It’s Kahuku’s title until someone swipes it away on the unnatural turf of Aloha Stadium.

When the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA State Football Championships resume tonight, the Farrington Governors should feel good. After all, a year ago they were ousted in the quarterfinal round. Running back Tyler Taumua was dinged up late in the season after being a one-man wrecking crew behind a behemoth offensive line.

This campaign has been different. Taumua and Abraham Silva have been thunder and lightning, rock and roll, ground and pound. With a sufficient passing game, coach Randall Okimoto has been content to give his version of the “Pony Express” maximum carries.

So far, so good. After battling an early-season shoulder injury, Taumua is fleet once again. He rushed for 171 yards on 21 carries and scored three touchdowns in last week’s 34-25 win over Kealakehe.

Silva also had 21 carries, finishing with 146 yards and two touchdowns.

Double trouble, indeed.

But the past week has been another kind of trouble for the Govs. The flu bug has wreaked havoc, sending some key starters to the sideline. The timing couldn’t be worse as the showdown with No. 1 Kahuku looms.

Meanwhile, Punahou has risen from hibernation and is better for it. The three-week break from game action has allowed the ILH champions to heal up from late-season injuries as they go into tonight’s battle with Mililani.

Here’s a look at tonight’s matchups.

No. 1 Kahuku (10-0) vs. No. 4 Farrington (10-2)

On paper: Kahuku dominated the regular-season contest, 31-6, limiting Taumua (49 yards on 12 carries) and Silva (19 yards, seven attempts) in a surprisingly lopsided win.

On the other side of the ball, Kahuku running back Aofaga Wily had his struggles, too. The 6-foot, 202-pound senior had 61 yards and no touchdowns on 21 carries against a swarming Farrington defense. But the Govs didn’t account enough for Red Raiders fullback Polikapu “P.J.” Liua, who had 96 yards and two touchdowns up the gut on eight carries.

Six weeks have passed since that game, giving the Govs time to learn and improve.

“Our linebackers were not disciplined. They were so concerned with the tailback,” Okimoto said. “It was just the wrong alignment, but those things are fixable.”

Wily has rushed for 1,415 yards (6.2 per attempt) and 19 touchdowns this year out of Kahuku’s traditional I set. His ability to go wide in stretch or toss sweep plays isn’t common in this era, but his favorite play is the simple blast up the gut behind a nimble offensive line led by John Wa‘a.

Silva, the former backup, and Taumua also line up in the I with Silva at fullback from time to time. Silva carried the load early when Taumua was hurt and has kept his legs churning for 1,601 yards (7.1 per carry) and 17 touchdowns.

Taumua now has 1,343 yards (6.6 per carry) and 17 touchdowns.

“Farrington tried some different things,” Kahuku coach Reggie Torres said of the Govs’ win at Kealakehe last week. “But they still went back to Silva and Taumua.”

The Govs will likely try a few wrinkles, like Taumua going deep down the sideline as a wide receiver occasionally.

“But he’ll also do the jet sweep and he does it good,” Torres said. “If he gets upfield, he’s dangerous.”

The skinny: It will be smashmouth football at its finest, but with a few tweaks, to be sure. Kahuku tried out three gadget plays in its OIA title-game win over Mililani two weeks ago, not that they were necessary in the course of a blowout victory.

Torres isn’t expecting another one-sided game.

“Two of our punts went inside their 5-yard line,” he said of the earlier matchup with Farrington. “We might not get those lucky bounces again.”

Kahuku won’t dig into its playbook or bag of tricks until this time of the year, normally. Lamone Williams (6-3, 238), a promising tight end last season as a sophomore, has played almost entirely on the defensive side as a junior. But with Farrington focused on Wily and Liua, Williams could be a factor on offense. He had two touchdown catches against Mililani.

If that weren’t enough, Okimoto has concerns about Kahuku’s versatile playmaker in the open field, Kawehena Johnson.

“We have to recognize No. 7. ‘Where is he on the field?’ He will get the ball,” Okimoto said of the safety/wide receiver/quarterback/kick returner.

Farrington’s offense has relied greatly on the front-line work of the “Bamboolas”, taking a great deal of pressure off sophomore quarterback Montana Liana (943 yards, 11 touchdowns, five interceptions).

The left-hander has completed 53 percent of his passes (85-for-160) and has a yards-per-attempt average of 5.9.

Kahuku has an edge at that position with senior Viliami “Lasi” Livai. Though his stats are similar to those of Liana (783 passing yards, six touchdowns, three picks, 52-percent completion rate, 128.16 passer rating), Livai is familiar and comfortable with the change-ups that his offensive coaches will ask for, including the trick plays.

The state’s best defensive unit took the ball from Mililani eight times in the OIA final, and just about everyone made the highlight reel. From linebacker Johnny Tapusoa to Johnson to Ezra Soli to Rashaan Falemalu, they simply have so much talent invested on that side.

