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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, October 9, 2009

Mililani, Wai'anae clash out West


By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Its season of perfection ended last week, but No. 5 Mililani is still in the driver's seat for at least a share of the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red West title and the division's top seed for the playoffs.

The Red regular season ends this weekend with the top five from each division advancing to the 10-team OIA tournament.

The Trojans (6-1 overall, 4-1 West) host No. 8 Wai'anae (4-3, 4-1), 7:30 tonight at John Kauinana Stadium. The game will be shown live on OC 16.

If Mililani wins, it could share the title with No. 7 Leilehua (5-2, 4-1), which plays at Waipahu (3-4, 1-4) tonight, if the Mules win.

If the Seariders and Mules win, Leilehua will get the top seed because of the head-to-head tiebreaker. Wai'anae's only hope of taking the title outright is to win and have Leilehua lose.

Regardless what happens to the three, they are all in the playoffs, along with Kapolei, which has a bye.

The bottom three teams — Campbell, Waipahu and Nanakuli — still have a shot at the final berth. The Sabers are in the best position, just needing a win to deny the other two.

In the East, No. Kahuku (7-0, 5-0), Farrington (6-1, 4-1) and Castle (5-2, 3-2) occupy the top three seeds, respectively. The fourth and fifth seeds are up for grabs among Kailua, Kaimuki and McKinley.

The OIA White still has two weekends of regular season to play. Radford (4-3, 4-2) and Kalaheo (5-3, 4-3) can clinch playoff berths with wins against Kalani tonight at John Velasco Stadium and at Pearl City tomorrow, respectively.

Moanalua (6-1, 6-0) and 'Aiea (6-1, 5-1) have clinched berths in the four-team White tournament.

ILH SHOWDOWN

No. 6 'Iolani's quest to remain perfect in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu continues 7:45 tonight at Aloha Stadium.

The Raiders (7-1 overall, 5-0 ILH) play No. 3-tie Saint Louis (5-2, 2-2) in the second game of a doubleheader. No. 2 Kamehameha (6-1, 3-1) plays Pac-Five (5-2, 2-2) in the 5 p.m. opener.

The Division II Raiders are trying to complete a sweep of the ILH Division I teams, having already beaten Kamehameha and Punahou. 'Iolani beat Saint Louis, 35-30, last season.

Crusaders coach John Hao said his team needs to take a page out of 'Iolani's book.

"When they do their assignments, they do them perfectly," Hao said of 'Iolani's players. "They do their assignment exactly the way ('Iolani coach) Wendell Look draws them up. We have to do the same."

Both teams have prolific passers. Saint Louis' Jeremy Higgins is still the most efficient passer (172.0) in the state, averaging 9.2 yards per attempt with 17 TD passes to four interceptions.

'Iolani's Jarrett Arakawa (131.7 passing efficiency) has thrown 20 TDs, while being intercepted seven times.

Also, Word of Life (0-6, 0-4) looks for its first win at No. 10 Punahou (2-4, 2-2), 3:15 p.m. today.