The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Spread offenses have produced a breadth of productive receivers without, surprisingly, a lot of huge individual numbers. Many teams can run out of the pistol, but just a very few often go wide with it unless you consider a stretch handoff or quick pitch "wide."

That’s what makes Waianae compelling and dangerous in the postseason.

The Seariders are playing their best football of the year, having won four of their past five games. The only loss was to Leilehua in a see-saw battle.

But can the Seariders and their multi-formational ground-and-pound attack overcome the unbeaten Kahuku Red Raiders?

One team will advance. The loser will be done for the season. It could hinge on Waianae’s crafty triple-option attack and the masterful skills of senior Kekoa Kaluhiokalani.

Here’s a look at this weekend’s matchups.

FRIDAY, OCT. 19

Waianae (5-4) at No. 1 Kahuku (7-0): Between the Seariders’ classic Wing-T set and an I formation with a wing blocker, there are nuances that every opposing defense has to take into account.

Since scoring seven and two points, respectively, in losses to Mililani and Kapolei, Waianae returned to wrecking-ball football with big results: 29.6 points per game, and only one team (Leilehua) has scored more than 20 points on the other side of the ball.

Jemery Willes and Alakai Kealoha have benefitted the most, combining for 837 yards and 13 touchdowns in a thunder-and-lightning approach.

But what Waianae did last week in a 29-6 playoff win over Kailua is what could and should worry defensive coordinators. Kaluhiokalani expertly ran the option, scoring a touchdown untouched on a 25-yard keeper. The senior is a steady passing threat and has nimble feet, but that could be said of more than a dozen quarterbacks statewide. His skill on the option is rare today.

"Stopping the option is not easy. What makes their option so tough is that quarterback," Kahuku coach Reggie Torres said. "If they hadn’t had the three fumbles in the red zone early, they could’ve blown that game out."

Kahuku, however, sees the option at practice on a fairly regular basis. In fact, backup quarterback Kawehena Johnson might be the best in the state running that triple-option threat. Add to that the fumbles lost by Willes and Kealoha last week, and this might be the worst possible matchup for Waianae.

That’s too bad, since the Seariders are playing closer to their potential than almost any team. But it should make for an interesting chess game, with Kahuku middle linebacker Johnny Tapusoa and their two-down linemen defensive front in the line of fire.

"They have the potential to do really well," Torres said of the Seariders. "We expect a real battle. Our defense is predicated on stopping the run, so that’s a good thing if we’re responsible and cover our gaps."

In addition, Kahuku running back Aofaga Wily (891 yards, 15 touchdowns) is healthy and rested, which means Waianae defensive tackle Kennedy Tulimasealii and his cohorts will have their biggest challenge of the season to date.

"That defensive front is tough, tough, tough," Torres said.

The last time the Searider defense faced a ground attack as lethal was on Aug. 11, when Farrington’s Abraham Silva rushed for 223 yards and two touchdowns.

No. 2 Punahou (5-0, ILH, 6-1) vs. No. 7 Saint Louis (4-2 ILH, 5-4), Aloha Stadium: It’s this simple. Punahou has two games left. Second-place followers Kamehameha and Saint Louis each have two losses. A Buffanblu win tonight secures an ILH championship, and you know how tough getting one of those can be.

Saint Louis has been in this scenario before. Twice, under Delbert Tengan, they won the ILH with two defeats. It would take a Crusaders win tonight, then a Kamehameha win over Punahou next week to create a three-way first-place tie to end the regular-season schedule.

Saint Louis’ 43-19 loss to Kamehameha last week was an eye-opener. The Warriors effectively took away the long ball, aside from a Hail Mary touchdown catch by Devan Stubblefield at the end of the first half. The communication glitches that allowed Jeremy Tabuyo to catch four touchdown passes in the first meeting were rectified. Tabuyo had just four grabs with zero touchdowns last week.

Quarterback Kawai Mook-Garcia and running back Adam Noga produced numbers. Mook-Garcia passed for 245 yards and two touchdowns; Noga rushed for 145 yards. But Mook-Garcia was picked twice in a 14-for-35 showing. Noga was kept out of the end zone for the first time in eight starts.

"They’re so explosive with so many great players. It’s exhausting preparation, but it’s fun and it’s competitive," Punahou coach Kale Ane said.

