When 3 is better than 2

Note: I jotted this down roughly a month ago, but with Kalaheo forfeiting its (OIA D-II) game against Waipahu last weekend and Kaiser forfeiting its third game in a row this week, this seems a bit pertinent.

** What we know now: reconfiguration episode **

In a world of vegetarian dragons and winged, saber-toothed unicorns who dive into molten lava lakes and fluffy cotton-candy clouds with equal ease, here’s a pupule look at what an “ideal” three-tiered format — rather than two — would look like in OIA football. Reminder: The OIA had Red, White and Blue Conferences in the early 1990s. 

OIA
Based on record, enrollment, incoming/returning football talent.

> What we know the Open Division should be:
Farrington
Kahuku
Kapolei
Mililani
Waianae
** Double round-robin regular season (eight games). First-round winner vs. Second-round winner is champion. No automatic third state berth due to ratio format. If the MIL and/or BIIF declare for Open Division, they will playoff for the berth. Otherwise, OIA 3 and ILH 2 have a play-in game.
Pro: OIA keeps revenue in house by not merging with ILH. Also, each team plays one more regular-season game than the current format permits. Con: Declaring classification prior to season may kill Cinderella team(s) that are stuck in the lower tier.

> What we know D-I should be:
Campbell
Kailua
Leilehua
Moanalua
Waipahu
** Campbell might have a sound argument to be in Open Division. Waipahu’s enrollment is among the largest in the state. Double round-robin format regular season (eight games). First-round winner vs. Second-round winner is champion.
Pro: Fewer playoff games in D-I (and Open) means more bye weeks. This is good. Con: Again, a Cinderella team in D-I won’t have a chance to play in Open Division.

> What we know D-II should be:
Aiea
Castle
Kaimuki
Kaiser
Kalaheo
Kalani
McKinley
Nanakuli
Pearl City
Radford
Roosevelt
Waialua
** Twelve teams in D-II is long overdue. Seeing Kaiser and Radford in the OIA’s top tier is completely ridiculous. Turnout at Kaiser would probably be closer to 30 or higher if they weren’t scheduled to play in D-I, and especially against Kahuku.
This D-II format would be West and East:
> West: Aiea, McKinley, Nanakuli, Pearl City, Radford, Waialua
> East: Castle, Kaimuki, Kaiser, Kalaheo, Kalani, Roosevelt

Single round-robin, followed by crossover playoff format: West 4 at East 1, West 3 at East 2; East 4 at West 1; East 3 at West 2. Winners advance to semifinals, then finals. Top three teams qualify for state tourney unless the state field expands to eight teams, which would allow four OIA D-II entries. Max games would be eight for the finalists and teams that play third place, if necessary. (I'd prefer a coin toss than a really unnecessary third-place game that puts anyone at additional risk.) Fair enough.

Pro: Fans will turn out for competitive games week to week, and campus enthusiasm will be stoked by a true D-II field for teams that had previously been FORCED to play up. TV and other entities may object at first, but like most grandparents, they will be happy to change the diapers and televise highly competitive games once the baby is born.

Con: Five games may seem like too few for any varsity team, but remember that OIA D-II programs often have lower numbers and injuries always take a toll, often two- or three-fold when one key player is injured. They can always schedule 2-3 preseason games, and if the OIA would soften up just a tad bit during the regular season, exhibition games (with ILH or off-island teams) could/should be permitted during bye weeks.

(Please forgive me if the timing is late. It's simply an update on the dozens of posts I've written over the years dating back to 1999 regarding "superconferences" and realignment ideas. Don't forget that the OIA was a vanguard with a three-tiered football alignment in the late 1980s and early '90s, and as of Aug. 11, the league's football coordinator told our Nick Abramo that serious discussion about changes in format are coming after the season. Better late than never.)