The OIA-ILH football alliance has brought a lot of change this season, including to the playoff formats in the respective leagues.
The regular season ends this week for all teams except for the OIA Open Division, which is making up two games next week due to Hurricane Lane in August.
The playoff picture is pretty clear, but there are still a couple of meaningful games left. Below is a look at where teams stand.
ILH
OPEN DIVISION
All 3 teams involved in playoff tournament
No. 1 Saint Louis (6-0)
No. 2 Punahou (4-2)
No. 3 Kamehameha (3-3)
NOTES: Regardless of the outcome of this weekend’s games, No. 2 seed Punahou will play No. 3 seed Kamehameha at Aloha Stadium on Friday, Oct 19, at 7:30 p.m. The winner will play Saint Louis at Aloha Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 27, at 6 p.m. The winner of that game will be crowned ILH champion and represent the league in the Open Division state tournament, beginning Friday, Nov. 16, at Aloha Stadium.
Even if the Crusaders beat both Punahou and Kamehameha in the regular season, there is no tiebreaker for the Oct. 27 game. The winner is in.
DIVISION I
Best league record advances to states
1. ‘Iolani (6-1)
NOTES: With a two-game lead over Damien and one game to play, the Raiders have clinched a berth in the Division I state tournament. With only two teams however, no champion is crowned and thus the ILH representative is not eligible to be seeded in the state tournament. ‘Iolani will open the state tournament on Friday, Nov. 9.
DIVISION II
Best league record advances to states
1. St. Francis (7-0)
NOTES: The Saints have clinched a berth in the Division II state tournament. With only two teams however, no champion is crowned and thus the ILH representative is not eligible to be seeded in the state tournament. St. Francis will open the state tournament on Saturday, Nov. 10.
OIA
OPEN DIVISION
Top 4 teams advance to the playoffs
1. Mililani (5-0)
Nos. 2-4 TBA
NOTES: Mililani has locked up the top seed and Campbell can clinch the No. 2 seed in the playoffs with a win over Kapolei on Saturday. All five teams remain in playoff contention. Even with a loss to Kahuku, Farrington, which would be 1-4, could still be in the playoff chase with a Waianae loss to Campbell on Oct. 19 and Kapolei losses against Campbell and Kahuku, which would force a three-way tie at 1-4. When the OIA playoffs are done, the top three teams will advance to the state tournament. The OIA runner-up will draw the ILH champion in the state tournament and the OIA champion will play the OIA third-place team.
DIVISION I
Top 4 teams advance to the playoffs
1. Moanalua (6-0)
2. Leilehua (5-1)
3. Waipahu (4-2)
4. Castle (4-3)
NOTES: Everything is settled here. Moanalua/Castle and Leilehua/Waipahu are the two OIA D-I semifinal games the weekend of Oct. 19-20 regardless of this weekend’s games. Only the winner advances to the four-team state tournament and would play on Friday, Nov. 9, on Oahu.
DIVISION II
Top 4 teams advance to the playoffs
1. Kaimuki (6-0) or Roosevelt (6-1) or Pearl City (5-1)
2. Kaimuki (6-0) or Roosevelt (6-1) or Pearl City (5-1)
3. Kaimuki (6-0) or Roosevelt (6-1) or Pearl City (5-1)
4. Kaiser (3-3)
NOTES: The most meaningful game of the weekend is Kaimuki against Pearl City on Saturday at Skippa Diaz Stadium.
A Chargers win would force a three-way tie for first that would be decided by a coin flip, according to Pearl City coach Robin Kami. A Kaimuki win would make the Bulldogs the No. 1 seed, followed by the Rough Riders, and then the Chargers. Kaiser has locked up the No. 4 seed regardless of Friday’s game against McKinley.
The two semifinal winners in the playoffs clinch berths into the six-team Division II state tournament. The OIA runner-up would play on another island on Saturday, Nov. 10, while the champion would likely host a semifinal game on Saturday, Nov. 17, depending on the HHSAA tournament seeding.