Punahou had two weeks to prepare for this game, which means they’re will rested sources of power available. Saint Louis’ defense will see heavy doses of Punahou running back Ryan Tuiasoa, who rushed for 106 yards and two touchdowns in the Buffanblu’s 43-14 win on Sept. 14.

The Crusaders haven’t forgotten, of course, about Larry Tuileta. The junior scorched the blue and red with 21-of-25 passing for a career-high 359 yards and four touchdowns without a pick in the September matchup. The only question is whether wide receiver Kanawai Noa (46 receptions, 994 yards, 14 touchdowns) will play (ankle).

"He’s been getting treatment and he’s in a walking boot," Ane said. "We don’t want to sit him, but we might have to."

Punahou defensive end Canton Kaumatule (6-7, 265) continues to improve. His development only helps a stingy defense led by linebacker Isaac Savaiinaea.

No. 3 Farrington (7-1) vs. Kapolei (6-3): The barometer remains running back Jacob Kukahiko for the Hurricanes. When the 5-foot-11, 210-pound senior gets at least 11 carries, the ‘Canes are 4-1, including last week’s 30-0 playoff victory over Castle. Kukahiko played just one half and rushed for 78 yards and two touchdowns on 11 attempts, and Kapolei was committed to the ground game with 203 yards on 50 carries.

That took the pressure off junior slinger Aizon Kahana, a mobile athlete who will be tested by one of the state’s top linebacker units.

Kapolei’s defense will benefit if the offense’s ground game is effective. But it’s uncertain whether the ‘Canes and tenacious linebacker Micah Paris can withstand the constant pounding of Farrington’s "Bamboolas" offensive line and the ground-and-pound barrage of running backs Abraham Silva and Tyler Taumua.

Silva, a 5-10, 212-pound senior, has rushed for 1,021 yards and 12 touchdowns. Taumua (5-10, 202, Sr.), an all-state, first-team back last year, has 657 yards and eight touchdowns after a starting the season with a shoulder injury. Both are well-rested after last week’s opening-round bye.

No. 4 Mililani (7-1) vs. No. 10 Campbell (6-3): Since Sept. 7, starting with a 45-26 win at Campbell, quarterback Jarin Morikawa has been en fuego. His yardage totals are 268, 330, 387 and 408. His completion percentage: 64 percent. His YPA: 8.3.

His passing yardage totals in four games before Sept. 7: 250, 204, 211, 107.

Mililani still doesn’t have a dominant ground attack, but with Morikawa at the controls and a receiver corps that has matured, coach Rod York is proving that it isn’t a necessity. Even with an average of 41 pass attempts per game, the Trojans continue to control the ball and the clock to an extent, allowing a stellar defense to shine.

Campbell quarterback Justin Tago-Su’e had 202 passing yards, but no touchdowns in the earlier matchup with Mililani. He’ll get some help this time from running back Paul-Andrew Rhoden (6-0, 210), who sat out the first meeting with an injury (concussion symptoms).

Moanalua (5-4) at No. 6 Leilehua (6-2): The road to a state-tournament berth goes through the Red West for Moanalua. That would seem to be a problem, since Na Menehune are 0-2 against the rugged West, ticking back to preseason losses against Mililani (31-21) and Waianae (26-17).

But Moanalua insists it is a much better team now. There’s no question junior quarterback Micah Kaneshiro is better. Since passing for a combined 146 yards (14-for-31, two picks) against Mililani and Waianae, he has become a passing threat. In the past seven games, he has thrown 23 touchdown passes.

Kaneshiro has also tossed 14 picks in that seven-game span, and Leilehua’s stand-up defensive look and active, deceptive schemes are built to confuse a young quarterback like Kaneshiro.

Na Menehune kept the heat off Kaneshiro in last week’s 31-20 playoff win over Waipahu, running the ball 35 times. Not many rushers have succeeded against the Mules, but teams that have accumulated at least 100 rushing yards — including Waianae — have kept it close. Aiea hit the 100-yard mark and won 35-34.

Leilehua has the antidote to physical, fast defenses with Keoni Piceno, who leads the state with 62 receptions (610 yards, four touchdowns). But the sure-handed senior had just five catches for 30 yards in a narrow win over Waianae two weeks ago.

