Top-ranked Punahou will look to make it five straight ILH Division I titles with a win over second-ranked Saint Louis this weekend, just four weeks after the teams met in an epic double-overtime thriller. Steve Erler | Special to SL

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For the second time in four weeks the state's two top-ranked teams will face off on the gridiron.

Reigning four-time Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion Punahou, which has been ranked atop the ScoringLive/Hawaiian Electric Division I Power Rankings for six consecutive weeks, will look to keep its unblemished record in tact when it meets second-ranked Saint Louis, whose only loss this year came on Sept. 25 in a 51-45 double-overtime loss to the Buffanblu.

The Crusaders (6-1 overall, 4-1 league) have won their last two contests since the defeat and can claim the ILH's second-round title with a win Saturday night.

The Buffanblu (8-0, 5-0) captured the first-round crown and would add the ILH overall championship and the league's only state-tournament berth with a win. A loss would result in a winner-take-all playoff game for the ILH title.

We caught up with the coaches of both teams a few days before Saturday's showdown in Halawa.

ScoringLive: Describe your team's current state in one word.

Kale Ane, Punahou coach: "Focused. I think they understand what's at stake and that in order to be successful they need to focus on their assignments and responsibilities and prepare as much as they can during this week."

Cal Lee, Saint Louis coach: "Anxious. I think like anyone will be when you're playing for the second-round championship and they deserve it. They went through the second round and did the things that they need to do and now they have the opportunity to win the second round."

ScoringLive: How near or far is your team from playing to its potential?

Ane: "I'm going to say at this stage of the season we're about 75 percent of the way there. We're still tweaking and changing little things and we're moving in the right direction, but as always there are things we can do better."

Lee: "Well, I mean the potential is there. We always want to strive to get better and better every week. You win a game and you always find things that you can do better and that's where we're at. We're still looking for the perfect game. I don't know if you can ever get there, but we continue to strive to get there on offense, defense and special teams."

ScoringLive: Who has been an under-the-radar contributor to your team this season?

Ane: "I don't know if he's under the radar, but Nick Kapule, our quarterback, has had a phenomenal season. He's prepared knowing that he's a backup, but that if called on he would be ready and he was and that's something we'd like everyone be ready to do. Defensively, some defensive backs have stepped up when called on. Our receivers are all brand new starters and they've been playing great so that's another group that we're very pleased about."

Lee: "Well, I think the receivers have done a great job. It's spread out. There's not one guy, but multiple guys that stepped up. Our running backs, we've lost one, two, three kids there, so they've stepped up. I think it's just a matter of everybody doing their things and being ready to step in when need be and they've done that, so I'm real happy with that fact."

ScoringLive: In what area(s) do you feel your team has made its greatest gains this year?

Ane: "I just think continuing to be poised and patient, playing up to their potential and not panicking when situations are dire. They accept the challenge and keep grinding away."

Lee: "I think the receiving corps and the defense as a whole has gotten better. They're playing a lot better and that's all the way from the defensive backs, the linebackers and the defensive line. You know with this game we've got so many guys — like everyone else — we've got guys that have been hurt and missed a game, two games, a season, so we're real fortunate that we've had guys that stepped up and done a nice job."

ScoringLive: How similar or different do you think Saturday's game will be compared to the first meeting?

Ane: "I think it's going to be very competitive. I think both teams will be focused on what it takes to do their responsibilities. I think both coaching staffs have narrowed their thoughts on what they need to do to be successful. I think it'll be similar in that respect with lots of passion and pride and I think it'll be a great game."

Lee: "I think we've experienced games where we've had the lead and we've finished. We've been there where we had the lead and we didn't finish and then we experienced a game where we came from behind and did finish, so we've experienced a lot of things that have happened in a game. I think you use that as a tool so that when you're in a game you've been there and done that. Coming from behind against Kamehameha had a big impact on the kids."

ScoringLive: What's your take on this week's opponent?

Ane: "It's a great challenge. I think when you play — for me as a coach — someone who has done so much for the state of Hawaii like Cal Lee, you just love to compete against someone like that. We all measure ourselves against him and his program. We're always looking for respect. whether as a player or as a coach these are the type of games that you love to be in, so we're very much looking forward to Saturday night."

Lee: "They're real good. They've got a tradition, they've been winning championships for a number of years, they're well-coached and you expect them to come out and give you a big game, a hard-fought game. We're expecting that from them and it's just a matter of us meeting the challenge because they are the defending champions and we're still trying to get a taste of that. It will take a lot of hard work from everybody, so we're still trying to prepare and get ready and hopefully we can come out with a good result Saturday night."

Kickoff between the Buffanblu (8-0 overall, 5-0 ILH) and Crusaders (6-1, 4-1) is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.