Kahuku. Mililani.

The undefeateds are heading for a huge clash on Saturday at Carleton E. Weimer Field in a game that counts for so much in the OIA Open standings. Mililani is relatively healthy and is coming off a 35-0 homecoming victory over Waianae. Kahuku is adjusting to life without one of the state’s top defenders while getting familiar with an old friend and addition to the coaching staff.

Mililani has endured its ups and downs, and is a stronger unit for it.

“We learned a lot from the Punahou game,” Trojans coach Rod York said of a 43-21 loss three weeks ago. “We got greedy and tried to force things. We learned a lot and regrouped. Sometimes, it takes a butt whipping to wake you up from being complacent.”

Mililani bounced back with wins over then-unbeaten Campbell and Waianae.

“Now,” York said, “we have the ultimate test, playing at Kahuku.”

Playing Kahuku is never easy. But playing AT Kahuku? Life for visitors to Weimer Field has not been pleasant. The Red Raiders have 51 wins in a row on campus.

The success of Big Red is nearly unmatched in the islands. So is the spotlight and the drama. The departure of starting quarterback Sol-Jay Maiava during the offseason was a stunner.

Is Robbie Sauvao the starting QB? Or is it Thorton Alapa? The controversy, as first-year head coach Sterling Carvalho termed it, swirls more outside the campus than within. A 30-14 loss to No. 1 Saint Louis three weeks ago provided an opportunity to recharge. It also marked a turning point. Standout linebacker Miki Ah You suffered a season-ending ACL injury in the loss.

“Miki doesn’t usually go down. The injury, it was non-contact. When I saw the replay (on the scoreboard), watching the video at 3 o’clock in the morning, I felt bad,” Carvalho said. “We can’t replace Miki, but we’ll try to carry on with the intensity he always brings. He’s still our captain and a leader on our team whether he’s on or off the field.”

Ah You has already had surgery and is in rehab.

“He addressed the team when the MRI results came in the next day,” Carvalho said. “He said, ‘I’m just one person, one player. The next man up and we still play as a team. We win as a team, all 70 players.’ When he said he would be there to support them, our team rallied around him. It kind of showed in the Kamehameha game.”

Kahuku bounced back with a 24-7 win over Kamehameha and had a bye last week.

Carvalho made a change at the offensive coordinator position, reeling in former defensive coordinator Byron Beatty. Carvalho, as head coach, was not the OC this season, but his fingerprints are all over the current passing-game playbook. Carvalho’s penchant for wide-open formations and a balanced attack — he resumed the trend that Siuaki Livai ushered in years ago — may become a thing of the past (again). Or not.

“It’s not like we’re making a change. We’re making an addition to the current staff,” Carvalho said. “Byron is a knowledgeable, well-organized and detailed coordinator. Back to the days of Siuaki Livai, he was one of the best defensive coordinators in the state. This allows us to continue to get better as coaches, as players and as a program.”

The Livai-era Red Raiders featured a strong-armed slinger, Inoke Funaki. Livai would make consistent visits to chat with then-UH quarterbacks coach Dan Morrison. The then-Kahuku head coach incorporated some of Hawaii’s four-wide concepts, though the team rarely needed to throw the ball often. Livai was preparing Funaki for the postseason, when defenses would stack the box.

Beatty’s experience as a defensive guru doesn’t guarantee that Kahuku will lean more toward a conservative approach. Or maybe the injury to Ah You changes the offensive philosophy.

“The best part is, nobody knows,” Carvalho said. “The game is evolving and we all evolve. If we don’t, that means we aren’t learning. We go to clinics, we pick each other’s brains. There’s no wrong decision. As the head person, anything bad, I’ll take it. Anything good, it’s our players.”

Containing Mililani’s RPO offense will require discipline by Kahuku. Mililani quarterback Dillon Gabriel passed for 362 yards and five TDs against Waianae, passing Tua Tagovailoa and Timmy Chang to become Hawaii’s all-time career passing record holder with more than 8,200 yards.

“To me, Dillon is the best quarterback in the state. He’s a great ballplayer, and they’re always a well-coached team. Coach York always has them fired up,” Carvalho said. “We have to be ready, especially for our homecoming.”

NO. 4 MILILANI TROJANS AT NO. 2 KAHUKU RED RAIDERS

When: Saturday, 6:30 p.m.

Where: Carlton Weimer Field

TV: Spectrum XCast (Ch. 1017)

Radio: None

All-time series record: Kahuku leads 12-2

First meeting: Kah 41, Mil 6, Sep. 23, 1977

Last meeting: Kah 35, Mil 31, Nov. 4, 2017

Memorable meeting: The Red Raiders claimed their 26th OIA championship on QB Sol-Jay Maiava’s 28-yard touchdown pass to Kaonohi Kaniho with 1:34 remaining for a 35-31 victory last year. Mililani had leads of 14-0 and 21-7 but couldn’t hang on against a Kahuku team which hasn’t lost to an Oahu opponent not named Saint Louis since 2014.

