There are three weeks left in the regular season and the playoff races are starting to take shape. These might not necessarily be the best matchups over the next 18 days, but in terms of playoff importance, they rank right at the top.
Waianae vs. Farrington
>> Friday, 7:30 p.m., Skippa Diaz Stadium
>> The Seariders are the only team in the OIA Open Division without a victory in division play, but a win against the Governors would likely result in a repeat of last year’s three-way tie for the fourth playoff berth between the Govs, Seariders and Kapolei that was decided by a coin flip. Waianae played Kapolei at the beginning of the season and lost 28-20, while Farrington beat Kapolei, 22-8, three weeks ago. The Hurricanes have been bit by the injury bug and the Seariders have proven they can score against the second tier of the Open Division after putting up 31 points on Campbell last week. The only way Waianae avoids the coin-flip scenario with a win is if either Kapolei upsets Mililani or Farrington upsets Kahuku.
‘Iolani vs. Leilehua
>> Saturday, Oct. 5, 4:45 p.m., Aloha Stadium
>> This game doesn’t count in the OIA standings for the Mules, but boy is it a huge one for the Raiders. After a 38-21 win over Damien on Friday, ‘Iolani controls its own destiny with games against winless Radford and Castle sandwiched around the Mules. A win here would likely lock up the ILH’s lone state-tournament berth in Division I and keep a talented Damien team home in November. A loss and suddenly the Monarchs’ regular-season finale against Moanalua could become huge, assuming Damien can get past a sneaky Kailua team this weekend. Speaking of Kailua….
Castle vs. Kailua
>> Saturday, Oct. 5, 6:30 p.m., Alex Kane Stadium
>> Maybe the most intriguing team to watch the next three weeks, the Surfriders are by no means down and out. Despite starting 1-4, Kailua played undefeated No. 6 Moanalua to a one-point game and the 14-0 loss to a talented Mules squad does not look as bad on paper now, especially on defense. The Surfriders handled their business against Buckeye Union (Ariz.) and Aiea and after this week’s game against Damien, close the season against the other teams currently 2-2 in OIA D-I, Castle and Waipahu. With the Marauders playing Na Alii this week, the Knights/Surfriders game could end up being a playoff eliminator.
Kaiser at Roosevelt
>> Friday, 7:30 p.m., Ticky Vasconcellos Stadium
>> Two years after failing to put a team on the field due to a lack of numbers, the Cougars are already contending for the top spot in the OIA D-II playoffs. With Kaiser, Roosevelt and Kaimuki separating themselves as the “Big Three” in the Division, that No. 1 seed is key. The winner will get to avoid having to play one of the other two teams for a spot in the D-II state tournament in the OIA semifinals. The Rough Riders and their run-and-shoot attack were held to 26 points by Kaimuki a week after Kaiser put 45 up on the Bulldogs. The key to this one? Can the Rough Riders’ offensive line block a Kaiser front seven that has gotten after the quarterback all season? A Roosevelt win and the dreaded three-team tie for first comes into play. A Kaiser win and the Cougars need to win just one of their last two to clinch the top seed.
Kalani vs. Waialua
>> Saturday, Oct. 5, 6 p.m., Kaiser Stadium
>> Kalani and Waialua playing an October game with a lot on the line? You better believe it. We already mentioned the “Big Three” in OIA Division II above, but FOUR teams make the OIA playoffs. Nanakuli is currently the team fourth in the division, a full game up in the loss column on both the Falcons and the Bulldogs, but the Golden Hawks have to close with Kaiser and Roosevelt. Waialua has already beaten Nanakuli to own the tiebreaker, which could come into play. Whichever team prevails, the final berth in Division II likely won’t be decided until the final regular-season game, but the loser can pretty much get those pads ready to be turned in for the year.
