Red West Teams Shift To Playoff Mode
By Jack Danilewicz
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Del.icio.usPrep football’s post-season may be a few weeks away, but in the parity-driven OIA Red West Conference, every team is already in the playoff mode. A look at a pair of key games in the Red West follows.
Kapolei at Campbell, 7 p.m. Friday: It will be homecoming of sorts for Kapolei coach Darren Hernandez, who played for the Sabers in the 1980s and was Campbell’s head coach in the ‘90s before building a solid program with the Hurricanes. Expect another close encounter here in what has been a hotly contested series. Kapolei won last year 13-7, while the Sabers prevailed 19-12 in 2008.
Why Campbell Might Win: As they proved with their win over Waianae Aug. 27, the Sabers are capable of playing with the most physical of teams, and they have their usual array of play-makers at the skilled positions. The Kapolei passing game is yet to come around, so if the Campbell defense can shut down the run, the Hurricanes could be held to under seven points. That’s good enough to win, since the Sabers are sure to score more than once themselves.
Why Kapolei Might Win: Despite the Waianae win, Campbell was hard-pressed to keep up with league favorites Leilehua and Mililani in recent weeks, yielding an average of 42 points per game in both losses. That’s good news for a Kapolei offense looking to see its hard work pay off. If the Hurricanes can come up with a balanced attack, they should remain in striking distance throughout.
Fearless Prediction: Campbell 14, Kapolei 7.
Aiea at Mililani at 7 p.m. Friday: This is the third of three in a brutal stretch of games that included Waianae on the road Sept. 10 and a home game against Leilehua last weekend. Mililani’s slate has been similarly demanding. The outcome of this one should figure big in playoff positioning. Mililani offensive coordinator Bobby George will enjoy a reunion of sorts with the Aiea Nation. He served as Aiea quarterbacks coach in 2008 and was Na Ali’i's offensive coordinator under Wendell Say in 2009 before joining the Trojans.
Why Mililani Might Win: The Trent McKinney-led offense rates first in the state in total offense, ahead of both Saint Louis and Kalaheo and is showing no signs of let up. While Aiea’s defense can play with anyone, its offense is at the bottom of the OIA’s Red Division, having lost returning quarterback Freddy Taliulu for a few weeks due to an injury. With Aiea’s offense struggling to find new footing, controlling the ball may be a problem.
Why Aiea Might Win: Mililani’s lone loss came to the very physical Waianae, which can only bode well for a Na Ali’i team that handled the Seariders beautifully in a 9-6 Aiea win Sept. 10. If its offense can possess the ball and come up with a better-than-average night production-wise, Aiea’s defense and special teams figure to do the rest.
Fearless Prediction: Mililani 12, Aiea 6.
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