While an epic showdown between No. 1 Saint Louis and No. 5 Kamehameha looms ahead, the Damien Monarchs are in title-survival mode.

Damien’s battle with ‘Iolani on Friday afternoon at Eddie Hamada Stadium could decide the Monarchs’ postseason fate. Under first-year head coach Anthony “Bones” Tuitele, Damien is 2-2 in the ILH standings. The first defeat was a 28-0 loss at the Raiders’ field four weeks ago.

A 34-14 loss to Saint Louis I-AA last weekend means Damien has no margin for error. A win over Damien on Friday would secure the ILH D-I title for ‘Iolani (4-0).

“It’s a big week for us. We still have a chance,” Tuitele said.

In an optimum scenario for Damien, it would upset ‘Iolani, and ‘Iolani would then lose to Saint Louis I-AA. Damien would have to follow up with a win over Pac-Five.

That would leave the two teams tied in the standings, forcing a tiebreaker playoff for the D-I league title with a state-tournament berth at stake.

Damien has endured through challenge after challenge. The coaching staff has been steady as expected after longtime head coach Eddie Klaneski stepped down. Injuries, though, have been difficult to overcome. Starting quarterback Jansen Tanele remains sidelined by an ankle injury.

“He’s in a boot. He sprained a tendon, I think. I’m not sure, but a boot is better than a cast. He’s trying to come back for the Pac-Five game (next week), but we’ll see how long he’s out. There’s no timetable for him,” Tuitele said.

Sylas Avaimalo has stepped in and kept the Monarchs offense moving forward. The versatile junior has become adept at running Damien’s RPO package. Avaimalo’s motor and stamina are matched by few, though a leg cramp sidelined him in a 27-21 win over Pac-Five last week.

“The game was so important to him. That’s all his friends from ABC (All-Black Crusaders). He couldn’t get over the cramp, all the energy he exerted during the game, playing against his boys,” Tuitele said. “He’s fine now.”

Avaimalo, like many of the Monarchs, will need more ironman performances on defense and offense. ‘Iolani’s ground game has been a perfect match with a defense that doesn’t let up. The four-wide offense has aired the ball out 91 times, with 141 rushing attempts. a run-pass ratio of nearly 61 percent on the ground.

Brody Bantolina has rushed for 435 yards and eight touchdowns on just 60 carries for the Raiders.

“Every year, they have a tough running back and their line does what it has to do to create a lane. It comes down to heart and grit, and tackling. Gang tackling, because that boy runs the ball hard,” Tuitele said. “No arm tackling is going to bring that kid down.”

The season-opening loss at ‘Iolani was an eye opener for a young Damien squad.

“The first time we played, we actually were playing our first time together. Now, we have games under our belt and we know the expectation. We know how ‘Iolani is. ‘Iolani has gotten better as a team. Those kids are flying around,” Tuitele said. “They have that confidence. Our kids, hopefully, have that confidence as well, despite the two losses. We know what’s on the line.”

‘Iolani got a sterling performance from versatile Sterling Sakashita in the win over Pac-Five.

“The team is getting better each week collectively, and that’s always our goal, to get better and not go backwards,” ‘Iolani coach Wendell Look said. “They learned from the Kamehameha (I-AA) game that they have to come mentally ready to play.”

Avaimalo was not the starting QB when the Raiders beat Damien four weeks ago. A strong ground game has proven to give ‘Iolani trouble over the years.

“Their toughness is impressive,” ‘Iolani coach Wendell Look said of the Monarchs. “They’ve had so many setbacks and so many hurdles to jump over from the beginning of the season all the way through with injuries. Their resilience and the determination they’ve shown are so impressive. They’ve shown how much they want to play and represent their school and team, and themselves. I respect them.”

Kamehameha vs. Saint Louis, Aloha Stadium, 7:30 p.m.

Four weeks have passed since the Warriors (0-1, 0-1 ILH) last played. That 33-28 loss to Punahou had a wow-factor kind of impact on observers, even in defeat.

The Crusaders’ defense will have a major focal point on Friday night when Noah Bartley carries the pigskin for Kamehameha. The senior totaled 251 yards and two TDs from scrimmage against Punahou on 26 touches.

Containing Saint Louis’ potent four-wide offense is never easy. The Crusaders (1-1, 1-0 ILH) have won 36 consecutive games in Hawaii dating back to 2016.

Punahou seemed to have the right defensive game plan, sacking Crusaders quarterback AJ Bianco four times in the first half. Yet, Saint Louis used draw plays and intermediate passes to counter Punahou en route to an 41-23 win.

“Everyone forgets that coach Ron was the offensive coordinator during the most successful stretch of UH football history,” Kamehameha coach Abu Ma‘afala said. “He does a great job of setting up plays and getting his guys to execute them.”

The Warriors are rested. Healthy. Hungry.

“Any time you get extended time to practice and work on fundamentals is always good. You can always be better at the basics of the game: catching, blocking, tackling,” Kamehameha coach Abu Ma‘afala said. “It was a frustrating period for our players to be off for so long, but they weathered the storm and they’re excited to get things back rolling again.”

Kamehameha I-AA vs. Pac-Five, Aloha Stadium, 5 p.m.

The Warriors have pushed their ILH D-I opponents to the edge. The work, however, isn’t limited to the gridiron.

“During the bye week we came together as a team to work in the lo‘i in Heeia. They were thick in the mud weeding and preparing the lo‘i for kalo planting,” coach Wade Inn said. “It was a unique way to serve, to get a workout and to bond as a team.”

The Warriors (0-2, 0-2 ILH) met the Wolfpack (0-3, 0-3 ILH) in a preseason scrimmage that left an impact. Pac-Five has girth and athleticism, even as a team loaded with first-year players. The competitiveness and parity among the ILH’s D-I, D-II and I-AA teams has been a win-win for each of the programs.

“I’ve watched every game in our league and the games are entertaining, and every program showcases tough football week in and week out. It would be awesome to keep this format going forward since the competition is evenly matched and the skill level is balanced across the board,” Kamehameha coach Wade Inn said.