No. 8 ‘Iolani (2-3 ILH, 5-3) vs. Damien (0-6 ILH, 3-6), Aloha Stadium: Raiders quarterback Reece Foy had a regular-season low 17 pass attempts in a 48-16 win over the Monarchs three weeks ago. Yuuya Kato had the game of his life with 138 yards and four touchdowns that afternoon. The Raiders would like nothing more than to keep Foy, who was sacked twice in the first meeting, out of harm’s way and secure another win.

The Raiders are just a notch ahead of Pac-Five (2-4 ILH) in the standings. Pac-Five has a bye this week and will play ‘Iolani next week.

Baldwin (5-1 MIL, 5-2) vs. Kamehameha-Maui (2-5 MIL, 2-6), War Memorial Stadium: The Bears are battered, bruised and beaming after an overtime win over Lahainaluna last week. UH-bound Keelan Ewaliko had another monster game for the Bears, rushing for 142 yards and the game-winning touchdown. The senior quarterback tried an MIL-season low 11 passes, though, for just 50 yards.

The Bears lack of offensive balance was a factor in last year’s state-tourney semifinal loss to Punahou. For now, though, they face a Warriors defense that was overly generous (62 points allowed) in their first-round matchup.

Kalaheo (5-4) at Radford (8-1): Only two defenses in the OIA White limited Radford quarterback Cody Lui-Yuen to fewer than 200 passing yards this year, and Kalaheo was one of them. The Mustangs handcuffed Radford sophomore Jameson Pasigan (38 receptions, 582 yards, 10 touchdowns) to just three grabs for a season-low 9 yards in their Sept. 8 matchup.

That’s the good news for Kalaheo.

The bad is that Radford’s defense, sparked by linebacker Mana Kakiva, is still one of the best in Division II. The Rams limited Kalaheo to 241 total yards and picked off quarterback Steven Lee three times in a 21-6 Radford win.

Radford is 5-0 at John Velasco Stadium.

Honokaa (4-3 BIIF D-II, 5-4) vs. Ka’u (1-6 BIIF D-II, 1-6): The Dragons lost a 40-30 shootout at KS-Hawaii last week, making it two losses in a row. They blanked Ka’u 54-0 a month ago.

SATURDAY, OCT. 20

Nanakuli (5-3) at Kaiser (7-2): Waialua gave Nanakuli all it could handle, putting a lid on Chazz Troutman (minus-20 yards rushing). But Nanakuli got a career game from running back Brandon Felisi, who rushed for 167 yards and caught a 44-yard touchdown pass in a 22-14 win.

Kaiser finished first in the division, but could be in for a letdown after wins over Radford and Kalani. Since throwing the ball 103 times in the first three games, Makana Lyman has become maestro of a balanced attack. He has averaged a mere 18 pass attempts in the last three games, but is still producing 213 yards per game.

Coach Rich Miano’s squad isn’t married to the run-and-shoot. The Cougars ran out of Power I and pistol/offset-I sets constantly in last week’s win over Kalani. Kai Gonda finished with 175 rushing yards and four touchdowns.

The winner earns a state-tournament berth and advances to the OIA White final. The loser is done for the year.

Kamehameha-Hawaii (6-1 BIIF D-II, 9-1) at Hawaii Prep (4-3 BIIF D-II, 4-5): The first meeting was a 24-6 win by KS-Hawaii, but miscues on special teams left HPA with a sour taste. That included a muffed punt return by Bobby Lum, who rushed for 133 yards that night. KSH running back Faaolaina Teofilo rushed for 114 yards, and playmaker Shaun Kagawa broke the game open with a 63-yard touchdown run.

Kapaa (2-2 KIF, 4-2) at Kauai (4-1 KIF, 7-1): The season is on the line for defending league champion Kapaa, which had the inside track early with a 43-14 rout of the Red Raiders. Then came losses to Waimea and Kauai (16-0).

The Red Raiders have been tough and resilient on the ground with a committee of running backs led by Waika Alapai, Reggie McFadden and Dreyke Smith-Butac.

King Kekaulike (1-5 MIL, 1-6) vs. Maui (2-4 MIL, 3-4), War Memorial Stadium: Na Alii got their first win last week against Kamehameha-Maui, avenging an early-season loss. Now it’s Maui on deck, a team that edged King Kekaulike 14-6 a month ago. Onosai Emelio rushed for the go-ahead touchdown and caught a touchdown pass to ice the win.