Staff Blog
OIA championships take center stage




On a weekly basis, ScoringLive's "Da Five" will pose five questions relevant to the prep sports world, and get response from five different individuals. What results will hopefully provide multiple angles of insight and analysis for fans to take in.

In this week's installment, our panelists recap Farrington's semifinal win and looks at the OIA Division I and Division II championship games.

1. What do you attribute Farrington's win over Kapolei to?

Ian Scheuring, Hawaii News Now weekend sports anchor: Resilience, which tends to be a frequent attribute of teams with strong leadership. Considering the result of the last game, things could have soured quickly when Taulia Tagovailoa tossed a 63-yard touchdown to start the game; we've seen teams lose focus after adversity, especially when it appears early in games. The Governors stuck to their game plan, generated pressure on Tagovailoa when they needed it, and closed out Kapolei with a dominant fourth quarter. The ability to close out teams late in game, by the way, is another common trait in teams with leaders like Challen Faamatau, who tossed the game-winning touchdown.

Gary Dickman, ESPN 1420 Radio: I went to the Kapolei-Farrington game, and I was a little surprised that Farrington won. Give the Govs credit, they played well on both sides. But I wonder if they would have won if Kapolei's leading receiver, Jaymin Sarono, and leading running back, Antoneo Brown, would have played. Both were held out for breaking team rules. So the reasons Farrington won were Kapolei missing two important starters and Kapolei QB Taulia Tagovailoa fumbling and throwing an interception in the fourth quarter.

Brandon Ching, SL reporter: I think the victory over Kapolei was attributed to heart and want because the Govs willed their way when at times it didn't seem possible. Farrington was extremely resilient and just chipped away when it rallied from 14 points down. Also, I guess you can say a little bit of good fortune was on the Govs side as the ball bounced their way and they converted some key drives and got turnovers.

Jordan Helle, ESPN Radio Maui/OC16: Adjustments. I thought Farrington did a terrific job of making significant changes in its game plan from the regular season loss to the semifinal win. Farrington defensively got more creative with its pass rush, as well as in trying to slow down Kapolei's receivers off the line. Offensively, the Govs were much more diverse and didn't allow Kapolei's talented defense to key in on any one thing all night. Kudos to the Govs for adjusting, and then executing.

Michael Lasquero, SL reporter: The willingness to be creative and to take chances. On the Governors' opening drive, their offense used multiple formations and plays that puzzled the Kapolei defense. The drive ended in a turnover in the red zone, but set the tone for the rest of the game. Sometime in the middle of the game, the Govs attempted a fake punt in their own territory. I was baffled at the call, but it was the trust that coach Randall Okimoto had in his players that carried them through the game. The "human centipede" formation that the Govs sprung out late in the contest was also entertaining to see. Okimoto and his staff deserves all the credit in the world after last Saturday's win.

2. What will be the key matchup to watch between Waialua and Waipahu?

Scheuring: The Marauders' outstanding running back, Alfred Failauga, against a Waialua defense that averages fewer than 100 yards per game against the rush. Failauga has already proven that he can run against the Bulldogs — he tallied 149 yards and two touchdowns during their regular season meeting in September — and also won the rushing title in the OIA Division II. Can Waialua slow down the motor that propels Waipahu? The Bulldogs' championship hopes depend on it.

Dickman: The key in the Waipahu-Waialua matchup for the OIA D2 championship will be both teams' defense. Both let up a little over 14 points a game. Forcing a turnover, a special teams score, a big play on offense, could be the difference. Both teams are going to make it difficult to score. It might be a fluke play to give one of these two teams the edge in this great matchup.

Ching: I haven't seen Waialua this season so I cannot comment too much about them, but from what I read during its game against Kaimuki, it was successful at forcing turnovers. For Waipahu, it's important to get the running game going since Alfred Failauga is a good running back to have, which can eventually open up the passing game. The Marauders can move the ball down field so the Bulldogs have to be up to the challenge defensively and see if they can force Braden Amorozo to throw interceptions.

Helle: Waialua's defense against Waipahu's rushing attack. The Bulldogs' defense has been terrific all year, and especially in this late season run, and Waipahu is most dangerous when it is running the ball effectively with Alfred Failauga. Waipahu has a wide-open offense, but it all gets started with the running game behind its big offensive line. If Waialua can limit the Marauders on the ground and keep this game in the teens, the Bulldogs will be right there in the fourth quarter.

Lasquero: Everyone is looking at Waipahu's running game, but I think it's the Waialua secondary that will need to step up. When the two teams played in the regular season, the Marauders had to rely on their slots as starting outside receivers Isaac Yamashita and Alika Ahsing were nursing injuries. They should be back now, which will test the Bulldogs' pass defense even further.

3. What should Farrington's game plan against Kahuku be?

Scheuring: The game plan against Kahuku is remarkably simple. It's just that the Red Raiders have spent the past two seasons proving it's impossible for anyone outside of Bishop Gorman to execute it. Control the line of scrimmage (good luck), seal the edge of Kahuku's defense while on offense (good luck) and limit Kahuku's run-game effectiveness on first and second down to force them into passing situations (you get the idea).

Dickman: Farrington's game plan to beat Kahuku, besides praying for a miracle is this: Use your running game to eat up the clock and keep Kahuku's offense off the field. That will be difficult, as we all know how great Kahuku's defense is again, but the longer the Red Raiders' offense is off the field, the closer the game will be, giving the Govs a better chance in this game. Playing mistake free football is key as well. We al know how tough this is going to be as Kahuku is the closest thing to a perfect team this state has ever seen. But upsets happen, not sure if it'll happen on Friday, but thats why they play the games.

