Changing of the guard?

Mililani, for a change, is Goliath, and Kahuku is the long shot.

The two vaunted programs meet 8:15 p.m. on Friday at Aloha Stadium in the OIA Division I football championship game, a chance for Mililani to extend its unbeaten run and sheer dominance of all comers so far.

While Mililani (10-0) has captured the attention of fans and opponents alike, Kahuku (8-1) has been a rocky road of a team that happens to be putting things together nicely in recent weeks.

For the watchers who were there, there is so much that can be easily forgotten.

Or ignored.

When the Red Raiders collapsed and lost in stunning fashion at Kaiser (20-19) on Sept. 19, naysayers trumpeted the end. Lose to Kaiser? A former Division II team?

Yes, Kahuku has endured growing pains and a steep learning curve in first-year coach Lee Leslie’s multiple-package offense. But under that thick layer of pessimism from the outside, the Red Raiders knew they were better than what they displayed that night. Seven turnovers were the bugaboo against a stout Cougars defense, one that was healthy and robust at the time.

Still, Kahuku had actually been improving offensively. Even in the Kaiser game, even in the face of all those giveaways. In their first five games, including the Kaiser loss, Kahuku’s yards per play read like this:

» vs. Kapolei, 6.9 yards per play
» vs. Waipahu: 5.6
» vs. McKinley: 7.6
» vs. Castle: 8.0
» vs. Kaiser: 8.1

When they weren’t turning the ball over, the Red Raiders were gaining yardage and scoring. But it was a week later that the true nature of the 2014 Red Raiders took center stage. Leilehua shut down the Kahuku offense at Carlton Weimer Field, allowing just 22 rushing yards (0.7 yards per carry) and 58 passing yards. Leilehua outgained Kahuku 286-80, limited Big Red to 2 yards per offensive play and still lost, 21-14. That’s because of Kahuku’s opportunistic defense and special teams.

Keala Santiago and Alohi Gilman have been major weapons, showing similar game-breaking ability to the Kahuku defenses and special teams that reigned during Reggie Torres’ era. Kahuku has scored eight TDs via kick, punt and interception returns. And when the time is right, they’ve inserted Santiago and Gilman into the offense. Santiago was key in last week’s 21-14 OIA semifinals win over Farrington, hauling in a 95-yard touchdown pass from Tuli Wily-Matagi.

The last time Kahuku and Mililani met in the final was 2012, when the Red Raiders won 50-13 behind a big rushing night for Aofaga Wily. Mililani committed five turnovers in the first quarter that night.

The 2014 Trojans are less prone to such errors. The numbers represent a mighty army, arguably the finest ever from the Central Oahu campus.

» 222.3 yards per game rushing, a total of 2,001 yards and 36 touchdowns at 7.2 yards per carry
» 285 yards per game passing, along with 26 TDs and just five picks
» 507.3 yards per game in total offense
» 10.2 yards per play, regardless of incompletions, fumbles, and the rare INT
» 50.7 points per game

The trend has been for Mililani to expose overindulgent defenses that stack the box. McKenzie Milton has never been shy about letting the football fly early before handing the ball to running back Vavae Malepeai once defenses are forced to stretch across the field from sideline to sideline.

Milton is 173-for-245 for 2,499 yards, 26 TDs and five picks. That’s a completion rate of 70.6 percent and a QBR of 187.23. But what the numbers don’t say is how much he has grasped the hybrid offense pieced together by coach Rod York. Getting the ball out quickly and utilizing all of his weapons, from slotbacks to wide receivers to running backs, Milton has been a decisive distributor.

When he hasn’t thrown the ball, it’s usually because coverage is tight. He has rushed for 760 yards and 12 TDs (12.7 per carry). That’s the pattern: throw the ball to make defenses honest, then hand the ball to Malepeai, and when those options are sealed off, destroy defenses with big runs straight down the hash marks.

Malepeai has been beastly, playing through occasional injury. He cracked the 1,000-yard mark in last week’s 47-15 semifinasl win over Campbell and now has 1,090 yards and 22 TDs on 160 carries (6.8 per).

