Kahuku hopes to have the services of Tuli Wily-Matagi on Saturday in a face-off against Ephraim Tuliloa and top-ranked Punahou. ScoringLive photo illustration

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One is short on reps, the other a bit dinged up.

Top-ranked Punahou is the former, No. 4 Kahuku is the latter. The two powers of their respective leagues will clash in a semifinal of the First Hawaiian Bank Division I state football tournament, 7 p.m. Saturday at Hawaiian Airlines Field at Aloha Stadium.

The Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion Buffanblu and Oahu Interscholastic Association runner-up Red Raiders are familiar foes in the tournament. They have met three times, all for the championship in 2005, 2011 and 2012. Each was won by Kahuku.

Each has its own dilemma to deal with.

Defending champion Punahou (7-0) is well-rested, having not played in three weeks. Its seven games entering the semifinals is the fewest by any participant in the tournament's 16-year history, so the Buffanblu are itching to hit someone other than teammates. That meant Punahou's 16-year coach Kale Ane had to be creative to keep his 15-to-17-year-old players engaged.

"We shortened practice, gave them some days off," Ane said. "It gets so mind-numbing after a while:  the same cadence, the same time frame, so you have to change things up. We try to do some fun activities and competitive things as well. It's a different process from playing every week."

That doesn't mean the Buffanblu have lost focus.

"We talk to the kids about the opportunity to rest and prepare tighten up our fundamentals and technique," add Ane. "We do a lot of team-bonding things. It's a difficult situation but we've been in it the last couple years and we've found a process to keep the kids engaged. Knowing how important this game is really helps."

Meanwhile, the No. 4 Red Raiders (9-2), the winningest program in tournament history at 21-4 and seven state crowns, have been nursing bumps and bruises along the way. Quarterback Tuli Wily-Matagi, who suffered a concussion in the OIA championship two weeks ago, might be back. Coach Lee Leslie said he would likely know by Friday. Defensive back/running back Kesi Ah Hoy, who does returns on special teams, will play.

"We've got a bunch of banged-up athletes and (the Buffanblu) had three weeks rest," Leslie said, "so I would certainly give them the advantage. Our kids are ready to play and will give everything they have."

Punahou might be facing its best defense this season. Kahuku held Mililani's vaunted offense to a season-low 20 points in a 20-7 loss in the OIA championship. The Red Raiders, in fact, kept the Trojans off the board in the second half. Having played only seven games plus a three weeks off, the Punahou offense might be rusty. Or not…

"They're so disciplined over there that I know that they practice at game-time speed," Leslie said. "We're not looking for them to be rusty or going to be coming out slow. We're just going to play the game we have for them and see where the chips fall."

Ane does not anticipate seeing his offense slow down because of the break.

"We expect to see these things after seeing film" on Kahuku, Ane said. "We're prepared. A quick start is valuable, but not it's not the end of the world. That's what we prepare the kids for."

Punahou's offense has been highly efficient behind first-year starting QB Ephraim Tuliloa, who has completed 70 percent of his passes and averaged 282.2 yards per game in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu. He has one of the state's top receivers in veteran Kanawai Noa (21.8 yards per catch) and nine TDs. Workhorse RB Wayne Taulapapa averaged 10.1 yards per carry with 17 TDs.

The Red Raiders have a secondary that can stay with the Buffanblu with corners Sonny Meredith and Alohi Gillman and safeties Keola Santiago and Malcom Macatiag. The linebackers, led by Manaia Atuaia, not only have to help on the short passes, but stop Taulapapa.

Kahuku's offense is a load when it comes to running the ball with 6-foot-1, 270-pound fullback Salanoa-Alo Wily. For a different look, tailback Kesi Ah Hoy, who is coming off a shoulder injury, is shifty. If Wily-Matagi plays, Kahuku not only has a passing threat, but another effective runner (4.9 yards per rush).

Punahou's defense has the personnel to disrupt Kahuku's offensive pace. Defensive lineman Canton Kaumatule, LB Ronley Lakalaka and DB Dayson Watanabe are used to playing big in the crucial ILH games.

"Very familiar last names, great pedigree" on Kahuku, Ane said. "We know they're going to be good. We just have to go out and do our thing. We look forward to competing against great athletes. That's why these games are so much fun."

Kahuku, which is not as deep as Punahou's personnel, is expecting to attrition to be a factor.

"We have to play some of these kids both ways to give us a chance to win," Leslie said. "It's going to be the last man standing, who's going to be there in the fourth quarter."

Notes: Punahou receiver Heisman Hosoda, who suffered a knee injury three weeks ago against Saint Louis, is available, "but probably the safer thing is to keep him out," Ane said. "His backups (Judd Cockett and Ethan Takeyama) are prepared, but we'd sure like to have (Hosoda) back."

Punahou leads the all-time series, 8-6, but Kahuku has won five of the last six meetings, three in the title game.