ILH title on the line

It’s too early to think about the exotic possibilities.

Punahou against Kahuku? At least one sportswriter has been peppered with questions about this match from fans. We are barely into the postseason, but yes, public appetite for inter-league football with a state championship at stake is only growing.

That’s clearly well beyond the scope of Saint Louis and Punahou, who meet on Friday night at Aloha Stadium with the Interscholastic League of Honolulu title at stake.

“It’s nerve-wracking and it’s something that keeps you up late,” Punahou coach Kale Ane said. “But it’s fun.”

Saint Louis offensive coordinator Ron Lee is another football lifer who thrives on challenges.

“We’ve been up there (at Saint Louis) three years, played (Punahou) twice (in 2014), three times (’15), then two this year. We’ve played seven times. They’ve got film, same like us. We know each other fairly well, so the competition gets better,” he said.

For Crusaders head coach Cal Lee, the past few weeks have been a crisis due to a bout of kidney stones. Assistant coach Wes Tufaga was at the helm for Saint Louis when Lee missed a game against ‘Iolani last week. Lee could miss this week’s ILH title game, too. He is scheduled to have surgery next week.

“The stone is too big. It’s not going to pass, so they’ve got to go in there and take it out,” Cal Lee said. “They have a stent in there. You feel better, but you’re not better because it’s still there. It’s part of getting old, I guess. I just want to get it fixed. I don’t want to distract anything. I’ll see how I feel. If I feel good, I’ll be down on the field.”

Punahou (7-1, 5-1 ILH) and Saint Louis (7-1, 5-1) have split their two games this fall. Saint Louis won the first game, 64-44, as the Aloha Stadium scoreboard almost went tilt and Cal Lee almost immediately bemoaned the disappointing (his opinion) performance of his defensive unit.

When the teams met the second time in the ILH’s double-round-robin regular-season format, Punahou turned the tables. It was the Buffanblu defense that came up with a blueprint to contain quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, and then actually execute the plan.

The Saint Louis offensive line carries quite a burden heading into this matchup. If it continues to struggle against a front seven led by 6-foot-5, 260-pound Miki Suguturaga, Punahou will benefit by limiting the need to blitz, keep seven defenders in coverage and win the ILH championship.

The flipside of Punahou’s win over Saint Louis was the patience of its offense. Quarterback Nick Kapule, having a monster season, slowed the pace of Punahou’s normally non-stop, hurry-up attack. That was a major reason why Punahou’s defense stayed fresh, keeping Tagovailoa off the field.

After snapping the ball on offense 72 times in the first matchup, Saint Louis had just 48 total plays on offense in the second. Time of possession and offensive plays don’t matter much when one team has superior talent. When teams are this even, everything matters.

“You always look to improve. That’s what makes it a chess match,” Ane said. “Very rarely do you continue to do the same thing in any game unless you’re heads and shoulders ahead of anybody.”

Momentum would appear to be with Punahou, which has continued to shred defenses since the last battle with Saint Louis.

Meanwhile, Saint Louis has struggled a bit with consistency, scoring “only” 21 points against a rugged Kamehameha defense. Last week, the Crusaders ousted ‘Iolani 33-0 in the first game of Round 2. Punahou eliminated Kamehameha from title contention with a 57-24 win.

More good news for Punahou: Kapule received his first scholarship offer during the week, Hawaii tendering one to the senior left-hander, who has passed for 2,459 yards, 29 TDs and just three picks. Those are Tagovailoa-esque statistics.

“Nick, I’ve never seen a guy more accurate on the deep ball than him,” Ron Lee said. “He can run, and it’s not only his running. He slides around when the pocket breaks down or the receivers are covered, and makes big throws. His throws are on the money. That’s the danger of Kapule. He’s special.”

And yet, the ILH has always been about constant evolution. Adapt or fail. As Punahou adjusted after its first game with Saint Louis, the Crusaders are in all-in mode this week. The pendulum swings back and forth.