Ching: Farrington is pretty big and tough on the defensive line, so it's going to take a team effort to stop Kahuku's running attack. On offense, it's important not to commit turnovers because Waianae found out the hard way as the Red Raiders scored off a turnover to shift the momentum.

Helle: Play loose. It will take a near-flawless performance to knock off the Red Raiders. Still, playing with the mindset of trying to be perfect won't do Farrington any good. The Govs need to play fast and without fear of making mistakes. Farrington has talent all over the field and proved to be very versatile in last week's win over Kapolei. The recipe against Kahuku can't be too complex; control the ball on offense and eat up clock, while bending but not conceding touchdowns on defense. To do this, Farrington can play like they've got nothing to lose.

Lasquero: Come out and punch the Red Raiders in the mouth, I mean that figuratively of course. If Farrington comes into the game thinking the battle is already lost, the game will be over by halftime, if not the first quarter. Everyone is doubting the Governors right now so they have to come with a mentality that it's them against the rest of the world. Run a hard play-action pass on the first play of the game and see where the chips fall. On a more technical standpoint, if the Governors think they can utilize only three down linemen against Kahuku's offense, it will be in vain. I wrote earlier that Farrington was creative on offense in its win over Kapolei. If the Govs want to win against Kahuku, they will have to be creative on defense. The Govs have put in a package similar to Kahuku's wildcat set, so hopefully they have a defense that was used in practice to counteract it.

4. Which two teams bring home the OIA title this week?

Scheuring: Kahuku and Waipahu. Call it a worn comparison if you'd like, but Kahuku's defense is the high school equivalent of the University of Alabama. The Red Raiders swarm to the football faster than any high school team should be able to, and the impact on opposing offenses is suffocating. At the Division II level, my impression of Waipahu is that its experience in Division I over the past several seasons has sharpened its play. I do expect, however, that this game will be more entertaining than Kahuku and Farrington.

Dickman: The two teams that will bring home OIA titles this week are Kahuku and Waipahu. For Kahuku, I've already stated how dominant the Red Raiders are. It'll take a lot to knock them off. I don't see it happening. I see Waipahu winning in a game that really could go either way, but I think Waipahu is a little better. The Marauders have already defeated Waialua this season, 26-7 in September. I like the advantage in the passing game that Waipahu has. QB Braden Amorozo has had a great year, passing for 1,850 yards.

Ching: I think Kahuku for Division I and Waipahu for Division II. The Red Raiders are on a roll and this is one of their season goals that they want to accomplish. I think the same thing can be said for the Marauders as they seek their first Division II title since 2011.

Helle: I've got to go with the No. 1 seeds, Kahuku and Waipahu. Kahuku has been ridiculous again this year. Watching the Red Raiders in the semifinals was a thing of beauty. Sure they have the size, speed, athleticism that great teams have, but how well they execute and how fast they play is so hard to beat. Waipahu has rounded into form at the right time, as has Waialua. However, I think the Marauders just have a bit more firepower on offense to shift the tide in their favor.

Lasquero: I'll be cryptic and say the team from the North Shore and the team that has a Jollibee in its city. Yes, Waialua and Kahuku are both considered North Shore teams and Waipahu and Kalihi both have a Jollibee in their towns. I've already written in the past that Kahuku will be the Open Division champion at the end of the year. With that being said, I've also been a huge Farrington doubter this year, but the Governors have continually to prove me wrong. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt in this one. On the other side of things, my heart has me picking Waipahu, and that is a homer-pick as I am a former Waipahu graduate. I think the Marauders have more talent and depth against Waialua and will wear down the Bulldogs in the second half.

5. How should the eight teams in the Division I tournament spend this week?

Scheuring: If you're the Baldwin Bears, I suppose you could spend part of it lamenting the fact that you've somehow ended up as the No. 4 seed (I have plenty of thoughts on the seeding process in the state tournament, but this is neither the time nor place for them). I'd say "getting healthy" would be another wise choice, though Moanalua has spent two weeks doing that. The rest of them should make sure that they have film on Iolani from early in the season handy. If your favorite team advances far enough in the tournament, they're probably going to need it.

Dickman: This is very unusual, kind of a loaded question. The eight teams in the D1 tournament should spend this week preparing for their opponent. Maybe a little rest thrown in, but other than that, you of the things that got you to this point. Preservation, both in practice, and meetings are key. It is that simple, isn't it?

Ching: Now that the matchups have been announced, I think some of the teams already watched film and started game planning for their opponents. However, since we're another week away, some teams could still use this time for injured or sick players to heal up and other players to focus on school work.

Helle: This is a strange weekend in the state tournament era. I don't think we've ever had an entire field afforded a full two weeks off before the start of the tournament. Each team also knows who their opponent is more than a week in advance. It'll be a lot of mental work, healing up, and diving into film study. I would anticipate all eight teams being as well-prepared as you could hope for with the two week lead-in.

Lasquero: Sure there's film study and getting healthy, but I'd say the most important thing is to master each team's basics. This is the first time in a while that we have an eight-team tournament, which means no byes. The team that wins the championship will have to go through three teams, which means three different game plans. Bottom line is just focus on the things that you can control. Hone on your craft and perfect the things that you do well and trust in your system to carry you to the title.





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