WAHIAWÄ — The darkness and raindrops fell quickly upon the grass fields at Wahiawä Elementary School as the Leilehua High School football team wrapped up practice early Tuesday evening.

After some encouraging words from head coach Nolan Tokuda and assistants Burt Souza and Mark Kurisu, the players huddled up with right arms raised and yelled "1-2-3, Brotherhood! Family! Mules!"

Rain or shine, good times or bad, it has been a common theme since Tokuda took over as head coach in 2004, and the players clearly have bought into the united philosophy.

The proof is not just in scenes like Tuesday's, but throughout the season as an underrated defense has often been called upon to support a young and developing offense led by Advertiser All-State quarterback Andrew Manley.

It matters not that Manley and Co. still get a lot of the Headline 1s, highlights and attention. What matters most is that Leilehua has found a way to win as a team eight times this season (against two losses), and is in position tonight to capture its second O'ahu Interscholastic Association championship in three years.

The Mules face Kahuku (10-0) at 7:30 at Aloha Stadium in a game that will be televised live statewide on OC16.

"Everything we do, we do as a team," said Leilehua senior defensive end Charlie Tua'au, who has been a force both in stopping the run and applying a pass rush. "Everything that happens, we know we have a brother on the side of us for support."

The Mules defense was put to the test again in last week's semifinals, when the offense was able to manage only a field goal against Farrington's fierce defense and clung to a 3-0 lead through the first two quarters.

Leilehua eventually won, 9-7, but only after the Mules defense stopped the Governors on four downs with under a minute remaining.

"Our defense loves being on the field and keeps us in games," Manley said. "They always pick us up. Even when I throw a pick, they don't get mad. We're all one family."

The defensive support has been there all season — in a 14-10 victory over Kapolei when Leilehua trailed 10-7 in the fourth quarter, a 29-26 win vs. Campbell in which the offense was shut out in the first half, and a 29-13 OIA quarterfinal victory two weeks ago when the Mules trailed Kailua, 13-10, in the third quarter.

Kurisu, the defensive coordinator, said his unit focuses on a relatively simple approach out of a basic 4-3 scheme.

"We talk about alignment — knowing where to line up — and assignment, hustling and executing your responsibility," Kurisu said. "We also talk about the "F" word — finish. We don't ask them to make a big play, we just ask them to make THE play when it comes their way."

The approach has worked and resulted in bend-but-don't-break results.

Farrington tailback Harry Tuimaseve amassed 145 yards rushing on 29 carries last week and fullback Siaosi Feleunga added 85 yards on five carries, including a 53-yard ramble in the fourth quarter.

But Leilehua kept the Govs out of the end zone until 3:52 remaining in the game, and when Farrington got the ball back with 2:09 left at its own 44-yard line, it could manage only five yards on four downs and the Mules took over and ran out the final 16 seconds.

"They've got some great players on defense and they've done the job when it counted," said Kahuku coach Reggie Torres. "We want to keep our drives consistent and keep Manley off the field, but their special teams can put you in bad positions and we have to take care of the ball."

Tokuda said he has the ultimate confidence in his defense.

"There's no panic (on offense), because we know we can hang our hat on our defense," Tokuda said. "Coach Mark can teach anything, he tells the players what he wants done and they do it. They've been awesome."

Most of all, Tokuda knows his defense will give full effort, which he expects from the entire team.

"If everybody can look each other in the eye at the end and say, 'I did my best,' that's all we can ask," Tokuda said. "If we can do that, it doesn't matter what the scoreboard says. We'll walk away winners."

Read his blog on high school sports at http://preptalk.honadvblogs.com