During the Pearl City vs Roosevelt game a few weeks back… a huge fight broke out. Benches were cleared. Countless number of athletes from both teams came off the sideline and onto the field… not all fighting, but mind you a number did come on to throw blows and physical shoving. My understanding is that any player that comes onto the field because of a physical conflict, that player is to be ejected as well. I don’t recall anyone getting rejected during the game…. shame on the refs for not upholding the rule.
Because of this, i decided to follow the teams the following week to see what actions the OIA administration has taken. My assumption is that the OIA would turn to film the following week when a fight breaks out just in case there are individual athletes that weren’t caught or identified by the referees.
Low and behold… nothing! No one held out on either side! I’ve heard the definition of INTEGRITY is what you do when no one is looking. WTH?!? ….people were looking, and still OIA did nothing the following game. OIA has no integrity! What is their take? If the referees don’t call it… then its “Fine by Me”?
Maybe OIA don’t understand the word “Accountability” and how to uphold it. I hope someone can fix this as i have a lot of family members and friends’ children in the system.
Correction… Kalani lost to Nanakuli. Article above states the opposite. Waialua did beat Nanakuli, so if Kalani beats Waialua then there could be a 3 way tie by these teams at year end. Seems so outdated that an actual coin flip could determine the 4th playoff spot.
Bravo #1 OIA Admin. That’s very insightful. Too many times we hear people complaining about the ILH’s “advantages and recruiting” but no one ever calls the OIA on their moving goal posts. 1) OIA kid can play virtually anywhere without sitting out even if the player goes to an OIA school out of his district (GE); 2) OIA allows players to participate who are older than 19 (and turned 19 prior to the 1st day of school) under the “Felix Consent” application no child left behind exception; 3) No punishments for fighting as you just described; 4) No punishment to York who punched a Campbell assistant coach in the presence of over a hundred witnesses comprised of players, coaches and parents; 4) Waipahu allowed 9 players who had less than 2.0 to participate in the HHSAA State Football Tournament last year; 5) all inter-league games played at OIA venues with OIA keeping 80% of gate proceeds and 100% of concession sales; and 6) Mililani players who engaged in flagrant personal fouls against SJB last weekend not ejected for fear they would be ineligible to play against STL this week. Too many double standards and not enough enforcement of its own Rules. OIA lacks integrity as #1 suggested!
Wait … what?!? There was a bench clearing brawl at the Pearl City vs. Roosevelt game and nothing was reported? I searched for the past coverage of the game and there was ZERO mention of this by the newspaper, even though a reporter was there to write about the game. A bench clearing brawl is kind of a big deal to be left out of the entire article, no?
I bet if there was a public record of this (like a article in the paper), there would be some corrective action.
I’m sure that kids from other DII schools heard about the Pearl City vs Roosevelt bench clearing brawl. Word got out fast! Not sure if any of those players got suspended.
@aAnti-Notes: you hit the nail on the head about some of the things you mentioned. OIA took no action on the bench clearing brawl. Hmm, something fishy? However, several games back, a skirmish between Kahuku & Mililani players occurred (it was a televised game). Several Kahuku players were ejected, but NO Mililani players (especially the one who started it). One Kahuku player was not allowed to play the following week but the other ejected player was reinstated, after Kahuku appealed, because he was wrongly ejected ( he was on the sideline during the fracas). In the Bosco-Mililani game things got heated and intense following the targeting penalty against a Bosco player ( who was ejected). Some Mililani players were retaliating by taking cheap shots ( as evidenced by a throw down of a Biscottis player on the sideline). Mililani’ was penalized but the player not ejected or disqualified. Just wow! Yes, OIA has an agenda.
@just wow, right SJB put a beat down with class. All business. That 808 team embarrasses the State. Do you think SJB would play Mililani again?? Fat chance. People on the mainland seen a group of no class lisees.
@#3 anti notes
Regarding your #4 pt, I believe York sat out of the first game against Campbell. That’s why Ma’a Tanuvasa was the HC for that game.
What a joke to sit out 1 game.
What he did is inexcusable and a poor example for his players.
Mililani HS should name Tanuvasa as the HC and get rid of York.
