Top-ranked Maryknoll and second-ranked Kamehameha will playoff Friday afternoon with the ILH Division I softball regular-season title and a trip to the state tournament on the line. Greg Yamamoto | SL

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The top two teams in the ScoringLive/OC16 Softball Power Rankings will do battle Friday afternoon with a lot more than just bragging rights on the line.

No. 1 Maryknoll and No. 2 Kamehameha — who have identical 12-1-1 records — will meet on the diamond for a third time this season, but this time the winner claims the Interscholastic League of Honolulu's regular-season title and claims a coveted seeded berth into next month's Division I state tournament.

Furthermore, the loser of Friday's one-game playoff will have to go through the four-team ILH postseason tournament for a chance at the league's other state tournament berth.

"There is a lot at stake so it's a very important game, because getting first place is very helpful," Warriors' coach James Millwood said. "The loser has to play next week in the tournament with the other three teams, so we'd like to avoid that and stay fresh and get strong again."

Kamehameha has winning streaks of three, six and four games this season, with its only snags coming against Maryknoll. The teams tied, 6-6, back on March 18 and the Spartans eked out a 2-0 win on April 8.

"I think psychologically we're fine," Millwood said. "We had chances in both games and we didn't get it done, but the two blemishes on our record are from them, so they have our number. I'm sure they're very confident when it comes to playing us, so we'll see who shows up on Friday and gets it done."

Maryknoll coach John Uekawa said it's quite the contrary for his club.

"At this point it's a one-game playoff, so we've got to put everything on the side," Uekawa said. "Fans, parents, coaches will say we beat them once and we tied them, so we haven't lost to them, but it doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is Friday and we've got to be mentally prepared and the coaches have to lead them in the right direction."

Uekawa said his players have taken the same approach to every game this season.

"I guess the key element is that we don't care who we play, we've just go to play our game, so whether it be a championship game or just a regular-season game, we have to take it one step at a time, one out at a time, one inning at a time and it's been working for us," Uekawa said. "It's a big game for both sides and everybody realizes it. The girls realize it, so we just have to maintain a positive outlook. The girls are going into the game trying to win the game, instead of trying not to lose the game."

The Spartans have won 10 consecutive games with their lone loss coming at Punahou back on March 12.

Senior pitcher Shearyna Labasan has led the way for Maryknoll with an 11-1 record and 1.45 ERA. She has allowed 55 hits in 87 innings pitched with 122 strikeouts against 34 walks.

Nohea Hee is tied for the ILH lead in hits (20), second in runs scored (16) and seventh in batting average (.465). Also, Kasey Magdadaro ranks fifth in runs batted in with 17.

"They play well together, they're seasoned and you can tell they've spent a long time together," Millwood said of the Spartans. "They have one of the best pitchers in Shearyna Labasan, their catcher, Nohea Hee, has a very good, storm arm and they hit the ball, put it in play, so we're just going to have to play good softball against them."

Maryknoll has posted three shutouts this season and is coming off back-to-back five-inning wins, including a 14-3 victory over Saint Francis Wednesday.

"We feel really motivated," Uekawa said. "I think at this point, we're starting to peak and we're peaking at the right time.I think the girls are really jelling right now."

Uekawa said a change in mental approach has benefitted his team this year.

"We don't let anything hold us back," Uekawa said. "Last year we had little doubts about ourselves and that kind of escalated from error to error, or strikeout to strikeout, so that has really, really helped us because everyone picks up each other. We're also a decent two-out hitting team. We score a lot of runs with two outs and that's kind of important."

Kamehameha has an ace of its own in senior pitcher Kamalani Dung. The Fresno State-signee is 9-1 this year with a 1.35 ERA. She has allowed 38 hits in 57 innings pitched with 81 strikeouts against 14 walks.

Three Warriors — Dallas Millwood, Mahina Sauer and Jordan Millwood — are tied for sixth in the ILH in runs batted in with 15. Also, Rachel Ogasawara has a team-best .487 batting average, which ranks fourth in the league.

"Kamehameha is a very well-coached and disciplined team," Uekawa said. "The key for us is that we just have to play excellent defense behind (Labasan), because offense happens by itself. I believe we have the best team in the state and because we do it's a major disadvantage for anybody to play us. Other teams try to matchup against us, so we can play our own game, our own strategy and philosophy and people have to out think us. We can go in with one frame of mind and one game plan."

The Warriors have six shutout victories to their credit this year, including three in their last four games. They are coming off a 6-3 win over Iolani Wednesday.

"We just had our senior day where we honored our seven seniors and the girls had a good time," Millwood said. "It felt like graduation. You could see how much the girls care for each other and how well they get along by the fun they had together and the emotions they had (Wednesday)."

Millwood said if he's learned anything about his squad this year, it's that they never say die.

"They're battlers, they have great character and they believe in themselves," Millwood said. "They fight until the end and that's all we can ask for as coaches, is to give us your all and leave it all on the field and that's what we've seen. We haven't seen them give up, so I expect a very good game on Friday. It'll be a big game for both of us."

First pitch between the Spartans and Warriors is set for 4 p.m. at Sand Island field.