Leilehua travels to Kailua Friday night in both teams' OIA Division I season opener. Spencer Honda | SL

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Both the Leilehua and Kailua football teams are looking for a bounce-back win this weekend.

The Mules (0-1) and the Surfriders (0-1) — each of them coming off opening-week losses to Open Division opponents — will open the OIA Division I regular season against each other Friday night.

Kickoff between 10th-ranked Leilehua and host Kailua is scheduled for approximately 7:30 p.m. at Alex Kane Stadium.

The Mules fell at home last week, 35-16, to No. 8 Farrington. They struggled offensively, managing only 159 yards of total offense without standout running back James McGary (broken hand).

The Governors posted nine tackles for losses and five sacks on defense.

Leilehua coach Mark Kurisu said the loss provided a bit of perspective for his squad.

"We scrimmaged a D2 team (Pearl City) and granted we found some success but there were a lot of mistakes that didn't cost us that time, but when we played Farrington — them being an Open Division team — those same mistakes, they capitalized on it," Kurisu said. "So we were able to get a look at what we have and it forced our kids to realize and understand that good teams will capitalize a lot faster on our mistakes."

The Mules did manage to limit the Govs to 2.6 yards per rush attempt and a total of 98 for the game.

"It was a great opportunity for us and we just look at every game as an opportunity to get better and we have to not lose that opportunity to learn from failing because sometimes failing will be the best teaching tool," Kurisu said.

Kailua coach Joseph Wong is hopeful a good week of practice following Saturday's 44-6 road loss at No. 3 Mililani will bode well for Friday's matchup against Leilehua.

"We've hemmed up some things and moved some kids around that gives us a better chance and makes us stronger," said Wong, who particularly pointed out his team's woes on special teams against the Trojans.

"There were a lot of good things that we did do, but we gave them 21 points on a short field and if you take 21 (points) from 44, then it's a different outcome, but you can't give a team like Mililani a short field. They scored on three of them and two other times we stopped them, but that's putting a lot on the defense and you just can't do that, but that's football and the kicking game is a third of the game," Wong said.

Wong said he got a chance to review the Mules' game film against Farrington.

"They're scrappy on defense, but I don't think they've found themselves yet on offense," Wong said. "I know McGary was hurt so that kind of limited them to where it looked like they were more one-dimensional throwing the ball versus Farrington, but they've got athletes on defense and on offense and we're familiar foes. We know what each other brings and it's always a good rivalry between us," Wong said.

Along those lines, Kurisu said this year's Surfriders reminds him of the typical Kailua team.

"You can always count on them to have an attack-style defense, athletic linemen on both offense and defense, hard-hitting, fast linebackers and running backs and play-making receivers and quarterbacks, in this case also in their secondary, with their safeties and corners," Kurisu said.

Both coaches pointed to the trenches as a determining factor toward Friday night's final result.

"I feel the key matchup for us is controlling the line of scrimmage and defensively getting after the quarterback," Wong said. "If we can get to their quarterback often it disrupts a lot in their passing game and I feel like if our o-line can sustain blocks it'll be really good for us."

Kurisu added: "I think every game we look at which line protects or run blocks best and which D-line can execute the scheme best."

Leilehua defeated Kailua by a score of 38-14 in their previous meeting on Sept. 23 of last year. McGary, who ran for 319 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries against the Surfriders in that game, will not play Friday.