Windward Teams Looking Ahead To Fall (August) Football

In prep football, there is always a season within the season — the critical games that make or break a team’s year.

With the release of OIA’s 2014 slate, MidWeek‘s Windward Islander breaks down the respective schedules for Division I teams Castle, Kailua and Kahuku, as well as Division II Kalaheo.

Castle Knights

2013 record: 3-6 overall, 2-4 in OIA Red East

2014 games: Aug. 15 Campbell, Aug. 29 at Waipahu, Sept. 5 at Leilehua, Sept. 12 Kahuku, Sept. 19 Waianae, Sept. 26 Kaiser, Oct. 3 McKinley

Key stretch: Leilehua, Kahuku, Waianae

Must-see game 1: Kahuku Must-see game 2: Waianae

Game to be on upset-alert for: Waipahu

Schedule breakdown:

The Knights’ month of Sep-tember is as tough as any in the OIA, as they play Leilehua, Kahuku, Waianae and Kaiser in succession. The good news is that a stretch of four straight home games close out their season.

Kailua Surfriders

2013 record: 2-7 overall, 2-4 in OIA Red East

2014 games: Aug. 16 at Leilehua, Aug. 23 at Mililani, Aug. 29 Aiea, Sept. 5 at Campbell, Sept. 12 Farrington, Sept. 19 at Kapolei, Sept. 27 Moanalua

Key stretch: Leilehua, Mililani, Aiea

Must-see game 1: Farrington

Must-see game 2: Mililani Game to be on upset-alert for: Aiea

Schedule breakdown: Should the team move into the post-season in late October, it will definitely have earned it, as its slate shapes up as one of the most demanding in the state, underlined by back-to-back road games to open the season, and two more at the back end of the schedule.

Kalaheo Mustangs

2013 record: 2-7 overall, 2-6 in OIA White

2014 games: Aug. 16 at Nanakuli, Aug. 23 Kalani (at Kailua), Aug. 30 Waialua (at Kailua), Aug. 13 Anuenue (at Kailua), Sept. 19 at Roosevelt, Sept. 26 Radford (at Kailua), Oct. 3 versus Kaimuki (at Kaiser), Oct. 10 at Pearl City

Key stretch: Radford, Kaimuki, Pearl City

Must-see game 1: Rad-ford

Must-see game 2: Pearl City

Game to be on upset-alert for: Waialua

Schedule breakdown: Following a difficult road opener at Nanakuli, the Mustangs could be poised to make a run, as they will enter a four-game stretch of games in which they could well be favored. The toughest two tests — Radford and Pearl City — come on the back end of the slate.

Kahuku Red Raiders

2013 Record: 6-5 overall, 5-1 in OIA Red East

2014 games: Aug. 15 Kapolei, Aug. 22 Waipahu, Aug. 29 versus McKinley (at Roosevelt High), Sept. 12 at Castle, Aug. 19 at Kaiser, Sept. 26 Leilehua, Oct. 4 versus Waianae (at Aloha Stadium)

Key stretch: Kaiser, Leilehua, Waianae

Must-see game 1: Leilehua

Must-see game 2: Waianae

Game to be on upset-alert for: Kaiser

Schedule breakdown: With only two true road games (Castle and Kaiser), the Red Raiders’ schedule shapes up nicely for 2014. Catching Kapolei, Waipahu and Leilehua at home could figure big for Kahuku, while the epic matchup with Waianae at Aloha Stadium won’t take place until the final week.

jackster.1969@yahoo.com