10 of 14 OIA football playoff berths are clinched
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Write
Entering the final week of the O'ahu Interscholastic Association regular season, the Western Division's representatives for the Red Conference (Division I) playoffs are already set.
The top five teams from the West and top five from the East advance to the OIA tournament, which starts Oct. 22 with the fourth and fifth seeds playing, and the top three seeds from each division drawing byes.
Unbeaten Mililani (5-0 West), Leilehua (4-1), Kapolei (3-2), 'Aiea (3-3) and Nanakuli (2-3) have secured berths for the OIA Red tournament. Nanakuli beat Wai'anae during the regular season, so the Golden Hawks have won the head-to-head tiebreaker should both finish with identical league records. This is the first time since 1983 that the Seariders have failed to advance to the postseason, not counting exhibition games, such as that season when Wai'anae played Waimea.
The Trojans clinched the West's top seed with their 35-14 win against the Mules Friday night.
The East, meanwhile, is only partially set. Kahuku (5-0 East), Castle (4-1) and Farrington (3-2) will advance. The defending OIA and state champion Red Raiders have the East's top seed clinched.
Kailua (2-2-1), Roosevelt (2-3) and McKinley (1-3-1) are battling for the final two berths. On Friday, Kailua hosts Kahuku and Roosevelt hosts Castle. McKinley plays Farrington on Saturday at Roosevelt. McKinley has the toughest challenge among the three because it must win and hope Kailua and/or Roosevelt loses. McKinley and Kailua tied during the season, so if both end up with the same record and are behind Roosevelt in the standings, a coin toss would determine the final berth.
Because the state Division I tournament has been reduced to six teams, the OIA will send only its top three teams, making the third-place game critical this time around.
The White tournament (Division II) starts Oct. 30 with the top four teams advancing. So far, Waipahu (5-1 White) and Campbell (5-1) have secured berths. Radford (4-2), Moanalua (3-3), Kalaheo (3-3) and Kaiser (3-3) are vying for the remaining two berths.
On Friday, Radford hosts Waialua, Moanalua hosts Waipahu and Kaiser hosts Kalaheo. A Rams victory will give them the third berth. There are also two scenarios in which three of the four teams can finish with 4-3 records. Both would require a coin toss because in each scenario one team beat one, but not the other.
The top two teams from the White tournament advance to the six-team state Division II tournament.
Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8042.
