OIA’s contenders get
another chance
If defense were plumbing, Aiea would be the finest plumber in the West.
After all, Na Alii know how to fix leaky faucets. Aiea led the Oahu Interscholastic Association Red West in total defense this season. That fact becomes considerable when the league playoffs open tomorrow.
Aiea and Roosevelt meet at Mililani for a 7 p.m. kickoff. Kailua faces Nanakuli at Roosevelt in the other opening-round matchup, also at 7 p.m.
Here's a look at the two OIA matchups.
Aiea vs. Roosevelt
On paper: Aiea (4-4, 3-3 Red West) allowed a scant 157 yards per game in the Red West. Na Alii, with 6-foot-3, 290-pound Rocky Savaiigaea anchoring the defensive line, permitted just 441 total rushing yards in six games.Only one team in the Red West -- Leilehua -- averaged more than 120 passing yards per game. The rest of the time, Aiea didn't have to adjust significantly. So, the question remains: How will Aiea fare against Rudy Artuyo, one of the state's most elusive quarterbacks?
Artuyo ran, passed and led the Rough Rider offense to 256 total yards per game. He finished seventh in rushing and led the Red East in passing yardage with 1,124 yards. He also shared the lead for touchdown passes with 13.
Worst of all for opposing defenses, the tall, lanky gunslinger has tremendous instincts in the open field. Roosevelt (2-6, 2-4 Red East) doesn't mind letting him break out of the pocket, where he's at his most dangerous.
The skinny: For all his ability, Artuyo is only human. After throwing only two picks in the first half of the regular season, he finished with 10.
Turnovers won't help. The Rough Riders already give up 321 yards per game. Only one team in the Red East gave up more rushing yardage.
That's where Aiea can turn to its other strength: the ground attack. Donny Mapusaga led the Red West with 514 yards (86 per game). He also led the division in rushing attempts (15 per game). That number will likely increase tomorrow as Na Alii try to control the line of scrimmage, chew off chunks of clock and, most importantly, keep Artuyo off the field.
X factor: Coach Les Parilla and his innovative staff have dreamt up bizarre schemes that have yielded big results in years past. Two years ago, Roosevelt's myriad "bird" formations sparked an upset of Kahuku.
If the Rough Riders take a cue from Iolani, which upset Saint Louis last week, they might just no-huddle from start to finish. That would test the fatigue levels of the Aiea defense and minimize Na Alii's substitution pattern.
Like Iolani, Roosevelt depends on a run-and-shoot attack. Whether the Rough Riders can execute as flawlessly remains to be seen.
Kailua vs. Nanakuli
On paper: For the Surfriders (3-4-1 2-3-1 Red East), tomorrow marks the beginning of a new season, as coach Gary Rosolowich said recently.It's a good thing for fresh starts, because Kailua suffered from some of the same offensive problems of years past. The Surfriders were often dominant on the ground, averaging 197 yards per game behind the workhorse effort of Damien Torres (149 yards per game).
Though Torres averaged 8.7 yards per carry and scored 10 touchdowns, balanced defenses were able to corner him and force Kailua to the air.
That's where the Surfriders have yet to show a connection. They completed just 40 percent of their pass attempts and ranked fifth out of seven teams in the Red East in passing yardage.
That helps a team like Nanakuli. The Golden Hawks (3-5, 2-4 Red West) were smack-dab in the middle of the Red West defensively.
The skinny: Kailua can grind out yardage, but punching it into the end zone early will compound the pressure on Nanakuli's struggling offense.
The Golden Hawks lost quarterback Jaycee Alapai two weeks ago, and safety John Henry Palakiko stepped in with no game experience. Palakiko has a strong arm and good speed, but the lack of repetitions showed as Nanakuli lost the ball three times on handoffs and pitches.
If Palakiko and his backs can take care of the ball, anything can happen. Three times, in last week's 18-0 loss to Kapolei, receivers were wide open on deep fly patterns. Each time, Palakiko overthrew his targets on three potential touchdowns.
Nanakuli, which likes to run the option, has the potential to exploit Kailua's secondary. Getting all the machinery to work within a short time frame is a puzzle waiting to be solved.
X factor: After struggling late in the regular season, Kailua quarterback Kelroy Kohatsu and his corps of receivers have a chance to get their rhythm going again.
If Kailua gets an early lead, it's possible the Surfriders will keep pass attempts to a minimum. Playing the percentages is smart, but Kailua needs to get some momentum -- and confidence -- in its air attack.
