There may not be two teams that have gotten more out of their personnel than Kahuku and Punahou.

When the two powerhouses meet in tonight’s Division I final at the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA State Football Championships, the might, the strength and the speed will simply be high school football at its best.

“We’re trying to keep this a regular week, but the kids are excited,” Kahuku coach Reggie Torres said of the 7 p.m. battle at Aloha Stadium. “They’re a resilient bunch of kids, they’ve been through so much. We’re just trying to enjoy the moment.”

The team in blue has Torres’ respect.

“Punahou is well coached, well balanced. Their defense is healthy now. They’re complete, especially with special teams and their kicker,” he said.

Kale Ane, Punahou’s veteran coach, has been here before. Punahou last won the state title in 2008.

“Kahuku is a dominant team. To be the best, you have to beat the best, so we’re excited for the opportunity,” he said.

While Kahuku has banked on its power ground game and Punahou has mixed the old with the new in a balanced attack, two things are certain. Both teams have patiently turned new pages in the playbook, and both are unveiling new young standouts with each week.

“This group is comfortable, they get along with each other, kid with each other,” Ane said. “They can share their dreams. It’s a unique group at this age level. They keep each other balanced and in check.”

On paper: Punahou (11-2) won the Interscholastic League of Honolulu with relentless, yet patient defensive pressure. Only one opponent scored more than 19 points against a unit led by defensive end DeForest Buckner, and a swift linebacking crew paced by Isaac Savaiinaea and Zach Hernandez.

Punahou saw plenty of misdirection-based offenses in the ILH, but rarely met smashmouth football this season. Kahuku’s mammoth offensive line will test the front seven, even with the amazing return of Buffanblu 6-foot-8 defensive end Luke Kaumatule from a knee injury.

Kahuku (11-1) took the Oahu Interscholastic Association crown, rebounding from a late-regular-season loss to then-unbeaten Farrington.

While Kahuku’s offense seems to be humming, Punahou’s is also playing at a higher level. Quarterback Larry Tuileta’s mastery of offensive coordinator Darryl Kan’s multiple sets can largely be attributed to an all-senior offensive line that has been a bedrock of consistency. Tuileta can rely on Steven Lakalaka (1,083 rushing yards), one of the most versatile running backs in school history, as well as a pass-catching corps led by 6-foot-5 Malik Johnson

(41 receptions, 550 yards, nine touchdowns).

The skinny: The emergence of tight end Lamone Williams is a big key for Kahuku. If the running game goes well, Kahuku will force Punahou to position eight defenders in the box, leaving both receivers 1-on-1. It could also leave slotback Kawehena Johnson or Williams, who can go deep, in solo coverage.

Punahou probably has a few more pages in the book yet unturned, which means sophomore running back/tight end Kotoni Sekona could do more than slip behind coverage in the red zone. It’s been quite some time since they’ve let Tuileta, a slippery, quick ballcarrier, run the sprint option. The presence of Buckner and Kaumatule on each side of the line — giant redwoods towering above in the passing lanes — is another obstacle for Kahuku.

X factor: As usual, Punahou has an edge with place-kicker Kaimi Fairbairn, who has 60-yard range if necessary.

“We won’t have to practice kick returns,” Torres said, partly in jest.

Outlook: The ball will be in the hands of Lakalaka again and again, whether by ground or air. The durable senior is the cornerstone of the offense, along with a seasoned offensive line. The formations change from pistol to shotgun to under center, but the expectation is the same: quick strikes with a patient long view. Offensive coordinator Darryl Kan asks much of the unit, including the young Tuileta. When defenses fixate on Lakalaka, Tuileta can send the trusty running back to the slot and look for a quick target. Lakalaka has 32 receptions for 246 yards and a touchdown. Johnson began last year off the team, expecting to focus on basketball, but returned to the team late in the season. He has become a reliable go-to receiver in traffic for Tuileta, but a defense that shadows Johnson too often may get burned. As the season progresses, Tuileta is looking more and more for secondary targets like Kotoni Sekona and Taylor McClafferty. None it is possible, though, without protection up front. Punahou may be versatile, but a fast front seven can present problems. This matchup — a rematch of the 2005 title game won by Kahuku — offers vast opportunity for innovation. That’s where Kan excels. Unlike Kahuku, which committed to a ground-and-pound game decades ago, Kan and the Buffanblu have stressed run blocking out of the pistol in addition to pass protection.

