There's a different feeling to this preseason for the Punahou football team.

Despite having won the past four Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I titles, the Buffanblu are considered by many just the second best team in the league this year, but it's a position they seem to be just fine with.

Punahou, which has played in four consecutive state championship finals — and won it all in 2013 — is ranked third in the Hawaiian Electric Division I Power Rankings, one spot behind fellow-ILH foe Saint Louis.

"Saint Louis is very talented, they have outstanding personnel and they've got outstanding coaches, so it should be a natural transition that they are one of the best teams in the state," Buffanblu coach Kale Ane graciously said. "We want to keep that mojo going of being one of the best as well, so it's a great challenge for us to have the opportunity internally in our league to go against them at least a couple times — probably three times — and so that will drive us to get better and play harder, both as players and coaches."

Running back Wayne Taulapapa nearly duplicated Ane's comments with his own.

"That's OK. I mean, Saint Louis is, of course, a great team. We're excited for the challenge," Taulapapa said. "We know that they've got a lot of great guys and we're just willing to step up to the plate as underdogs."

Quarterback Ephraim Tuliloa acknowledged the offseason rumblings about the Crusaders, but said his team is only focused on itself.

"I think with all the talk about Saint Louis, that sort of brings our team even closer together," Tuliloa said. "We don't really listen to all the noise going on outside. The only thing we care about is those of us on the practice field and those of us coming out everyday, grinding with us, running with us, that's all we care about; just each other and the bond that we have that's going to carry us as far as we want to go. That's the main thing that we're worried about right now."

The backfield duo of Taulapapa, who rushed for a 1,171 yards and 20 touchdowns last year, and Tuliloa, who passed for 2,116 yards and 20 TDs as a junior, will have to lead the way offensively for Punahou in 2015.

"Ephraim has come a long way and we're proud of him," said Ane, who is entering his 17th season as head coach of the program. "Following (three-year starter) Tui (Tuileta) is a difficult task, but Ephraim has done extremely well. He's very mature, he went to a couple of camps this summer, he's feeling much more comfortable and coming more vocal, which is interesting, so we're real happy with his progress."

Tuliloa, who checks in at 6-3 and 228 pounds, hopes to improve upon his 64-percent completion rate from a season ago, but has also strived to improve his off-the-field skills.

"I feel I've improved in the leadership part on this team," Tuliloa said. "Now I'm going to be a senior and I remember being a sophomore and looking up to the older guys. I know last year we had a very great senior class and I think they took us under their wing, so now it's our turn to sort of take the reins of the team and be the leaders for those young guys."

Taulapapa, who stands 5-11 and weights 205, said he has also taken on a larger leadership role this summer.

"After the (state championship) game last year we met the Monday right after as seniors — the new senior class — and we just decided that we wanted something different for the next season," Taulapapa said. "I just want us to move as a team, so everything is team-oriented. We're trying to be more of a family, work harder together and we'll get there, to our goals."

As a junior, Taulapapa led the ILH in both rushing yards and touchdowns and proved to be one of the state's best, averaging a gaudy 8.9 yards per carry. He carried 36 times for 260 yards and scored three touchdowns against Mililani in the state championship game.

"He's just a hard worker, he never complains, he leads by example, and he's tough. It's nice when you're an offensive linemen and you know the running back is going to run tough; it makes you want to block harder and block longer," Ane said of Taulapapa. "On top of that, he's got great hands, he's a good blocker, so he's the total package."

On the other side of the ball, senior inside linebacker Laakea Look should be one to watch for as just one of three returning defensive starters.

"He's the catalyst of our defense," Ane said of Look. "He's got two years of experience and has learned from some of the very best that we've had. He's very intense by nature, but he's also become a better communicator. He anticipates things well and communicates that to the kids, so we're very high on him and he's going to have a very outstanding season."

Look, who is 6-feet tall and weights 210 pounds, had a game-high 10 1/2 tackles against Mililani and was named Honorable Mention All-Hawaii as a junior.

"I feel like we've been doing really great with the loss of the majority of our defensive players from last year," Look said. "I feel like the younger guys have really stepped up to take initiative and learn their plays, so they've been doing really well.

Look is the lone holdover from arguably the best linebacking corps in the state last year, which included a pair of First Team All-Hawaii picks in Kalama Chung and Saitui Moeai, as well as second teamer Ronley Lakalaka.

"A lot of the things that they taught me was about heart; how to play with heart and just to never give up and to be a great leader when the team is down, to bring them together and pick everybody up, to never single anybody out, but to always keep the team together," Look said of the trio.

Tuliloa said the Buffanblu are eager to strap it up for their season opener against Leilehua Friday.

"We're very ready. I'm very excited to get this season started," Tuliloa said. "Just to get to hit another team, stop banging on ourselves with each other and getting live reps in a game is going to be exciting."

Look said he relishes the fact that his team is being considered by some an underdog this year.

"I feel like we want to be in this position," he said. "It gives us a chance to humble ourselves and work harder and that's what it's all about."

- Kalani Takase