X factor: The Govs need some quick remedies for the flu bug. Okimoto expects his flu-ridden starters — Taumua, defensive backs Roger Boyd and Manly Williams, and linebacker Syndreck Dsio — to be ready by kickoff. If they’re not at 100 percent, more weight will fall on the shoulders of linebacker Sanele Lavatai and defensive back Jacob McEnroe.

No. 2 Punahou (7-2) vs. No. 3 Mililani (10-2)

On paper: At first glance, these two teams bring the cure for footballholics who miss wide-open, aerial-circus football. But Mililani showed last week that it is not married to the run-and-shoot offense, turning to an under-center running game featuring ironman Dayton Furuta (23 carries, 118 yards, two touchdowns) in a gritty 24-13 win over Baldwin.

That’s the result of a head coach, Rod York, with a defensive mind. York, who is the offensive coordinator this year, won’t ask Furuta to give another marathon-level effort again. Well, probably not.

If the Trojans can move the chains with quarterback Jarin Morikawa’s precision.

Morikawa was limited to less than 200 yards passing last week, his first sub-200 yard game since a loss to Leilehua on Sept. 1. But he didn’t throw a pick, and has amassed more passing yardage (3,288 yards) than anyone else statewide. He also has 33 touchdown strikes and just 11 picks with a completion rate of 58 percent.

Wide receiver Ekolu Ramos had a solid performance against Baldwin (eight grabs, 85 yards, one touchdown) and leads the Trojans with 48 receptions for 681 yards and nine touchdowns. Deep threat Erren Jean-Pierre had 38 catches for 573 yards and six touchdowns.

Punahou is well-rested, to say the least, without any game action since Oct. 25. With the ILH title wrapped up coming into that game with Kamehameha, coach Kale Ane rested 17 of his 22 starters in that loss.

That means quarterback Larry Tuileta hasn’t played in game conditions since Oct. 19. Tuileta has passed for 2,001 yards and 24 touchdowns in just eight games, but his most impressive stat might be this: one interception.

In fact, York has pored over the game videos and sees another distinct, amazing number.

“I think (Tuileta) hasn’t been sacked since the Kahuku game,” York said.

The Kahuku game, which was Punahou’s second nonconference game, was on Aug. 18. Tuileta’s ease in the pocket and accuracy on all routes has resulted in phenomenal numbers: 65-percent accuracy, an 11.2 yards-per-attempt average and a passer rating of 204.12. That’s more than 14 points higher than Marcus Mariota’s passer rating as a senior at Saint Louis two seasons ago.

The long break was a godsend for ailing Buffanblu after an arduous ILH schedule. Wide receiver Kanawai Noa’s ankle has healed up, which means Punahou’s best deep threat will be formidable. The 6-foot, 170-pound sophomore has 46 receptions for 994 yards (21.6 per grab) and 14 touchdowns in just seven games.

“Noa is playing like a senior, basically,” York noted.

Punahou also has senior Ryan Tuiasoa at running back, a 6-foot, 215-pound commodity. Tuiasoa has rushed for 739 yards (6.7 per attempt) and 11 touchdowns, but is valuable as a pass blocker and pass catcher (10 receptions, 179 yards, two touchdowns).

Ane got a good look of Mililani last week.

“Their defense is very difficult. They’ve got Division I players sprinkled in. They’re aggressive and blitz a lot more than I expected,” he said.

The skinny: York is concerned about pass protection against Punahou’s dominant three down linemen, including 6-7, 265-pound sophomore Canton Kaumatule.

“They’ve got 6-7, 6-5 guys up front, and the next guy after that is big, too,” York said. “We’re just hoping they’re rusty.”

Between the down linemen and middle linebacker Isaac Savaiinaea, Punahou has the personnel to make life tough for any shotgun or pistol passing attack. That’s why the Trojans are going to be patient and smart. Both teams use no-huddle, uptempo paces, but York would love to keep Tuileta and his weaponry on the sideline. That could mean more Furuta in the offensive backfield.

“We never used it as much as we did last week,” York said of his offense, which saw Baldwin drop eight defenders at times. “Punahou is definitely much tougher. They’re huge up front and (Savaiinaea) plays like Manti (Te’o).”

The turnover problem in the OIA final is a thing of the past for the Trojans. That’s the hope.

“You make one mistake and they can put it in the end zone in one play,” York said. “We learned in the Kahuku game that a couple of turnovers can turn into more.”

Mililani’s defense, with Dakota Turner up front, is already familiar with four-wide sets.

X factor: With the flu bug floating around, this could come down to attrition. Which team is better conditioned? Will Punahou’s stout linebacker corps keep up with Mililani’s tireless slotbacks from start to finish?