First place in the Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division II standings is on the line when the Wildcats visit Ka Makani. ScoringLive photo illustration

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Two of the Big Island's hottest teams will face off Saturday afternoon in Paniolo country.

Konawaena, the two-time Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division II champion, visits upstart Hawaii Prep with first place in the league standings at stake.

The Wildcats bring a 4-1 overall record and 3-0 mark in the BIIF, a No. 5-ranking in the ScoringLive/OC16 Division II Power Rankings, and four-game winning streak into the contest. Ka Makani are also 4-1 overall, but 2-1 in league games and ranked No. 7 in D2.

ScoringLive caught up with Konawaena coach Cliff Walters on Tuesday to talk about both teams and their big game this weekend.

ScoringLive: Describe your team's current situation in one word.
Cliff Walters: "Motivated. We came into the season with a lot of people telling us that after losing 28 players and only returning two starters and starting a freshman, that our guys are so young and that we will have to wait a year — at least a year — before we're back on top. They said that we will have to take our lumps this year, but they didn't want to take lumps, and they just go out and fight to win. They're highly-motivated to do their absolute best — there's no cruising going on."

SL: How near, or far, is your team from playing at its potential?
CW: "I don't think they're anywhere near that. We have one senior on the offensive line, so their potential, in terms of progression and where they can be, compared to where they are, is still a while away, but they can get there. My only hope is that they move along a little faster before the playoffs and we peak for this postseason."

SL: What was your team's biggest win so far this season?
CW: "I really believe our win over Hilo was a huge win, only because I think Hilo has more talent than most teams in the league and I viewed them as a front runner in Division I and still do and they proved that. For us to bump them off at their home, that took a tremendous amount of effort on our part. That was a huge win for us and it helped motivate us and motivate them. We gained some confidence to move forward with the rest of the season."

SL: What's your take on your opponent this Saturday?
CW: "I think we're playing a team with superior talent again. They've shown game-in and game-out that they're a force to be reckoned with. I think that they've gotten better throughout the season. They have a great quarterback (Koa Ellis), a great offensive line, arguably the best running back (Bobby Lum) in the BIIF and that's a tough combo when you have those things. That offense might be a headache to be able to overcome."

SL: How important is this game in the BIIF Division II race?
CW: "The strange thing about this thing is once they passed the rules all four D1 and all four D2 teams make the playoffs, so it took the pressure off game-in and game-out. You're basically playing for home-field advantage, but I don't see it as a huge advantage — I think we play better on the road than at home — but all four teams make the playoffs, so for us it's just a matter of going into each game, doing the best that we can and peaking at the playoff time."

SL: What can we expect from Saturday's game?
CW: "I think people will go there expecting to see two of the top teams in the BIIF. So far, these two teams have beaten almost everybody out there. We've beaten Hilo, Keaau, Kamehameha and they've beaten Kealakehe and Waiakea, so these two teams have beaten pretty much everyone in the league. What people are going to see is two of the top teams, arguably, in the BIIF playing this Saturday, so go to HPA to watch Konawaena and Hawaii Prep."

Hawaii Prep coach Jordan Hayslip could not be reached for comment. Kickoff between the Wildcats and Ka Makani is set for 2 p.m. at the HPA Upper Campus football field.