OIA Red football moving away from geographic format


Under a new geographic format in the OIA, teams will be ranked according to their previous season's record. The odd-numbered ranked teams will make up one division with the even-numbered ones in the other. Eugene Tanner | SL

For the first time since 2001, there will be no geography in O'ahu Interscholastic Association football.

Beginning with the 2014 season, there will be two yet-to-be-named divisions making up the Division I Red Conference, according to football coordinator Harold Tanaka. But unlike previous seasons, the schools will not be associated with the East or West.

The 14 Red teams will be ranked according to their previous season's record. The odd-numbered ranked teams will make up one division with the even-numbered ones in the other. The league is still deciding on names for the divisions, Tanaka said.

The proposal still requires league principals' approval before it is finalized.

From 1992 to 2001, when there were Red, White and Blue conferences, teams were not grouped by geographical divisions.

The 14 Red teams this coming season are: Mililani, Campbell, Waianae, Kapolei, Leilehua, Waipahu and 'Aiea from the old West; Farrington, Kahuku, McKinley, Moanalua, Kailua, Castle and newcomer Kaiser in the old East. Kaiser is the only White to be promoted; Radford declined promotion, so 'Aiea, which went 1-11 the past two seasons, will remain in the Red, Tanaka confirmed.

The postseason format will remain the same with the top six teams from each division advancing.

The White's nine teams will remain the same with teams integrated from the East and West.

Tanaka said the change was brought up at the sport's postseason meeting.

One coach said the teams were integrated because the power appears to have shifted West. Last season, six of the eight quarterfinalists came from the West. The previous two seasons before that, five of the eight were from the West. At some junctures during the past season, five West teams were in the ScoringLive/OC 16 Division I Power Rankings.

Tanaka said one coach suggested an increase in the regular season schedule from six to eight games. That would mean promoting four more teams from the White. Tanaka said some teams don't wish to be promoted to the Red.

Evaluation of the team rankings, as well as promotion from White to Red, will be determined on a biannual basis, Tanaka said.

Although the rankings haven't been determined, some coaches are hearing that Mililani, Leilehua and Kahuku would be in the same division. Those three schools have accounted for the last 11 league championships.



Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at [email protected].