“We’re looking at film today (Wednesday) and looking at things we want to tighten up,” Ane said. “This is what you look for. Alignment, down and distance, and spacing. You want to plan and be creative. The kids are smart. They’re looking for an edge, as well. They’re an interested audience.”

toDAY’S GAMEs

Leilehua (4-6) at No. 7 Mililani (5-3), 7:30 p.m. — This is a consolation-bracket game in the OIA Division I playoffs. Both teams have already qualified for the HHSAA D-I state tournament. When the teams met a month ago at Hugh Yoshida Stadium, Mililani roared to a big lead early and hung on for a 52-35 victory.

Moanalua (5-5) vs. No. 8 Campbell (5-4) — Moanalua forfeited this OIA D-I consolation game due to injuries and illness. Campbell won their regular-season matchup 12-6 in double overtime.

St. Francis (5-2) vs. Damien (5-2), Aloha Stadium, 5:00 p.m. — The teams tied for first place in the first round, which makes this a winner-take-all for the second-round and overall titles.

Damien quarterback Marcus Faufata-Pedrina has been a threat on the ground and in the air all season. He has passed for 1,201 yards and 16 TDs while rushing for 494 yards and six more scores.

The Saints rely heavily on their ground attack and a balanced defense featuring versatile Wembley Mailei. Tyson Shimabukuro has hit the 100-yard mark four games in a row, while Foki Kailea stepped up with his first 100-yard performance in last week’s win over Pac-Five.

Pearl City (5-3) vs. Waipahu (7-1), Aiea High School field, 7:30 p.m. — There may be no hotter team in D-II statewide than the Marauders. They swarm defensively. They run the ball with freshman phenom Alfred Failauga. Braden Amorozo is in command of the aerial attack. And yet, the one blemish on their fine season: Pearl City.

When the teams met on a soggy Aiea field on Sept. 10, the Marauders appeared to be sleepwalking. Turnovers. Lack of energy. Missed connections. The Chargers changed things up by staring Isaiah Asinsin at quarterback. They jumped to a quick 14-0 lead, and in classic Robin Kami fashion, they put the boa constrictor squeeze on their foes. Milked the clock. Solid defense and special teams. Pearl City’s 21-7 win was a statement that it had the antidote to stop a potent Waipahu squad.

So, as fourth-place Pearl City takes the field against top-seeded Waipahu, there will be no real difference. Coach Bryson Carvalho’s Marauders have reeled off four wins in a row since the loss, averaging 32 points per game. That defeat at the hands of the Chargers has been used as fuel, and now they get their chance at revenge.

Pearl City? They’ve handled their neighbors with the black flag before. Confidence won’t be lacking, even after last week’s 14-12 loss at Waialua to end the regular season.

Waialua (5-2) vs. Kaimuki (5-3), Kaiser Stadium, 7:30 p.m. — Waialua coach Lincoln Barit praises Kaimuki often, and he knows how well the town-side Bulldogs have escalated their game. Kaimuki, which edged Waialua 22-20 to start league play, has won three of its last four games. That includes a 20-17 victory over Pearl City. Sophomore Jordan Solomon (1,704 passing yards, 20 TDs) continues to rise, and RB/LB Ieke Seei-Cleveland (324 rushing yards, five TDs) helps Kaimuki anchor the middle of the field.

The country Bulldogs of Waialua will make the cross-island drive and bring a formula that could halt Solomon and his deep, talented group of wide receivers. Waialua will stay on the ground with RBs Risein Campbell and Howard Nahooikaika, who combined for more than 200 rushing yards in the win over Pearl City last week. Barit’s squad makes plays on special teams, too.

Waiakea (3-7) vs. Hilo (7-1), Wong Stadium, 7 p.m. — It is playoff time in the BIIF, an opportunity the Warriors have waited for, a chance to take down the league’s top D-I team. When the teams met on Sept. 30, Hilo won 42-7. The Vikings have been a rock-solid, run-first team with always physical defense. They are unbeaten in league play — their only loss was to Saint Louis in preseason — and they have outscored their last five opponents 186-20.