Outlook: Speed and smarts are the hallmark of this unit, which works well together. Against the quick-tempo offenses in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu, they often bent without breaking. The linebacker crew is both physical against the run and agile enough to cover. Hernandez and Savaiinaea cover ample ground, while Sakai has been in the middle of a unit that has not allowed 20 points all season. With Buckner’s height and a slew of blitz possibilities, the secondary has benefitted. Kamana is always looking for opportunities, and he may get a few more now that Luke Kaumatule (6-foot-8) is back on the field.

Outlook: The range of Fairbairn — regularly booming kickoffs deep into the end zone, field-goal range up to 60 yards — is a major factor and advantage. Fairbairn has worked endlessly to improve since Eric Hannum became his kicking coach three years ago. He orally committed to UCLA three weeks ago. His longest field goal was 55 yards against Damien, but he has kicked as long as 60 yards without a tee in an informal workout at Aloha Stadium. During an August road trip at Vista, Calif., Fairbairn made a practice field goal (with a tee) from 67 yards. His holder, Nomura, is a big part of Punahou’s powerhouse baseball program and is one of the state’s top returning infielders.

Outlook: With all the athletic receiving talent on this roster, the Red Raiders easily could have lined up four and five wide on every down and racked up 300, 400, maybe 500 yards in passing most nights. But with a first-year starter at quarterback and a tribe of linemen better suited to smashmouth blocking than pass protection, Kahuku had a 3:1 ratio of run to pass plays. Livai had opportunities early to show what he could do, with 23 pass attempts against Kailua and another 23 against Kaiser. Since then, the Red Raiders have steamrolled opponents with I- and H-formation sets, often unbalancing the line by putting three linemen on one side, and a guard plus tight end Lamone Williams on the other. The athleticism of their guards allows for plenty of pull action and traps. Basically, it was more productive to teach a deep line how to block than it would’ve been to train Livai and receivers, in just a few months, in the nuances of a full-fledged passing attack. Depth at running back with Wily, Mahonilai Fakatou and Kubota also made life simpler as the ground-and-pound philosophy meshed perfectly with a lockdown defensive unit. The depth of Kahuku’s backfield is unmatched. Wily (1,179 rushing yards, eight touchdowns) and Fakatou both eclipsed the 100-yard mark last week.

Outlook: The riches of this unit grew as the season went along. Though the Red Raiders lost immense talent to graduation in the past two years, this group developed into a machine, combining superior athleticism with constant improvement. Only twice has an opponent scored in double digits (Farrington, Waianae). Defensive coordinator Kimo Haiola’s insistence on perfection might break down some teams, but at Kahuku, players thrive on it. “Our coach, he expects us to know all his schemes,” Tapusoa said. “He sets the bar pretty high for us. Each week, he always has something new for us. So far it’s been working.” Haiola demands flexibility, lining up in a five-man front against Farrington, then using only one down lineman against Leilehua. Tapusoa is a finisher in the box, and the secondary’s depth is matched by few. Evan Ramirez continues to be one of the best cornerbacks in the state, while Johnson and Beatty come up with game-changing plays. With Fiso on the other side, it’s a tall, fearless crew. The addition of Mason Kualii-Moe, who transferred in during the offseason, and former running back Devailo Motuga added depth to an already stout defense. Kualii-Moe may be their best open-field tackler, and Motuga led the team in tackles and sacks against Leilehua last week.

Outlook: Johnson is a spark for all three phases, including special teams, where he returns punts. Aluli has been a plus for the Red Raiders with 40-yard range. His 38-yard field goal provided the difference in a playoff win over Leilehua.