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RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM Iolani coach Wendell Look says Campbell receiver Isaac Laupola is talented enough to play Division I college football.

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D-II finalists differ in
offensive philosophies

Aerial attacks and ground forces meet tomorrow night in the Division II title game of the First Hawaiian Bank State Football Championships.

Iolani, Interscholastic League of Honolulu D-II champion, meets the throwback squad of Campbell at 5 p.m. Here's a look at the matchup.

» No. 7 Iolani (9-2) vs. Campbell (9-2)

» When: Tomorrow, 5 p.m.

» Where: Aloha Stadium.

» On paper: The Raiders have the leading passer in the ILH, Kiran Kepo'o, and a corps of talented receivers led by Kekai Kealoha. They also have deceptively strong running back Mike Hirokawa, who rushed for 112 yards in a 17-7 win over Hawaii Prep last week.

Campbell's Delaware Wing-T gives a number of backs a chance to touch the ball. Their run-heavy offense is directed by senior Shaye Asoau, who did not throw an interception during the regular season.

"Their quarterback is a versatile athlete with a strong arm. We don't see that type of offense in the ILH," Iolani coach Wendell Look said. "We have to be very disciplined. It's kind of like playing a triple-option type of team."

Campbell may be run-first, but it has first-class receivers, including Isaac Laupola.

"They have excellent receivers. Laupola is a Division I prospect, no doubt," Look said. He has great size and speed. He's one of the better athletes I've seen this year."

» The skinny: The good news for the Sabers is that they've reached the title game of Division II. Bad news is, coach Tumoana Kenessey has been suspended for the game due to an ejection during last week's 29-20 win over Kauai.

The longtime coach bemoans the distraction and hopes his team can stay focused on what has been an otherwise successful season.

"The game is for them. That's the main thing. It's not about me and what happened," Kenessey said. "What's more important is that it's for them, and that's why we coach. We teach them what life is all about."

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RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM Iolani quarterback Kiran Kepo'o has a strong receiver corps to look for tomorrow night against Campbell.

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The HHSAA ruling committee made its decision Tuesday, following federation guidelines. "I respect the decision of the committee. I may not agree with the interpretation, but I respect them," Kenessey said.

"My staff is prepared, working long hours, and I'm proud of our kids."

Campbell has played -- and beaten -- three teams with run-and-shoot attacks.

The Raiders, however, are a cut above.

"Iolani is very disciplined. They have a lot of speed. Speed kills," Kenessey said. "Size is not a factor here. They run good routes, their line blocks well. They're a very well-coached team. My hat's off to Wendell Look and his staff."

The game plan is simple, at least when Campbell has the ball. "The key for us is to keep their offense off the field. If we can control the ball and control the clock, we can have a good game," he added.

Iolani's defense has shown the ability to bend, even break, only to come back and make big plays. Kamehameha and Saint Louis ran effectively against the Raiders, and Hawaii Prep amassed 243 rushing yards.

HPA managed just one touchdown, though. "It's gonna come down to execution. I'd like a decent running game -- no turnovers, no breakdowns on defense and good special teams," Kenessey said.

"It's always a concern for us when we face running teams like Damien and Kamehameha. They controlled the ball and ran clock and made the game a little bit shorter," Look said. "Our savior has been our defense. They haven't ranked high in the stats, but I'm not that big of a stat guy. Just being patient and letting your kids play, that's the key."

» X factor: How does Campbell deal with the run-and-shoot? The Sabers' best defense may be their offense, but they'll still have to deal with Kepo'o.

Other coaches have recognized the Sabers for having a physical group of hitters. Against the Raiders, they could a) blitz heavily, b) fake their blitzes and disguise coverages, c) sit back in a zone and try to level receivers, or d) a little of everything.

"You gotta pick your poison, but I'm not going to tell you which ones we'll take," Kenessey said. "Kepo'o, I guarantee you, he'll be very well-prepared for this game."