King Kekaulike (0-7) at Lahainaluna (5-4), 7 p.m. — It’s the winless program, one that had shining light in winning the D-II state title (2006) under then-coach J.W. Kenton, against the perennial, classic powerhouse. Na Alii have scored 12 points all season, six of them in a 38-point loss to Baldwin two weeks ago. When the Lunas visited King Kekaulike on Sept. 6, they won 37-0.

saturDAY’S GAMEs

No. 5 Waianae (8-2) vs. No. 1 Kahuku (8-1), Aloha Stadium, 5 p.m. — Game one of the OIA D-I semifinal round pits two ancient, rural programs seemingly as old as the OIA/ROIA is. The final score didn’t reflect it, but when Waianae visited Kahuku on Aug. 26, the Seariders defense was stellar for a half.

Kahuku fans were uneasy until the home team pulled away in the second half for a 28-0 win. The question isn’t whether Waianae’s defense is up to the task of facing Kahuku’s smashmouth attack. It’s whether the Seariders offense can find a way to score on one of the best defensive teams in Hawaii prep football history.

Back to that late August matchup, Waianae stuck to its run-first game and its rushers combined for 60 yards on 20 carries. The Seariders completed one pass in seven attempts for 9 yards, and Kahuku picked off one of those throws.

No. 6 Farrington (7-2) vs. No. 4 Kapolei (8-1), Aloha Stadium, 7:30 p.m. — Like Kahuku and Waianae, Kapolei and Farrington squared off during the regular season with great anticipation. Kapolei keyed in on Farrington playmaker Challen Faamatau en route to a 28-7 victory on Sept. 23 in a key matchup that helped the Hurricanes seal first place and an opening-round bye in the playoffs.

The ‘Canes limited Faamatau, who carried the ball a career-high 37 times, to 118 yards — 3.2 yards per attempt.

They put a wrap around Farrington’s passing game; QBs Justin Uahinui and Bishop Rapoza combined for 58 yards (7-for-15) with one interception. Kapolei, sparked by defensive lineman Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, would like nothing more than to replicate that defensive artistry.

The Govs’ aerial corps should be at close to full strength this time. Kingston Moses-Sanchez and Mosi Alaivanu-Afe could complement the ground attack. Alaivanu-Afe did not play in the first meeting.

Farrington wasn’t shabby at all defensively that night. Sophomore Taulia Tagovailoa barely completed more than 50 percent of his passes (18-for-33), but was solid with 264 yards and two TD tosses. His favorite target was Kaeo Alvarez-Ranan, who had a breakout game with six hauls for 110 yards and a TD.

No. 9 Baldwin (7-2) vs. Maui (5-4), War Memorial Stadium, 7 p.m. — This will be the final regular-season game of the season for each team. The Bears are coming off a 19-13 win over Lahainaluna, and now the Sabers await. Baldwin won 36-21 in their first meeting on Sept. 5. RB Kamaki Gouveia is a major part of the Bears’ offense.

Kauai (1-6) at Waimea (3-4), Hanapepe Stadium, 2:30 p.m. — Waimea was the first to give the dynastic Kapaa Warriors a tough rub this fall, losing 3-0 on Sept. 24. Then Kauai shocked Kapaa. Last week, Kapaa eked out a 15-12 win over Waimea at Hanapepe Stadium. The Menehune now get a second game in their hometown.

Kamehameha-Hawaii (6-3) at Konawaena (7-1), 7 p.m. — It has been a rough two weeks for a Warriors program that has been an elite BIIF team for many years. After winning six of their first seven games, KS-Hawaii lost at Konawaena 35-12. Last week, it was a 39-7 defeat at the hands of Hilo. Now the D-II playoffs begin, and the Warriors hit the long road back to Konawaena with a state-tourney berth at stake.

The Wildcats have ridden a stout defense and the passing touch of Austin Ewing for a run that reads much like the Konawaena dynasty of the 1980s. Since losing at Hilo 23-21 on Aug. 27, the ’Cats have won six in a row by margins no less than 23 points.