OIA Division I teams vie for seeding in final weekend

ScoringLive photo illustration

The Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I closes its regular season this weekend and everything is pretty clear, as far as postseason seeding.

The top six teams from the Red and the Blue advance to the 12-team tournament, which begins the weekend of Oct. 9 and 10. The top two seeds from each division draw first-round byes and host quarterfinals the weekend of Oct. 16-17.

No complicated tiebreakers should come into play to determine seeding. McKinley is the only team that is out of the running for a tournament berth. Aiea has a chance, but needs help from another game.

Although the tiebreakig situations are not convoluted, that does not mean there will not be exciting matchups.

OIA Division I Red

Kahuku vs. Waianae, 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Aloha Stadium.

Both teams enter the game 6-0 in league play, so this will be for the division championshp and Red top seed. The loser will be the second seed, so both teams know they will draw first-round byes for the tournament.

Usually, these teams are meeting in postseason (17 times in 52 meetings). Waianae last beat Kahuku during the 2000 regular season (12-7), but lost when they met for the OIA championship (32-13). It was the start of 15 consecutive wins by Kahuku since then. Kahuku leads the series 28-21-3.

Leilehua at Kaiser, 8 p.m. Friday

Another clear-cut consequence. Both are 3-3 with the winner taking the third seed and the loser clinching the fourth seed. Both teams beat Castle, which could be 3-4, so both have the head-to-head tiebreaker on the Knights.

These teams do not have much history between them, an effect from being in different geographical divisions in the past. The series is even at 1-1-1.

Castle def. McKinley by forfeit

Castle (3-4) has clinched the fifth seed regardless of what the outcome if the game was played.. McKinley (0-7) had been eliminated because it lost to Waipahu (1-6), which has a bye, giving the Marauders the head-to-head tiebreaker. Castle leads this series 22-9-1.

OIA Division I Blue

Mililani at Moanalua, 8 p.m. Friday

Mililani (6-0) clinched the division's top seed having beaten its closest opponents, Kailua (5-2) and Farrington (4-2). Moanalua (2-4) clinched the division's fifth seed when it beat Campbell last Saturday. Mililani leads series 17-7-1.

Campbell vs. Farrington, 5 p.m. Saturday at Aloha Stadium

Farrington (4-2) needs to win to take the second seed, as it beat Kailua (5-2), which has a bye, to win the head-to-head tiebreaker. The Surfriders can be no worse than the third seed. Campbell (1-5) gets the sixth seed with a win. Farrington leads series 12-4-1.

Aiea at Kapolei, 8 p.m.

The only game where teams need help from other games to improve their seedings, or in Aiea's case, survival.

Kapolei (3-3) is assured the fourth seed, but could be third with a win and a Farrington loss. Meanwhile, Aiea needs to win and will need Campbell to lose to take the sixth seed. Kapolei leads series 10-1.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at [email protected].