The teams will clash at 7:30 tonight for the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red Conference championship at Aloha Stadium. Both have qualified for the state Division I tournament, but the winner draws a quarterfinal bye. It is the first time the league championship will pit the No. 1 (Kahuku) and No. 2 (Mililani) teams in The Advertiser's Top 10; at this juncture of the season the top two teams usually meet in the old O'ahu Prep Bowl or in the state championship game and one of the teams is from the Interscholastic League of Honolulu.

"I'm very proud of the OIA schools being up there where they are right now," Kahuku coach Siuaki Livai said. "You never see OIA schools at the top 1 and 2 (spots). It's usually Saint Louis or Kamehameha, then an OIA school."

The Trojans (10-0), the only unbeaten team left in the state, are fielding perhaps their best team in the school's 30-year history. Mililani is balanced on offense and quick on defense.

The Red Raiders (9-1), who haven't lost since fumbling away a 27-8 decision at Salt Lake City's Skyline in August, have both the Trojans' attributes. The only difference is Kahuku is two or three deep in personnel without losing much quality.

On the same theme, the Red Raiders are making their 16th appearance in the OIA title game, winning 10, including five of the last six. This will be the Trojans' first league title game. These teams have little history between them, having faced just six times with the Red Raiders winning each meeting.

"It's hard for anybody to match up with Kahuku," Trojans coach James Millwood said. "We just have to do what we do best, figure out ways to get first downs, and when we have a chance, get the ball into the end zone."

Kahuku has no first string in the conventional sense. It has first units. Starting up front, Livai has nine offensive linemen who share time as starters. Five different running backs have carried the ball at least 25 times. Two quarterbacks have thrown for more than 500 yards. Seven players have scored at least 24 points. Slip and break a team rule, well, there's always someone ready to jump in.

The Red Raiders' Achilles heel has been the kicking game. Despite scoring 55 touchdowns, Kahuku has converted 23 PATs and five 2-point conversions for a 51 percent success rate.

"Maybe it's an insult at Kahuku to be a kicker," joked Livai, lost for a reason on his team's kicking woes. "They don't see that as a real football player. But it's not like we're not practicing it."

The Trojans didn't horse around when they lost their original kicker after the first nonleague game. Millwood found Todd Sorbin, who had kicking experience on the JV. Trouble is Sorbin hasn't been around recently because he also plays volleyball. The Trojans boys are on the Big Island for the state volleyball tournament. But sophomore slotback Jordan Torres has picked up the slack, having made 21 PATs. The Trojans have converted 38 PATs and two 2-point conversions after 46 TDs for an 87 percent success rate.

For both teams, success starts on the offensive line.

Mililani can muscle up with the best. Center Dustin Quitevis (5-10, 220), guards Shane Um (5-10, 190) and Sene Ma'afala (6-2, 360) and tackles, brothers Aaron (6-4, 255) and Micah Kia, (6-5, 280) have quickness for the traps that allow speedy running back Kekoa Perbera to break loose and the agility to allow quarterback Maka Kahoano to find receiver Jon Santos.

Kahuku has an assembly line of blockers with centers Desmond Esena and Tsuneo Mailo, guards Latu Tupou, Brysen Ginlack, Saul Kinikini and tackles Apolosi Lauhingoa, Maveu Heimuli, Branson Haiola and Kenneth Wilcox. This is the rotating first unit expected to blast holes for Kahuku's endless supply of running backs beginning with Micah Strickland (back from his one-game team-imposed suspension), Malosi Te'o and Hyrum Moors. It was hard to tell they weren't active in recent weeks because Siaosi Lauhingoa and Kamuela Alisa were nearly as effective.

Third place

In past years, the third-place game was a ho-hummer, as both teams qualified for the state tournament.

Not this time. With the reduction of the Division I tournament to six teams, that left the OIA with three berths. That means tomorrow's Castle at Leilehua third-place game has the same importance of a championship game. The game starts about 25 minutes after the end of the JV championship between Kahuku and Wai'anae, which starts at 4 p.m.

"We've been feeling the pressure since we lost that semifinal game (against Mililani)," Castle coach Nelson Maeda said. "In the (OIA) championship, there's life after that. But this is a must-win situation."

Maeda feels the game should be at a neutral site, but was told it was the West's turn to host. The league schedule says the game was scheduled for the higher seeded team to host, but both were second seeds in their respective divisions.

"Unfortunately, we're playing at their home field," Maeda said. "That really impacts a team."

According to Leilehua coach Nolan Tokuda, it's going to impact both teams, as it continues to rain in Wahiawa. Tokuda said the Mules practiced at a nearby elementary school yesterday and will practice at Fred Wright Park today. He was told not to use the field to preserve it as much as possible. He said the school ordered sand to help dry the field. It won't help that the JV game will be tearing up the field even more for the varsity game.

"It's always good to play at home because you'll have more fans support," Tokuda said. "But it will be a very slick field for both sides."