Kapolei's Sam Wren (21) and Pearl City's Zameer Khan (14) battle for the ball in the quarterfinals of last season's Division I state tournament. Michael Lasquero | SL

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There isn't a whole lot of separation between the Pearl City and Kapolei boys soccer teams. That's evident in both their recent history and the current standings in the Western Division of the Oahu Interscholastic Association.

The eighth-ranked Chargers (6-1) and sixth-ranked Hurricanes (6-1) — who, along with Waianae (6-2) are locked in a three-way tie for second in the Division I West — will meet in a key late-season showdown Friday night.

The game, which is scheduled for a 7 p.m. kickoff at Kapolei Stadium, has heavy postseason implications for both teams. Both teams are one point behind frontrunner Mililani (6-0-1 record, 19 championship points) with three games remaining in the regular season.

A win Friday gives the victor three points and would go a long way to securing a top-two finish and a first-round bye in the 12-team league tournament.

"It's been a while since we've been in this position. I think it's been Mililani or Kapolei to finish first or second in each of the last three or four years, so normally we're going into this game with a chance at second if we win, but this year it's more like whoever can get the result will essentially be the second-place team, so I think it's a slightly different atmosphere around the game and I think it's going to make it more exciting," Pearl City coach Derek Kawano said.

Both meetings between the teams last season were tightly contested.

In the regular-season match last January, Kapolei broke a scoreless tie in the 71st minute on a Sean Yoshida header only to see Pearl City tie it four minutes later off a Justice Gomes free kick that was headed in by Devan Yoshimura. The game ended in a 1-all tie, but the Hurricanes eked one out in the postseason.

In a quarterfinal-round showdown at last February's state tournament, it was the Chargers who got on the board first on Daniel Woo's goal off an assist from Yoshimura in the 47th minute. However, Braden Bantolina netted the equalizer off a Sam Wren free kick in the 65th minute and Kieran Raquedan scored the game-winner in the 77th minute off a corner kick to lift Kapolei to a 2-1 win.

"Considering how last year's game in states went, I think both teams have different things to prove," Kawano said. "Obviously, Kapolei has the edge, so they definitely want to validate that they're a team to be reckoned with."

The Hurricanes have won three straight games since a 2-1 loss at Mililani on Dec. 19. Co-coach Ryan Lau said the lone blemish on the record provided some teaching points with his squad.

"When you have setbacks is when you learn and that loss taught us that we have to play the full eighty minutes, and that's going to be the key with Pearl City Friday," said Lau, whose team couldn't hold on to a 1-0 halftime lead against the Trojans.

"I think since then we've learned a lot about playing with leads, about how to dictate the game when we're up. Against Mililani we got caught up in having the lead and what they were trying to do versus what we were trying to do, so we needed that to evaluate ourselves and get better," Lau said. "Sometimes you get by but you don't learn the lesson, but when you have a setback you find out where we're vulnerable and where you need to improve."

Lau noted the return of junior midfielder Sam Wren as a key factor in the turnaround.

"We were adjusting to playing a certain way because we were without Sam Wren, but since he's come back we've been able to move Kieran Raquedan into his more natural position of holding mid, and we're putting guys in spots where we envisioned them playing, so we're starting to round into form," Lau said.

Similarly, Kawano pointed to his team's 1-0 loss to Mililani on Dec. 15 as a lesson learned.

"I think that game really gave the boys an idea of what we can do because despite the loss, I think compared to years past, we were able to do more against Mililani and being that they are such a powerhouse and the reputation that they have, I think going away from that game our team really felt that they validated themselves to some extent," Kawano said.

The Chargers have won their last five contests and are averaging nearly six goals a game. All six of their victories have been via shut out.

Lau said Pearl City's strength lies up the middle with center backs Nikita Ritchey and Zameer Khan, along with Gomes in the midfield and Yoshimura in the attacking third.

""They're very experienced centrally with those four players," Lau said. "I think where they present issues is with restarts because they have quality service with Justice Gomes and, of course, Devan Yoshimura is an option for them, too. I think our strength is we're a real good run-of-play team where we can get it to the opponent's end, but we have to make sure we minimize their counterattacks and stay in good position and stay organized."

Kapolei, which is coming off a 2-0 win at Waianae Tuesday, has outscored its opponents a combined 28 to 1 this season.

"They hardly graduated anyone from last year; it's pretty much the same exact team that we played in the state tournament, except that they're a year older and a year more mature, but they've always been a solid team, both defensively and offensively," Kawano said.

Lau said the repercussions of Friday's game could have deep ramifications to the postseason aspirations for both teams.

"Ultimately, we have two goals: win the state championship and the OIA championship, but we minimize that and layer it where you've got to qualify first," Lau said. "Winning the West Division isn't so much our goal as it is to earn the bye and in order to earn the bye, you've got to be a top-two seed, so obviously this game is big because what the bye does is better your chances to qualify for states and better our chances of attaining our goals down the road."