Two forfeits shake up OIA football playoffs
By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer
Two forfeits have clouded the already nebulous O'ahu Interscholastic Association football playoff picture entering the final weekend of the regular season.
Defending OIA champion Castle has forfeited its 40-32 victory over Kailua on Sept. 19 because an academically ineligible player took part in that game. On that same night, Leilehua used an ineligible player in its 8-6 victory over Waipahu. Both forfeit rulings were handed down by the OIA's executive committee this week.
The Castle forfeit changes the Knights' record to 4-3 overall and 3-3 in the OIA Eastern Division. Even without the forfeit, the Knights still would need at least a tie against McKinley (4-3, 3-3) Saturday or a Farrington loss to Kaimuki tomorrow to clinch one of the East's four playoff berths.
"That softens the impact a little bit — the fact that no matter what, we probably needed to beat (or tie) McKinley," Castle athletic director Richard Haru said. "It doesn't really change our situation, except that we could have finished second (with a win)."
Now, the highest the Knights can finish is third. The forfeit also impacts tomorrow's game between Kahuku and Kailua.
Kahuku supposedly had clinched the East championship by beating Castle last week to go 6-0 in the division, but now Kailua's OIA record changes from 4-1-1 to 5-0-1, meaning the Surfriders can win the division by beating Kahuku at home.
Also, Castle's forfeit clinches a playoff berth for Farrington. Previously, the Governors (3-2-1 OIA) needed a victory over Kaimuki (0-6) tomorrow or a McKinley loss. But now the worst Farrington can finish is 3-3-1, which would be better than the loser of the Castle-McKinley game (3-4).
Even if the Govs lose and Castle and McKinley tie, all three teams would end up 3-3-1 and Farrington would win the head-to-head tiebreaker over McKinley by virtue of its 27-26 victory over the Tigers Sept. 20.
Castle would be third in that scenario, because it defeated the Governors, 34-14, Sept. 5.
As for Leilehua, the Mules' OIA record changes to 2-4. Even without the forfeit, the Mules still would need to beat Mililani tomorrow to qualify for the playoffs, but now they must win and also hope Wai'anae (3-3) loses to Campbell (1-5).
That scenario would leave both Leilehua and Wai'anae at 3-4, but since the Mules beat the Seariders earlier this season, Leilehua would earn the West's fourth playoff berth by the head-to-head tiebreaker.
The forfeit also secures a playoff berth for Nanakuli, which has a bye and previously needed either Leilehua, Wai'anae or Pearl City to lose. Now, even if all three teams win, Nanakuli's 4-3 record would be better than Leilehua's 3-4.
Haru and Leilehua principal Norman Minehira both said the infractions were discovered and self-reported to the league about a week after the games in question were played.
Staff writer Stacy Kaneshiro contributed to this report.
Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2456.