BEST OF THE REST

Saint Louis at Campbell

Today, 7:30 p.m.

Two weeks ago, this would have been a meeting of hot, unbeaten teams. Instead, the sixth-ranked Sabers (4-2, 1-1 OIA Open) are reeling after losses to Mililani (52-14) and Punahou (43-14). Injuries have plagued Campbell, and with Kahuku, Kapolei and Waianae around the corner, it’s unlikely that coach Darren Johnson will play any starters with lingering injuries against the top-ranked Crusaders (5-0, 4-0 ILH Open) — especially since games against ILH Open teams do not count in the OIA Open standings.

Saint Louis’ aura of invincibility has been reduced in recent weeks. The Crusaders eked out a 35-28 win over Punahou and hung on to prevail over Kapolei 30-22. The team that challenged itself to shut out opponents still has a formidable defense led by linemen Faatui Tuitele, Stanley McKenzie and Gino Quinones.

Campbell has deep threats with receivers Titus Mokiao-Atimalala (33 receptions, 653 yards, six TDs), Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala (17, 291, three) and two-way threat Poki‘i Adkins-Kupukaa (12, 185, two), but no foe has consistently stonewalled Tuitele and outside LB Jordan Botelho.

The Saint Louis offense was not the same with QB Jaylen de Laura sidelined by injury against Kapolei. The two-time defending state champion Crusaders continue to assert their ground attack. They have run the ball 136 times and thrown it 118, a 54-46 percent ratio.

Kamehameha vs. Punahou

Today, 7:30 p.m.

at Aloha Stadium

The No. 6 Warriors (3-3, 2-3 ILH Open) snapped a two-game losing streak with a 32-21 win over Farrington last weekend. With 136 yards on 16 carries by Alec Serrao and 102 yards on 15 attempts by Reino Bush, Kamehameha had two 100-yard rushers in one game for the first time in 46 years.

No. 3 Punahou’s resounding win at Campbell last week kept hopes alive for a possible first-place finish in league play. The Buffanblu (4-2, 4-2 ILH Open) have been productive offensively all season, with a low of 28 points against the state’s top two teams, Kahuku and Saint Louis. Hugh Brady (1,733 passing yards, 19 TDs, six INT) continues to develop, but it’s the ground game powered by a veteran offensive line and the combo of Vincent Terrell (432 yards, three TDs from scrimmage) and Sitiveni Kaufusi (198 yards, two TDs) that provides balance.

Two Punahou pass catchers, Tamatoa Falatea (41 receptions, 618 yards, five TDs) and Koa Eldredge (28, 558, seven) are among the state’s leaders in receiving yardage.

Senior Marist Liufau continues to wow Punahou fans. He began the season as a safety, but has been utilized as an inside linebacker and even at D-end, looking more and more like a young Troy Polamalu.

Farrington at Waianae

Saturday, 6:30 p.m.

Hopes for a playoff berth — only the top four in the OIA Open will earn a spot — are at stake.

The No. 10 Governors (2-5, 1-2 OIA Open) are on the outside looking in at 1-2, but their 13-0 win over Kapolei two weeks ago is key. Kapolei and Campbell are tied for third place at 1-1. If Farrington and Kapolei end the regular season in a fourth-place tie, the Governors will get the tiebreaker advantage.

OIA Open play has been rough for the youthful Seariders (0-5, 0-3 OIA Open). They stayed close against Mililani last week, trailing 7-0 at the half before falling 35-0. They’ve tried an I-formation look along with four-wide shotgun and the traditional wing-T, and in the brutally difficult OIA Open, the Seariders scored a total of 13 points in losses to Kahuku, Kapolei and Mililani.

However, if they can pull out wins over Farrington and, in the regular-season finale, Campbell, a 2-3 mark might be enough for a playoff berth. DT Zefften Thompson-Avilla leads the defense, and RBs Kenneth Joseph Jr. and Kai Tambaoan-Kaeo are tough ball carriers.

Leilehua at Waipahu

Today, 7:30 p.m.

With three games left in the regular season, the Mules (5-2, 4-1 OIA D-I) have an outside chance at landing the top seed in the OIA Division I playoffs. They’ve already lost to Moanalua — at home — but could alter the shape of the postseason beginning with a win over the Marauders (5-2, 4-0 OIA D-I).

The Mules could arguably have the most balanced offense in OIA D-I as long as there’s a crease available for RB James McGary (416 yards, four TDs in four games). Since his return, Leilehua has scored at least 31 points in four of its five divisional games.

Waipahu bounced back from a 13-10 loss to Damien three weeks ago by trouncing Aiea and Nanakuli.

Waipahu’s Cody Marques, the heir apparent to former QB standout Braden Amorozo, has completed more than 60 percent of his passes for 1,382 yards and seven TDs. He will face a Mules defense that collected six takeaways in a win over Aiea last week.

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Paul Honda, Star-Advertiser