Quarterback Willie Ewaliko and the Knights travel to Kapolei to face running back Ronald Matautia and the Hurricanes Friday in the opening round of the OIA Division I playoffs. ScoringLive photo illustration

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The Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I Football Tournament gets underway with four first-round games this weekend.

One of the most anticipated matchups — and the lone game featuring a pair of unranked teams — will take place Friday night when Red fifth-seeded Castle visits Blue fourth-seeded Kapolei.

The winner between the Knights (2-5) and Hurricanes (3-4) will advance to face Red top seed and fourth-ranked Kahuku in a quarterfinal game next weekend. The loser's season is over.

"Our goal was to make the playoffs and we have," said Castle coach Nelson Maeda, whose team snapped a four-game losing skid with a 38-6 win over McKinley last weekend. "Everyone is 0-0 now, so we'll show up and play the hardest game that we can play for all four quarters."

Both teams are dealing with injuries that have forced lineup changes in recent weeks.

"We're a little dinged up. Against McKinley we had to convert some defensive backs to linebackers, so we're a little depleted," Maeda said. "We had eight guys going two ways for us starting off last week. The drop off from our (starters) to (backups) is such that it's going to impact our team, so we'll have to rotate guys, keep fresh legs in there and as coaches, we're going to have to do what we can to get the most out of what we've got."

The situation is just as dire for the Hurricanes, who will likely play without starting quarterback Alton "Panaewa" Julius Friday. Julius was limited to spot duty in Kapolei's 12-0 win over Aiea last weekend.

"We put him in a little bit — we moved him to slot — and we tried to throw him the ball a couple of times and he couldn't run, so he ended up coming out of the game," Hernandez said of Julius, who has 758 passing yards this season. "That was a bad move on my part — I should have rested him — because he still hasn't practiced the whole week and he looks doubtful for the game."

With Julius likely out, sophomore Leonard Lee is slated to start his second straight game at quarterback. He passed for 246 yards last week, but was also intercepted three times. Kapolei also played without leading rusher Trensten Spragling, who Hernandez hopes will be ready for Friday.  

The Hurricanes are averaging 18.4 points and 254.4 yards per game offensively and 18.6 points and 275 yards defensively.

"They must have the biggest offensive line in the state," said Maeda. "They're just humungous up front, they move well and they're well coached. Their defensive front seven is very physical and quick, so we'll have our hands full. We will be a great size disadvantage."

The Knights are averaging 25.4 points and 225.9 yards per game offensively and 28 points and 275.1 yards defensively.

"Castle is always very aggressive and they're very well-coached," Hernandez said. "They fly around, they have guys playing both ways so they're in top shape and a well-conditioned team always."

Maeda said the play in the trenches will be a key factor in the game.

"We need our offensive and defensive lines to minimize their side of the ball, their defensive and offensive lines," Maeda said. "I'd like to say neutralize, but they're so immensely big up front so we want to do the best we can up there and rally to the ball on defense, make them earn what they're going to get and hopefully we can be disciplined and not hurt ourselves like we have earlier in the season."

Hernandez said while the Hurricanes' defense has kept them in ball games, the offense has largely sputtered between glimpses of brilliance.

"Our defense has really played well thus far," Hernandez said. "We've had our whole defensive line graduate so we've got all new guys. Some guys are converted from another position so I'm proud of the defense. They've done well and hopefully they keep it up. Offensively, we really haven't found our identity. Some games we look great running it, some games we look great throwing it, but we haven't been consistent."

The teams are certainly not strangers to one another. They hold an annual scrimmage before the preseason.

"They took it to us — they scored like six touchdowns on us — so it was a good test for us early on," Maeda said. "It was our second scrimmage, just our fifth day of pads. For us it was a good scrimmage because they're physically bigger than we were and they have good skill (position) people, so that helped us prepare for the regular season."

Kickoff between the Knights and Hurricanes will follow 25 minutes after the conclusion of a 5 p.m. junior varsity game between Kapolei and Waipahu.

Other games of interest this weekend:
-Moanalua at No. 10 Kaiser, Friday 7:30 p.m.
Na Menehune (3-4), the Blue fifth seed, visits the Cougars (4-3), the Red fourth seed, in one of three OIA D1 Tournament first-round games Friday night. Moanalua has won two of its last three games, while Kaiser had its four-game win streak snapped last week. The winner plays Blue top seed Mililani next weekend.

-No. 5 Kamehameha vs. No. 1 Punahou, Friday 8:15 p.m. at Aloha Stadium
The Warriors (5-1 overall, 4-1 league) can force a three-way tie in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I standings with an upset of the Buffanblu (5-0). Punahou, the reigning state champion, can clinch the regular-season crown and a semifinal bye in the upcoming ILH Postseason with a win.

-Aiea at No. 9 Waianae, Saturday 7 p.m.
Na Alii (2-5), the Blue sixth seed, visits the Seariders (4-3), the Red third seed, in another OIA D1 Tournament first-round game. Aiea has lost its last five games since a 2-0 start, while Waianae saw its three-game win streak snapped last week. The winner will play Blue second-seed Farrington in a quarterfinal next weekend.