Milton’s aerial weapons have been diverse. Kalakaua Timoteo (39 receptions, 771 yards, seven TDs) continues to look healthier since a shoulder injury in mid-September. Kainoa Wilson’s return from a collarbone injury has been brilliant. The senior has 18 grabs for 327 yards and six TDs in just three games.

Bronson Ramos (28-492-4) and Bryson Ventura (20-205-2) have also been on point with their QB. It’s an offense that is part art, part machine.

The Trojans have just enough elite talent on defense to come up with big plays. Defensive tackle Rex Manu has been a thorn in every QB’s side, while the secondary has been spectacular with 22 interceptions. In fact, last week’s game with Campbell was the first time this season the Trojans didn’t come up with an INT.

Opposing QBs are passing at a 51-percent clip with a relatively low QBR of 110.73. Mililani’s priority continues to be stopping the run — the Trojans have allowed just 3.2 yards per carry — and forcing turnovers. It’s a recipe that works, and gets the ball back into the hands of the offense quickly.

Kahuku has multiple weapons, but hardly the same kind of accumulation of numbers of Mililani. At the right time, though, the Raiders have gotten the plays they needed, like last week’s 4-yard TD run by Kesi Ah-Hoy with 10 seconds left to beat Farrington.

Wily-Matagi has been far more comfortable launching deep passes down the sidelines to speedsters like Chance Maghanoy (15-251-5), Gilman (10-148) and Santiago. It’s tempting for Kahuku to play Gilman and Santiago much more on offense, but Santiago, especially, exerts himself on kick returns and on defensive pass coverage.

Ah-Hoy started the season with a superb game against Kapolei, and though his numbers have been middling since, his play-making ability remains. Arguably the best sophomore RB in the state.

Kahuku’s defense has permitted just 2.1 yards per carry this year. Though its pass defense hasn’t been as ball-hawking as Mililani’s — Kahuku has seven INTs in nine games — the Raiders are stifling, nonetheless. Opposing QBs have completed only 49.8 percent of pass attempts with a low QBR of 97.68.

No team has averaged more than 4.1 yards per play against Kahuku but one: Kaiser, which ripped 7.3 yards per play that night.

FRIDAY’S GAMES

Nanakuli (9-0) vs. Pearl City (8-1), Aloha Stadium, 5:30 p.m.

The OIA D-II title is at stake in this matchup. The Golden Hawks pulled out a 28-21 win over the Chargers when they met at Nanakuli during the regular season.

The loss has haunted the Chargers, and QB Jordan Taamu in particular, since. Pearl City has won three in a row coming in, including last week’s state-qualifying victory over Radford.

In the loss to Nanakuli, Pearl City was driving downfield for the potential game-tying TD when Taamu lost control of a shotgun snap. Nanakuli recovered and ran out the clock.

"That hurt me a lot. That will never happen again, I’ll tell you that," said Taamu, who has passed for 1,219 yards and 22 TDs with just two interceptions.

He threw for five TDs and 200 yards in the win over Radford, with each scoring toss going to a different receiver. Dominic Maneafaiga (999 yards, 16 TDs from scrimmage) remains a focal point though coach Robin Kami has tried to lighten the load for his RB/WR/KR/PR/PK.

The Golden Hawks, who finished first during the regular season, trailed 14-6 before rallying to oust Kalani 20-14 last week. Kale Kanehailua has thrown for 1,334 yards and 13 TDs with just four picks. Makaila Haina-Horswill had his lowest rushing output (61 yards) in six weeks, but caught the go-ahead TD pass in the fourth quarter. Haina-Horswill has been a force on the ground (1,144 yards, 13 TDs).

SATURDAY’S GAME

No. 5 Farrington (7-2) vs. No. 6 Campbell (7-3), John Kauinana Stadium, 6 p.m.

The OIA D-I third-place game is a rematch of a wild 29-27 win by Farrington on Oct. 4. Ranan Mamiya rushed for 168 yards and three TDs in that battle in a game that Farrington played without QB Montana Liana.

The Governors ran the ball 47 times for 255 yards while throwing just three times (one completion). Campbell also played without its starting QB, Ezra Savea, in that game.

The winner advances to the state tournament. The loser is done for the season.