There is a minimum of mercy in the Oahu Interscholastic Association playoffs, which begin on Wednesday.
Unlike the Interscholastic League of Honolulu, which has an automatic state-tournament berth for the regular-season winner (Mid-Pacific) and a double-elimination format in the playoffs, the OIA leaves no room for defeat. The single-elimination format rewards late-season play — the hottest teams.
Wednesday’s opening round is, as usual, a play-in situation. Winners advance to the quarterfinals. Losers are done for the season.
From there, it’s a run-the-table necessity for any team eyeing the OIA crown. Quarterfinal losers do benefit from that itty-bitty bit of leniency: they fall into the losers bracket, four teams in all, to play for the fifth and sixth state berths alloted to the OIA.
Division I
Wednesday’s games
Waipahu (W5) vs. Kalani (E4), Kahala Community Park, 3 p.m.
> Winner plays at Campbell (W1), Thursday, 3 p.m.
Roosevelt (E6) at Pearl City (W3), 3 p.m.
> Winner plays at Kaiser (E2), Thursday, 3 p.m.
Radford (W6) at Moanalua (E3), 3 p.m.
> Winner plays at Mililani (W2), Thursday, 3 p.m.
Castle (E5) vs. Leilehua (W4), Fred Wright Park, 3 p.m.
> Winner at Kailua (E1), Thursday, 3 p.m.
Note: Thursday quarterfinal winners earn state-tournament berths.
Friday’s games
Semifinals
Radford/Moanalua-Mililani winner vs. Castle/Leilehua-Kailua winner, CORP, 3:30 p.m.
Waipahu/Kalani-Campbell winner vs. Roosevelt/Pearl City-Kaiser winner, CORP, 30 minutes after first semifinal
Consolation bracket
Radford/Moanalua-Mililani loser vs. Castle/Leilehua-Kailua loser at higher seed, 3 p.m.
Kalani/Waipahu-Campbell loser vs. Pearl City/Roosevelt-Kaiser loser at high seed, 3 p.m.
Note: Friday consolation-bracket winners earn state-tournament berths
Saturday’s games
Fifth-place game at higher seed, 1 p.m.
Third-place game at higher seed, 1 p.m.
Championship game, CORP, 30 minutes after Division II (White) final
Division II
Thursday’s games
Nanakuli (5) vs. Farrington (4), Joey DeSa Field, 3 p.m.
Waialua (6) vs. Kalaheo (3), Kailua Community Park, 3 p.m.
Friday’s games
Semifinal: Nanakuli-Farrington winner at Aiea (1), 3 p.m.
Semifinal: Waialua-Kalaheo winner at Kapolei (2), 3 p.m.
Note: Winners earn state-tournament berths.
Saturday’s game
Championship game, time TBA
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