Punahou's Kalama Chung and Kamehameha's Kaiwi Chung, pictured left to right. Rick Agan | Special to SL

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Kaiwi Chung snaps the ball during Kamehameha's game this past weekend against St. Louis. Evan Asato | SL

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Punahou's Kalama Chung makes a tackle in Punahou's win over Iolani earlier this season. Nick Endo | Special to SL

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Kaiwi and Kalama Chung are ready for one of the biggest games of the season, which for them, means going face to face with each other under the stadium lights. Rick Agan | Special to SL

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Football fans across the state are eagerly awaiting the big showdown between top-ranked Punahou and No. 2 Kamehameha Friday night. Much like the last Super Bowl played in February 2013, this week's big game will have two brothers pitted against each other. The meeting on the gridiron of the Chung brothers, Kaiwi and Kalama, provides a narrative that stretches far beyond the end zones.

Dane "Kaiwi" Chung plays the center position for the offensive line that many people consider the best in the state. He might not be the biggest guy at 5-foot-10, 246-lbs, but stature doesn't stop him from leading a group of offensive lineman that really attacks the defense when run-blocking.

"My responsibility as a captain at Kamehameha is to lead by example and to show players how to play on the field," said Chung. "I'm not much of a vocal leader, but more of a leading by example (kind of guy), to help guide my teammates in whatever direction the coach sees is the best."

Kamehameha, ranked No. 2 in the ScoringLive/OC16 Division I power ranking since week four, currently has the best statistical offense in Division I with 3635 yards of total offense and 37 touchdowns scored heading into this week's showdown. A huge chunk of those yards have come via the running game with the Warriors' running backs racking up 2551 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns, statistics that would be impossible to reach without Chung and the rest of the offensive linemen.

"My responsibility is to first of all look at the defensive front, call out what formation they're in," spoke Chung about his responsibilities prior to the snap. "(I have to) make sure that our offensive line knows what they're blocking and what their blocking scheme is. If I have enough time, (I can) point out the secondary to my receivers and quarterback."

The Warriors' backfield has been hit with injuries all season, but there hasn't been any drop off at all in production. Kaulana Apelu was supposed to be the main guy touting the ball this year, but he suffered a season-ending ending ACL injury in the first game of the season. In Apelu's stead came forth Brandon Kahookele who actually led the league in rushing at one point before having to sit from injuries, giving opportunity to the current starter.

Kainoa Simao, the third-string running back to start the season, is now the guy getting the bulk of the carries. In the Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I postseason semifinal game, Simao rushed for 230 yards and two touchdowns to power the team over Saint Louis. In fact, despite the limited amount of carries to start the year, Simao currently leads all of Division I in rushing with 1164 yards and 11 touchdowns to his name. Simao credited the Kamehameha offensive line after the Saint Louis game, calling them the best offensive line in the state.

"The thing that makes (our offensive line) so special is we have been playing together (ever) since intermediate," Chung said about the guys next to him on the offensive line. "We have a bond that not many of the other offensive line in the state have."

On the other side of the ball is younger brother Boyd "Kalama" Chung, a linebacker for the Punahou Buffanblu. He might not be much of a household name like defensive lineman Canton Kaumatule or outside linebacker Ronley Lakalaka, but he still makes contributions on defense having recorded a sack in Punahou's closest game of the year. While he could bask in the glory of playing for the number one ranked team in the state, the 5-foot-9, 220-lb junior would rather put in the hard work first before receiving all the accolades, something passed on from older brother Kaiwi.

"Right now we have good leaders in place," said Kalama Chung. "Next year I think I could take the role and lead the team (like Kaiwi being a team captain). The main thing that I don't want to do is to be someone who tells others to do something but doesn't do it themselves. The one thing Kaiwi always has been good about is putting in the work before he tells other people to do it and that's something I want to mimic being a leader next year (as a) senior."

The Buffanblu defense has limited opposing offenses to single digit scoring totals, only giving up 8.4 points per game this year. Like the Kamehameha offensive line, the Punahou defense is a close-knit group of guys that works well together.

