OIA’s final 4 fight it out at Aloha Stadium

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Saint Louis has the privilege of calling Aloha Stadium its adopted home of sorts, fitting for an unbeaten league champion.

On Saturday, however, the final four of the Oahu public schools will take their games to the FieldTurf and rubber granules of the stadium. They'll leave behind the clunky, cakey mud of their home fields and play in view of the Jumbotron for the first time this season.

The only Oahu Interscholastic Association team that has played in Aloha Stadium this season is Kahuku, in a nonconference loss to Punahou, and the Red Raiders were eliminated from the playoffs last week.

But fans looking for another hot team may have to set their sights elsewhere, in a faraway corner of the state.

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Saint Louis has its multitude of skilled, talented players and a No. 1 ranking statewide.

But the Crusaders (9-0) aren't the only hot team in the islands. Look east and you'll find a Big Island team that is on a tear, riding on the back of a colt.

Kolten Wong's running spree has Kamehameha-Hawaii at 7-1 in league play and in position to lock up the league's top Division II seeding for the playoffs.

Though KS-Hawaii struggled early with a number of first-time starters, it was Wong's absence that was the most glaring difference. The baseball standout returned from a summer mainland tournament and has carried the Warriors since.

Last week's 27-21 win over crosstown rival Keaau -- the only team to give defending champion Kealakehe a loss -- is just the latest, biggest win for the young Warriors this fall. Two weeks ago, Wong rambled for 225 yards and two touchdowns on 33 attempts against Konawaena.

The Warriors will get their chance to lock up the top seed in the playoffs against Hawaii Prep on Saturday.

Back on Oahu, powerhouses Kahuku and Mililani have dropped off the radar after stunning playoff losses last weekend. Instead, Saturday's Oahu Interscholastic Association Red Conference semifinals are completely up for grabs.

Will Waianae, Kapolei, Farrington and Leilehua freeze up beneath the massive bleachers of Aloha Stadium? None of these four teams has a prolific offense, but great defense has been a common denominator for the OIA Red this season. The semis should prove no different.

Here's a look at this weekend's matchups:

Tomorrow

OIA White

Kaimuki (6-1, 6-0) vs. Pearl City (5-2-1, 5-2), Kaiser Stadium -- The only White Conference foe to give the Bulldogs a close battle was Pearl City, a 14-6 game on Aug. 31. The battle of ground attacks will resume -- Kaimuki's Justin Paderes vs. Pearl City's Antoin DeWalt.
Roosevelt (5-2-1) at Waipahu (7-2, 7-1) -- The Marauders barely beat the Rough Riders, 20-19, when they met in the regular season.

KIF

Waimea (5-2, 3-2) vs. Kapaa (2-6, 0-5), Vidinha Stadium -- The best the Menehunes can do is finish one game behind champion Kauai. Kapaa nearly upset Waimea three weeks ago, losing 21-14 on the road.

MIL

King Kekaulike (3-5, 3-3) vs. No. 3 Baldwin (7-1, 6-0), War Memorial Stadium -- Injured Baldwin quarterback Jordan Helle sat out last week, but the Bears still won handily against Maui.

BIIF

Hilo (4-7, 3-5) at Keaau (5-4, 5-3) -- The Vikings are coming off a one-point loss to Waiakea. They were blanked 16-0 in the first meeting between the teams, and Keaau still feels the sting of last week's loss to KS-Hawaii.
Waiakea (3-6, 3-4) at Kealakehe (9-1, 7-1) -- At home on the slopes of Hualalai, the Waveriders are a defensive menace. Visitors have scored just 5.5 points per game in the last four games at Kealakehe.

Saturday

ILH

No. 2 Punahou (6-2, 4-2) at Iolani (4-5, 3-3) -- The Raiders lost last week, but clinched the league's D-II title, their fourth in a row. Now all that stands between them and the state tournament is a little rivalry with the Buffanblu. Punahou has won the last seven meetings, including last year's 52-25 victory. Iolani last beat Punahou in 2001, 14-7, in a season finale.
Pac-Five (2-7, 1-5) vs. Damien (2-6-1, 1-5), Aloha Stadium -- Four weeks ago, the Monarchs trounced the Wolfpack 33-13 as Kama Bailey ran for 140 yards on 14 attempts in just one half. Pac-Five's proud defensive unit will be ready in the rematch.
No. 1 Saint Louis (9-0, 6-0) vs. No. 5 Kamehameha (4-3-1, 3-3), Aloha Stadium -- Saint Louis has a wrap on the ILH title, but there will be a playoff feel on the FieldTurf because the Warriors have continued to improve. Kamehameha lost 14-7 to the Crusaders four weeks ago. Whether the Crusaders play their starters to their normal minutes is a question mark. Micah Mamiya is 20-0 as their starting quarterback.

OIA Red

No. 4 Waianae (7-2, 5-2) vs. No. 6 Kapolei (7-3, 5-3) -- Three weeks ago, the Seariders downed the Hurricanes 28-7 at Torii Field in an impressive defensive performance. But the 'Canes are coming off a scintillating 14-7 win at Kahuku. So who wins: the hot team or the rested team?
No. 10 Farrington (5-2-2, 5-1-1) vs. No. 6 Leilehua (7-3, 5-3) -- These teams haven't met since 2005, when the Governors won 28-10 in the OIA playoffs. Farrington's seasoned defense will provide a strong challenge to new Mules quarterback Andrew Manley. The JV call-up was turnover-free in an overtime win at Mililani last week.

MIL

Maui (0-8, 0-6) at Kamehameha-Maui (2-4, 2-3) -- The Pukalani-campus Warriors were on a roll before last week's 23-0 loss to Lahainaluna. The visiting Sabers are a D-I team in search of their first win.
Trojans (2-6, 1-5) vs. No. 9 Lahainaluna (7-1, 5-1), War Memorial Stadium -- Five weeks have passed since the Lunas downed the Trojans 42-14. The Lunas bounced back from a heartbreaking loss to Baldwin by blanking Kamehameha-Maui last week. No letdown for West Maui's favorite team.

BIIF

Ka'u (0-7, 0-7) at Konawaena (3-7, 3-3) -- The Wildcats are close to locking up the third and final playoff berth for the D-II league playoffs.
Hawaii Prep (7-2, 6-1) at Kamehameha-Hawaii (7-3, 7-1) -- With early losses to Baldwin and Konawaena, Kamehameha-Hawaii was a young team searching for an identity. Well, with Kolten Wong running roughshod through the BIIF, the Warriors may be playing the best football on the island now. The turnaround came with a 27-7 win at Hawaii Prep on Sept. 29. Top seeding in the BIIF Division II playoffs is at stake in this rematch.