Felipe Ojastro | SL

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Playoff Roadmap: If it started today

An inside look at how the current OIA Red playoff seeding and standings look like in the penultimate weekend of the regular season.  With two weeks left to go, a lot can still happen that can turn the tables and change the pecking order.

Current OIA Red Standings (as of 9/27/13)

OIA Red West

CLINCHED

W1. Mililani Trojans (4-0)        

With an undefeated regular season so far, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where the Trojans don’t get a first round bye.  Another win will guarantee the number one seed from the OIA Red West because no other team except Kapolei can finish with five regular season wins.  Since Mililani defeated the Hurricanes in their season opener, the Trojans will get the nod in the standings should they finish with the same league record.

W2. Kapolei Hurricanes (3-1)

Coming into the 2013 football season, few people would have pegged the Hurricanes to be the second best team in the wild Red West.  But with a 3-1 record, Kapolei can control whether or not they get that coveted first round bye.  In order to preserve their current seed, the Hurricanes need to win their next two games, which are away at Waianae and Campbell.

W3. Waianae Seariders (3-2)

A Searider win tonight against Kapolei will not ensure a first round bye, but it will definitely put their name in the hat.  If the Seariders do win tonight, it will at least guarantee a higher spot than the Hurricanes.  However, Campbell defeated the Seariders when the two teams met two weeks ago giving the Sabers the tiebreaker should they finish with the same record.  Fortunately for the Seariders, the first round bye might not even matter as Waianae has a bye week on the final week of the regular season.

W4. Leilehua Mules (2-2)

After dropping two straight games, the Mules bounced back with a 30-point win against Aiea.  The two losses to E2 Kapolei and E3 Waianae really hurt their chances at a first round bye, but stranger things have happened.  If Mililani drops their remaining two to Leilehua and Aiea and Leilehua wins out, the Mules will earn themselves a first round bye.

W5. Campbell Sabers (2-2)

The Sabers still have a shot at the first round bye, but they’re going to have to rattle off some wins.  The win over Waianae when the two teams met helps the Sabers if should they finish with the same record.  In order for Campbell to obtain the first round bye, they will need to win their remaining games against Waipahu and Kapolei and finish with a better record than the Mules.

W6. Waipahu Marauders (1-3)

Despite Waipahu having no shot at getting the first round bye, they can still jockey for playoff positioning.  They can only obtain the fourth or fifth seed at best though.  Back-to-back wins against Campbell and Leilehua to close out the season can get them that fourth seed.

ELIMINATED

W7. Aiea Na Ali'i (0-5)

Even though they have been eliminated from the playoff race, Na Ali’i still can play for pride.  They can also play spoiler and upset the top team in the West when the two teams meet next week.  If Mililani loses this week to Leilehua, Na Ali’i can help the Mules get the first round bye with their first win of the regular season.

OIA Red East

E1. Farrington Governors (4-0)

The Governors sit at the top spot in the east over the Red Raiders because the Governors’ regular season opponents faced so far has a better combined record than the Red Raiders’ opponents at seven wins to five.  The battle for the top spot will be decided next Thursday when the two heavyweights do battle at Hawaiian Airlines Field in the night game of an OIA Red East double header.

E2. Kahuku Red Raiders (4-0)

Kahuku sits at the second spot merely because of the Red East opponents that they have beaten so far.  The main difference in their schedules so far is that Kahuku has beaten (0-4) Kaimuki while Farrington defeated (2-2) Kailua.  It’s just a minor thing in the standings that will be erased once next week Friday comes around.

E3. Kailua Surfriders (2-2)

The Surfriders are sitting nicely with their 0.500 season record so far, but they will have a gauntlet of opponents to close out the season.  Kailua faces E2 Kahuku and E4 McKinley to close out the regular season.  While a win over Kahuku might seem unlikely, Kailua can still edge McKinley in the standings with a win when the two teams meet next week Thursday.

E4. McKinley Tigers (2-3)

McKinley has a bye this week before taking on Kailua next Thursday afternoon at Aloha Stadium.  A Tiger win will ensure that they get the East’s third seed because the Tigers won their match up against Na Menehune to start the regular season.

E5. Moanalua Na Menehune (2-3)

Moanalua can earn the third seed if they finish with a better record than the Tigers and if Kailua has an equal or worst record to Na Menehune.  Arnold Martinez’s crew owns the tiebreaker over Kailua in head-to-head but does not win McKinley.  A loss tonight to Castle will actually drop them to the sixth seed if they aren’t careful. 

E6. Castle Knights (1-3)

As mentioned in the paragraph above, Castle has the opportunity to earn a higher seed if they win their remaining games against Moanalua and Kaimuki.  Doing this will give Castle the edge over McKinley and Moanalua should these three teams finish with a 3-3 league record.  Castle won the head-to-head match up against McKinley when the two teams met three weeks ago.  However, a loss to Moanalua tonight will have the Knights fighting for their playoff spot next week against Kaimuki.

IN THE HUNT

E7. Kaimuki Bulldogs (0-4)

Despite not winning a regular season game, Kaimuki still has a chance to get into the postseason.  In order for the Bulldogs to have the opportunity to play their way into the playoffs, they will need to make sure that they only trail the Knights by one game heading into next weeks game.  A Castle win and a Kaimuki loss tonight will elminate the Bulldogs from the playoff race completely.  The best way to avoid this is to win out the rest of the way.