In a year of youth and parity, penalties and injuries are making a big difference.

At Waipahu, quarterback Drake Yoshioka suffered a collarbone injury in the semifinals against Lahainaluna and was lost for the season. Not long before that, it was versatile Tydro Ate-Taito who lost the rest of his year with a knee injury.

‘Iolani has battled its share of injuries, but the return of a key defensive lineman has kept the unit cohesive. Scott Tan, a 6-foot, 205-pound senior, overcame injuries to his MCL and PCL after a mishap at practice in August.

With that, a program thin in numbers and in physical size eluded what could’ve been a big blow. Tan has a 4.4 grade-point average — advanced placement classes in psychology, calculus BC and biology — and has never stopped working in every phase since joining the varsity as a sophomore.

“It’s pretty much the same schemes, just different personnel,” he said. “It’s about knowing you can do it. Size doesn’t compare to how much heart you have.”

The Raiders square off against another inspired squad, Waipahu, Friday in the Division II final of the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA State Football Championships.

Tan also plays ukulele in a reggae band, New Breed. All eight members are ‘Iolani students, including younger brother Danny, who plays drums when he’s not a backup middle linebacker.

On paper: ‘Iolani (7-4) has won the past four D-II state titles and was 2-1 against D-I teams in early nonconference play, including a 21-14 win over Waianae. Farrington (443 yards) and Waianae (310) ran roughshod over the Raiders, but they still find ways to compete.

“They’re very diverse, very multiple, so it’s tough,” Raiders coach Wendell Look said of Waipahu.

Without Yoshioka, Waipahu will turn to backup Mataio Fualema, a junior. When injuries hit the Marauders late in the regular season, it was speedster Dylan Pakau who took snaps. Without him running deep routes, defenses can creep up and stuff the box against the Marauders’ ground attack. The last time Yoshioka missed a start, Waipahu lost to Kaimuki by four touchdowns.

Waipahu (9-3) will look to move the chains and chew up the clock, as most teams do against ‘Iolani. Gregorio Alip has rushed for 1,073 yards and 18 touchdowns, including 134 yards and two touchdowns last week against Lahainaluna.

The skinny: The Marauders would love to get Alip untracked, but if their four-wide and I formation sets don’t work, it could be a long night. Keeping their defense rested instead of wearing down against ‘Iolani’s no-huddle is key. Waipahu defensive linemen Tafatolu Naea Jr., Travis Teofilo, Unaloto Tautuiaki and Taylor Leilua — a cagey, smart group — average just 208 pounds per man, which could make the matchups in the trenches more about angles and discipline than pure power.

X factor: Waipahu coach Eric Keola, a former teammate of Look, has trimmed the playbook down for Fualema. That doesn’t mean the wide receiver-turned-passer won’t be a threat, though.

Outlook: The Marauders were a team transformed this season, but the changes go back to the offseason, when Eric Keola was hired to replace Sean Saturnio. With Saturnio’s resignation and eventual move to Georgia Southern, Keola brought in a run-and-shoot offense that struggled early on. As Alip became a bigger part of the offense, Waipahu relied more and more on ball control. Alip finally cracked the 20-carry mark in the Marauders’ fourth game, a 253-yard effort against Kalani, and has at least 18 carries in four of the past six games despite injury. With 1,073 yards (6.8 per carry) and 18 touchdowns, his role became more pronounced when Tydro Ate-Taito (9.9 yards per attempt) went down with a season-ending injury against Pearl City three weeks ago. That put more of the burden on Drake Yoshioka, who has deftly handled the offense relatively free of turnovers. With Yoshioka (1,279 passing yards, six touchdowns) out with a collarbone injury, the weight falls on Fualema and the offensive line. Alip had success running out of the four-wide set, but Waipahu likes to line up in the I formation with Wesley Nagaseu at fullback and pound away. ‘Iolani found a way to slow Kapaa’s ground attack last week, but Waipahu may be more willing to open up. The Marauders have a deep threat in Pakau (24 catches, 489 yards) and a solid possession receiver in Tulafale (35, 353).

Outlook: The last time the Waipahu defense saw a wide-open offense was three weeks ago against Pearl City, but the Marauders had the benefit of playing their rival twice this year. Stopping pulling and trapping blockers — which ‘Iolani will do — is a strength for Waipahu with a disciplined front seven led by Naea, Tautuiaki and Teofilo. Nagaseu should be fresh to the finish despite playing more on offense in recent weeks. Lagima operates more like a rover than a standard linebacker, roaming across the field like a mini Troy Polamalu. The Marauders are savvy enough to ruffle the feathers of any passing team in a rut. They picked off Pearl City four times in the OIA final and have 20 interceptions for the season. If the Raiders stay on the ground, the Marauders will be in their comfort zone. The past three opponents — Kaimuki, Pearl City and Lahainaluna — have averaged 57.3 rushing yards at 2.1 yards per carry. That’s good news, considering the loss of Tydro Ate-Taito, their primary blitzer.

Outlook: The loss of Ate-Taito hurts here, too. The junior was a breakaway threat as a returner, with a kick return of 90 yards for a score against McKinley. While the Marauders are in patchwork mode with the kick-return game, they have a steady place-kicker in Gonsalves. The junior had a 31-yard field goal against Pearl City that proved to be the difference in a 9-7 win.

Outlook: To the naked eye, the Raiders should be a classic finesse team, using guile and agility to make plays against bigger, slower opponents. But the numbers tell this story: 329 rush attempts and 319 pass attempts in 11 games. ‘Iolani’s balance is what keeps opponents on their heels or leaning the wrong way. It starts with mobile, precise linemen — four of the five are seasoned seniors — and a quick-release passer (Foy) who sets the machinery in motion. Though there isn’t a major statistical star in this year’s bunch, there are practically no weak links either. In this version of the no-huddle, run-and-shoot offense, the Raiders will take precisely what a defense gives them, which is why the leading receiver could be Nishioka one week, Gallarde the next, and Takahashi or Arakawa after that. Even the running backs, Lee and Kody Mento, split the workload. It doesn’t end there. It was Nishioka, the fly man in motion, who scored both of his team’s touchdowns in last week’s win over Kapaa.

Outlook: If it appears unusual that the Raiders line up with a small lineup against smashmouth ground attacks, it’s only because they’ve got no choice. Defensive coordinator Delbert Tengan regularly goes with a four-man front, but often flips those linemen around without locking any of them into the tackle or end spots. Though they lack girth, the Raiders often make up for it with positioning and tons of study. After surrendering more than 100 rushing yards in the first half against Kapaa, the visitors had just over 40 more after intermission. Like-Uehara is the only defender who weighs more than 205, but the Raiders get the job done with range and smart pursuit. Los Banos has been a big contributor with his speed and length at the corner. The Raiders also will be buoyed by the return of Tan, who overcame injuries to his MCL and PCL after a mishap at practice in August. “It was a fluke thing. Someone hit someone and fell on my leg,” Tan said. “I heard it. I felt it. I was definitely bummed that it happened. They said I’d be back before the season was over.” Surgery was unnecessary, the doctor told him, so rehab work began the day after the injury. “The doctor said I need to strengthen my muscles to compensate. It heals better without surgery,” Tan said. For the most part, though, ‘Iolani is tested between the tackles and rarely challenged deep.

Outlook: Lee is a consistent PAT kicker and has decent range on field goals. Nishioka has been a solid punter, as well. Even if Lee had superior range, it would be tough to ask for a perfect field-goal try late in a game because he’s on the field so much. Gallarde has already returned one kickoff for a touchdown.