Maybe winning trump’s integrity for the Mililani administration. Sad…
Oh wow, now it is making sense. I remember when York did not show up for a game because of so-called “personal reasons.” If he was suspended for the game for fighting with another coach, that’s not personal reasons. Sheesh, you can never believe anything in the press anymore.
Yes MiliLouis and Falcon: If York was suspended then why is SA, HPW and OC16 complicit in concealing this outrageous incident of violence and affirmatively lying to the public by claiming York was dealing with personal matters? Why didn’t any of these 3 media outlets and so called members of the “free” press report this event? Why did HPW remove all posts when York’s pre-season article printed? Clearly HPW comprised of Hull, Honda, Sakamoto, etal selectively apply their journalistic morals. I guess York is part of their club which makes one question the legitimacy of their other articles. From the looks of the OC 16 game video between Mililani and SJB, York wasn’t angered at either personal foul that occurred after the hard SJB hit. We’ve seen him snap crackle and pop when his players mess up on a play but throwing an opponent onto the track 10 yards out of bounds we saw nothing and heard crickets. He condoned that method of retribution. Hummm
If the rules are enforced, they wont be able to beat the ILH.
Plain and simple.
ILH wont step to it because its not their kuleana and it would be perceived as another slight towards the OIA.
Is there an entity that monitors, reviews and holds the referees accountable for their performance??
If not, there should be one.
Poor to terrible as a whole. Unfortunately, there are some good ones but overall performance is extremely bad. They going to get kids hurt out there for not keeping control in games like the SJB game.
Anti-Notes-
Wow, the Waipahu one is a doozy. Can this be substantiated? If so, I look at the HC in a very new light…….. Not surprised, just disappointing, maybe he didnt know?? He paints such a positive picture on social media of doing things the right way.
LOL, I know he punched a coach but it was in front of that many people?? And he still got a job?
Yeesh. I dont even think DJ ever did that and he got run out of two programs. I think the AD and Admin at the brown and gold school are in too deep to do anything.
This is for Administration particular OIA since that’s what this chat is mainly targeting.
Is the consequence the same whether a student-athlete on the field or a student in the stands punches another person in the head and/or body? Or do they treat it differently?
The game should have its own consequences (ejected, loss of yards, etc) , but i believe that it shouldn’t stop there. In other words, isn’t an assault on the field just the same as in the stands? If so, why would they be treated any different?
Just so everyone knows, Hawkish has also posted as “Chow Fun” “Jimmy Weeks” “Pepu” “No Punks” “T Tanaka” “V Masaniai” “Sad Note” “V. Kamakaala” “Really” “Unsportsmanlike Conduct” “Coach O” and “Coach V” and probably more but I’m tired of scrolling down.
Thanks for reading!
@hawkish
Just caught up on this thread, pointing the finger at the OIA or even some of the questionable officiating is one thing, but to make Hull and HPW complicit is pure idiocy. Hull/HPW have down more to promote Hawaii HS athletes, my own kids included, than anyone I’ve seen. As a parent I’m grateful, so thank you Billy Hull/HPW.
Just so everyone knows Billy Hull has the ability to unveil various names as an unfettered abuse of his HPW employment but selectively chooses to ignore OIA homers like Notes, ???, Gandhi, Go Figure, Facts and I’m too tired to scroll down on his other aliases. Too bad you’re too weak to stand up to bullies like York (just bc you both went to Iolani) but go after bloggers who call you out. Weak just like your writing.
Yea Clueless you’re right HPW does a lot for island kids. Sorry Billy but violating privacy laws and resorting to Big Brother tactics such as outing oppositional commentary intended to intimidate is nothing less than censorship . The truth is the ultimate defense and isn’t this what we’re trying to teach our Keiki.
Hull went Iolani with York?
Is that why HPW tried to squash the York incident?
It’s not like York’s a player/minor so his actions should have been reported and made known.
Especially since it occurred during a high school event with players around.
The plot thickens!
Good info here from both sides.