"I think it's really fun playing with the group of guys we got," said Chung on their defense. "On the field we work together (and) play well as a unit, (while) off the field that's pretty much our main core group of friends; we're all pretty much best friends off the field also. The way coach Agenhart (Punahou defensive coordinator Agenhart Ellis) designed our defense, he gives us a lot of freedom and liberty to make plays."

On playing against each other

High school football is filled a lot of history and traditions with many sons playing for the team that their fathers played for. With that in mind, it is interesting to hear that these two brothers are on two opposing teams that are chasing a championship that can have only one winner. Despite the fact that someone's season could end up empty-handed, there is no animosity at all between the two siblings. In fact, the two brothers competing against each other both agree that it makes each other better players and better people.

"I feel like it makes us better players," said Kaiwi Chung on playing against his younger brother. "It pushes us to be our best because we're more competitive at home; we compete in everything we do. I feel like it's not the same if we're on the same team. It's a different kind of pushing (since) we're on two different rival teams. We compete at home and on the field; that pushes us to be the best that we can be."

"It makes us better because to me, (Kamehameha has) the best O-line in the state and Kaiwi is the best center in the state," said Kalama Chung, echoing his older brothers' thoughts. "It's a good challenge; it gives you a reflection of yourself of where you're at as a player when you're going (up) against the best. That definitely makes me a better player just to compete with him."

"It also helps you as person, it helps you not to be selfish and think of yourself because whether I win or he wins, we have to come home and congratulate the other person, or if we win, can't be rubbing it in their face, just got to be selfless. It's not that big of a deal (because) football is never going to be something that comes between us."

While the two brothers are eagerly waiting for game time, it can never be easy for a parent knowing that there is both a winner and a loser at the end of the night. Dean Chung, the father of the two boys, gives what his desired outcome of the game should be.

"First, they finish the game healthy; secondly they represent themselves, our family and their school positively. Lastly, let the better team win," listed Dean Chung. "It's also hard to cheer for any one of them because they're on opposite sides of the ball (Kaiwi on offense versus Kalama on defense)."

Regardless of what happens Friday night, Dean Chung will still have an amazing set of boys that he can be proud off.

"I'm most proud of them as being good teammates, good leaders, and both of them being humble," said Chung. "They're very grateful for the coaching and the help that they get."

Insight for the upcoming matchup

Being that two teams are the two top-ranked teams in the state, neither team is short on talent. Both brothers agreed that the outcome of the game is going to come down to the mental aspect rather than the physical.

"Our main goal is to come into the game mentally prepared," stated Kaiwi Chung. "Our coach said that we're physically ready for this game but it's going to come down to a mental game and if we can execute our plays better than our opponent can."

"For us to be successful, we're going to have to come together as a team, forget about this last game (versus Saint Louis) and work together. It's pretty much going to be a dog fight, whatever team has the most will to win is going to win. In the next few days, we're going to put in the work to show that we can be the number one team in the state."

Punahou held scoreless Kamehameha in the first meeting, 24-0, dispelling any thoughts that the teams are not 1A and 1B, but rather No. 1 and No. 2. But Kalama Chung and the rest of the Buffanblu knows that there are games still left to be played with their ultimate goal of a state title still a month away.

"Just focus up and not take these couple days lightly," affirmed Kalama Chung. "Even though we beat them once, this is not a given; they've gotten a lot better. We've got to take care of our side of the ball first. A big thing is not beating ourselves, not making mental mistakes and just knowing our assignments and playing well so that we can execute the way we've been doing for most of the season."

"Everybody's got to play a sound (game); get their assignments down and play fundamentally sound football. It starts with our defensive line because if they don't demand two blocks or hold up (offensive) linemen from getting to us freely, none of the linebackers will make any plays and if they don't get pressure (on the quarterback), none of the (defensive backs) will make any plays. It starts with them and after that everybody can just do their job and we should be okay."

If Punahou wins this game, they will clinch their third straight postseason berth into the HHSAA state football tournament. If Kamehameha wins this matchup, they will force a "playoff" situation to determine the ILH's lone berth into the state tournament. If this were to happen, this playoff game will be played on Nov. 2, a day after the OIA football championship games.