Two surprises came upon this Hawaii Prep World reporter recently.
>> The first one was that the Oahu Interscholastic Association’s quarterfinal losers would play an extra game this weekend for seeding purposes in the upcoming Division I state tournament.
>> The second one was that Moanalua would be forfeiting one of those games against Campbell.
OK, well, from this corner of the world, it seems like those games are unnecessary anyway. There is no title at stake. Yes, the teams could get more action in, but this is football and why play such a physical contest if those two teams have already placed lower than fourth in their league?
“Why risk injury?” Campbell coach Amosa Amosa asked rhetorically, when asked what he thought about Moanalua’s decision to forfeit.
Amosa said he thought Moanalua made a smart move, even though Campbell will be playing one less game because of it. On the downside for the Sabers, they will not play another game for three weeks.
Now, I’m sure the OIA has good reasons for adding those two games (the other is Leilehua at Mililani). It’s likely the OIA wants a clear-cut answer based on competition as to who should be seeded higher at states among those four teams. Maybe, the OIA wanted those four teams to have a chance to get another game in — instead of having that three-week break.
One HPW colleague suggested that maybe the four teams could be seeded into the state tournament based on their regular-season record.
After Mililani’s loss to Waianae on Saturday night, Trojans head coach Rod York was wondering why his team would be playing Leilehua again. The two teams played in the regular season.
In the meantime, Amosa said he will be calling Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I head coaches Kale Ane of Punahou and Wendell Look of ‘Iolani to find out what they do and how they stay in shape and hungry during long breaks. The ILH only has four teams in its top division and some of them, at times, go several weeks with out playing.
Up until last year, the OIA’s third-place game was not for a title, but it was a huge game because the winner qualified for the D-I state tournament and the loser’s season was over.
Maybe someone will suggest scrapping this weekend’s Leilehua vs. Mililani game. It’s doubtful that either coach from the rival schools, York and the Mules’ Nolan Tokuda, would be the first to initiate that move.
As it stands, according to Amosa, the league will decide its order for Division I state seeding purposes (fifth through eighth place) like this (reminder that Kahuku, Kapolei, Farrington and Waianae, not in order, will end up first through fourth and will be going to the new Open division):
>> Fifth place: Best record among this weekend’s two winners. Mililani can clinch it with a win over Leilehua (4-6). Mililani would be 6-3 and tie Campbell (6-3), and the Trojans would take the tiebreaker (outcome of games against common opponents) due to a win over Farrington and Campbell’s two losses to the Governors. Campbell would clinch fifth place if Mililani loses to Leilehua.
>> Sixth place: Campbell (if Mililani beats Leilehua) or Leilehua (if the Mules beat the Trojans)
>> Leilehua (if the Mules lose to Mililani) or Mililani (if the Trojans lose to Leilehua)
>> Moanalua (3-6)
As you can see, after this weekend, there is no game for fifth place. It will be based on records. Basing it on records for all four teams in the first place may have been the way to go. (But, as alluded to earier, the OIA has a reason for wanting more of a clear-cut answer, based as much as possible on head-to-head competition):
>> Fifth place: Mililani (5-3), wins tiebreaker over Campbell (5-3, without this weekend’s forfeit win)
>> Sixth place: Campbell (5-3)
>> Seventh place: Moanalua (5-5)
>> Eight place: Leilehua (4-6)
But either way you do it, all four teams — no matter where they are seeded — have to beat whoever they go up against at states anyway.
I did say that this last minute fly at a 3 tier HHSAA thing would not make sense. Wait till the actual event take place. In the ILH ,Iolani and Kamehameha should have play a third place game. Why should the 4 OIA teams play this weekend? They already qualify. I would wait for the seeding and just play who ever they choose. Tokuda and York is like,”wait,why we playing again”???For the D1, no OIA should play each other in the first round no matter seeding. People are not going to watch OIA vs.OIA . They want to see a mix. Also are first round outer island playing home? Either way, HHSAA will have to pay for 3 teams and staff to travel to the outer island. All this to get one more ILH team in the Open league.
Hhsaas’ ill thought up three tier divisions is screwy, but so is the OIAs’ 12 team playoff. Throw in blue 1 and blue 2 in the same bracket, while red1 and red 2 in the other bracket. Screwy. Surprise, surprise they have played each other and now they are playing each other again. Great, the OIA has become the ILH, playing each other multiple times.
