua, both 25 minutes after 5 p.m. JV game; ILH — Iolani vs. Damien, 4:45 p.m. at Aloha Stadium, Punahou vs. St. Louis, 7:30 p.m. at Aloha Stadium; BIIF — Hawai'i Prep at Kealakehe, 7 p.m.; Kohala at Hilo, 30 minutes after 5 p.m. JV game; KIF — Kaua'i vs. Waimea, 7:35 p.m. at Vidinha Stadium; MIL — Lahainaluna at King Kekaulike, 7:30 p.m.