Punahou and Kamehameha, two of the league's three true contenders, face off at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday at Aloha Stadium.
Three-time defending Oahu Interscholastic Association champion Kahuku (1-2) has a do-or-die game with Waianae (3-0) at the stadium tomorrow night at 7:30. Another loss could relegate the once-powerful Red Raiders to a battle with Kailua and Roosevelt to stay in the Red Conference.
Meanwhile, Waipahu (2-0) tries to remain unbeaten in the Red when it travels to meet scrappy Kailua (0-2) tomorrow night. Farrington (1-1) tries to break above .500 at Roosevelt. The Rough Riders (0-3) have yet to score in the OIA season.
The Buffanblu, who have been ILH runners-up the past three seasons, will bring the league's second-leading offense and defense into the game.
Kamehameha, which carries one of the state's biggest offensive lines, has the league's third-leading offense and defense.
Both are 2-0 in ILH play. Kamehameha is 4-0 overall, while the Buffanblu are 3-1.
Punahou coach Dan Morrison can clearly remember the shellacking his team took the first time he led the Buffanblu out to meet the Warriors in the first half of the 1993 ILH season.
It was a disastrous rout for Punahou and a promising Buffanblu defensive lineman named Jason Ching suffered an injury that nearly ended his career.
But Punahou won the next five games in a row against the Warriors. If he were a less cautious man, Morrison might think that means something.
"They're not the same team and we're not the same team," he said.
One of the things Morrison notices about Kamehameha is how physical the Warriors are.
"They're not running the option so much; they're running straight at you, using their big bodies," said Morrison.
"They function less by quick decision and more by strength. They have those big bodies in your face.
"Your front seven have to be the kind that get off their blocks quickly and penetrate."
Warriors head coach Kanani Souza, who wasn't with Kamehameha for the last five losses to Punahou, said he is not entirely satisfied with his offense yet.
"We have to get better at blocking, coming off the ball, and eliminating penalties," said Souza.
Despite the fact that he can start a line that averages nearly 260 pounds across and can boast three members who stand 6-foot-4, Souza said the Punahou line is the best he's faced this season.
He called Mike Souza,Punahou's 6-6, 275-pound senior, one of the two or three best linemen in Hawaii prep football.
Morrison said he has been concerned with parts of his offense but is encouraged by its recent performances.
"Offensively, we're putting up points and yardage and we're beginning to control the ball a little more," he said. "We were just 1-2-3-and-out, and then we'd hit you with something real big. Now we're actually sustaining drives and using the short passing game."
But it's that big-play capability with speedy 1995 ILH reception leader Tafiti Uso that concerns Kamehameha.
"Uso has been very productive," said Souza. "He can catch the ball and he has excellent speed."
But Kamehameha also has some very reliable targets for quarterback Shane Chan to hit, even though he hasn't gone to them very often in the regular season.
Justin Takasaki has only six catches for 118 yards. Tight end Peter Hashimoto showed he could be a factor in preseason, but has not seen the ball much in regular-season games.
Morrison worries about the effective 1-2 running punch of Tui Ala and Jacob Ordenstein, who combined for 230 yards in a 40-8 victory over Pac-Five last weekend.
Ordenstein and Ala are 2-3 in ILH rushing with three touchdowns apiece.
But Punahou's Danny Makainai leads the league in rushing with 238 yards on 30 carries and four touchdowns. His teammate, Kaleo McCabe, has 108 yards on 30 carries.