Hey HHSAA/OIA break divisions up by number of players on the team. Figure a way to decrease the number of games thes kids have to play (fore fitted games due to injurries).
Here’s a freaking thought. OIA take it down to 6 team playoff. Hhsaa, one champion per league. This years “playoff” was poorly thought through.
That’s is red #1vs red#3 and blue#1vs blue#3
It’s is the first year of this state tournament not
Everything will be perfect this was thrown on in the middle of the season
After this season they go back and figure things out
Hmmm… Unforeseen consequences of decisions made behind closed doors by the HHSAA and ILH.
Go figure. No foresight. Only hindsight. Terrible “leadership” (and I use the term loosely).
@Nick Abramo. Next time don’t jump on the bandwagon so quickly. I seem to remember you were the biggest cheerleader of this new States format that obviously wasn’t thoroughly vetted.
No matter right? EXCEPT for the STUDENT-athletes who are now being compelled to play an extra unnecessary game. DOH!
Why is everybody crying about extra games and seedings? You either love football or you don’t. I would have killed to play extra football games in HS, be like Kahuku, just play week to week whoever lines up across from you is who you play “No Matter” to be da best you beat da best. Da kids will regret it after HS, they will say we should’ve played that damn game! (Could’ve, Should’ve Would,ve)
why does every keep blaming the ILH for this BS? The OIA is the reason for this mess. They won’t agree to any format that is based real competition. The just keep flooding the tournament with teams to increase their chances. OIA folks say that lack of competition is the reason why neighbor isle teams should not be allowed in Open tournament. Well the same thing applies to everyone in the OIA but Kahuku. The ILH deserves two teams. everyone with a brain knows it. The current tournament is the result of the OIA trying to rig the system because they know its Kahuku or bust..
What’s the point of regular season games, if you simply have to face them
again in a mean nothing game?
The OIA has become the ILH, playing games to fix the mess of poorly thought out schemes. A four team
League? Have fun, seeing each other twice, then again in your “second round” only to have a sudden death playoff game between the first round winner and the second round winner.
Play in your leagues, play in your defined divisions, one champion per league. Then have a playoff.
So how to define a division? Call them by numbers, so future expansion is possible. D1,D2, D3. There was a
Statement by someone that said they called it the open division so schools could continue to be called D1. Call a spade a spade.
Define each division. Other states classify schools by their population size, initially, then if they keep winning, they get moved up a division. that needs to be addressed. Team size can be a determination for division status.
Even playing field. Limit the maximum number of players in each team. Having a 80+ player team play a 30 player team is not going to be competitive.
We are all football fans here, we disagree which team is the best, but we all agree that we do not wan to see kids injured. Having a longer season increases injury possibilities. The kids are going to play and want to play, but it’s the adults responsibility to limit it for their own good.
Some good may come out of this fiasco, like some better thought out playoff.
Actually the ILH 3rd place team is clearly Kamehameha, but they are not playing. Can anybody tell me why? I would love to see Kamehameha play Mililani for D-1 championship. Now there is no team in that division to challenge Mililani. How does Iolani go 0-6 and make the playoffs. This does not make sense at all.
@ TooMeke, I will be at Orchids at Halekulani at 11:30am today. Please stop by and join us for lunch. The rez will be under Derek Wong, my photographer buddy I hired to shoot some events. Please ask the hostess to direct you to our table. See you then big guy!
THAT IS STATE WORKERS ONE DO THE THINKING WHILE THE OTHERS STAND AROUND
toomeke did you fukislam his muli for consistenly calling our kahuku kids stupid?
Nick, I like the playoff system, settle the seeding on the field, not some arbitrary ranking based on common opponents. What’s wrong w/more games? That’s why they practice, to extend the season. D1 Division is a good thing, don’t mess it up. 6 teams format? Nah, that’s messed up w/giving quarterfinal byes to seeds 1 & 2 in a state championship. 8 teams work out perfect, everybody plays a game! Injuries? Do what they need to do to prepare their teams, 25, 30 players, whatever! Bunch of panties out there. Like take 1 break instead of playing a game? What’s wrong w/you? Better condition more and lift more for injury prevention in the off-season. Moanalua cancelling the game? Panties! Shame on you Kawachi! Make the OIA look like a farce!
@87, Too Meke didn’t show again. I am starting to think he doesn’t want to join me for lunch. How tragic.
#crickets