The first-place teams in Division I and Division II in the Big Island Interscholastic Federation will face off Friday night when Konawaena visits Kealakehe. ScoringLive photo illustration

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A little more than 13 miles separate the campuses of Konawaena and Kealakehe high schools on the West side of the Big Island.

Both the Wildcats and Waveriders have made their share of state-tournament appearances over the years and both schools currently sit in first place in their respective divisions in the Big Island Interscholastic Federation.

Konawaena (5-0 overall, 3-0 league), the lone beaten in the league, is ranked fourth in the ScoringLive/Hawaiian Electric Division II Power Rankings. Kealakehe (4-2, 3-0) is riding a three-game winning streak since a 1-2 non-league record.

Both teams are coming off shutout victories last weekend. The Wildcats routed Keaau, 54-0, and the Waveriders topped Hawaii Prep, 20-0.

We caught up with the head coaches of both teams a few days before they meet Friday night.

ScoringLive: Describe your team's current situation in one word.

Sam Kekuaokalani, Kealakehe coach: "I would have to say striving. We're striving to be the best that we can be, we're striving for perfection, we're striving for precision, we're striving for intensity, striving to do better every day, striving to stay focused on the task."

Brad Uemoto, Konawaena coach: "I think the word is jelling. I think these kids are starting to believe in themselves as well as what we're trying to establish as a program. I think there were a lot of changes going into this season with a new staff and just a little twist to some of our systems and I think with just the early successes that we've had, I think these kids are starting to believe in what we're trying to do."

ScoringLive: How near or far is your team from playing to its potential?

Kekuaokalani: "Well we're getting better every day, so I would say we're getting closer to reaching our full potential, (but) I don't think we're there yet."

Uemoto: "I'm not real sure. We're very talented. Being such a small school with a lack of depth, we're always a few injuries from being away from just being an average team, but if we can stay healthy and start executing, I think we could be very good."

ScoringLive: Has there been an individual or position group that has been a pleasant surprise?

Kekuaokalani: "Not really. We've all been working hard and we've all been trying to get better as a team. Each individual position is striving to do their best from the men in the trenches as well as the skill players; they  have all been working hard."

Uemoto: "No, you know, I think we kind of expected what we're getting out of all of our positions on both sides of the ball and I think the past couple wins have been truly a team effort. Early on we found a lot of success defensively, while the offense was kind of finding it's bearing. I think offense is starting to come around a little bit, establishing a tempo and I think we're starting to be a little more balanced on both sides and that's a feeling of we being more of a team now and I like it like that."

ScoringLive: What has been the biggest factor in your team's unbeaten start to the BIIF regular season?

Kekuaokalani: "I think it's been just the collaborative effort on everyone's part. Everyone is striving to do their part, play their role as best as they can from the coaches to the players and just try to keep the focus on the current task. Everybody's been trying to do that every game and every practice. We're not perfect at it but we've been striving each day."

Uemoto: "I think just looking statistically, we're doing a really good turnover winning the turnover battle. I don't know the exact stat, but offensively we haven't turned the ball over much and defensively we're creating a lot of turnovers. Definitely our play at quarterback with Austin Ewing has really revived the offense and we've got it moving at a good pace and we're doing good things and just defensively, just the effort all around the field has been really good."

ScoringLive: Describe the rivalry between the two West side schools?

Kekuaokalani: "We have respect for each other, especially from the coaches' point of view. We know each other. I know Brad, Brad knows a lot of our coaches. We definitely have a lot of respect for each other and what we're trying to do. This is going to be a battle, it's going to be a great game. It's going to be a great indication and a great measuring stick on both sides. The rivalry, I guess has always been there on the side, but this year, unlike any other, we've been in touch with each other. Maybe amongst the kids and the boys, it might be a little different, but we're both trying to do the best we can to succeed and we're certainly not taking this game lightly and I'm sure they're not either. They're going to come out firing and so are we."

Uemoto: "I always tell the kids that I don't want to consider ourselves rivals, because we're in completely different divisions and we're always aimed at the same prize: trying to bring home BIIF title in our different divisions and also trying to win at the state level and trying to make it to that tournament, so I always look at it in the offseason that we're trying to help each other out. I look at it as we're enemies for one week of the season. I have lots of friends on the coaching staff, my wife has a lot of friends' kids that go there. It's tough to play them, you want to see them do good, but when it comes to Friday night it just comes down to winning and I'm sure that goes for both sides."

ScoringLive: What's your take on your opponent this week?

Kekuaokalani: "They're certainly a fast-paced team. They've got a great quarterback, they've got great receivers, they've got some players with some great speed, so tactically I guess we're going to have to slow them down a little bit and try and defend their passing game as best as possible, but at the same time not overlook their running game, because if we start to overplay the pass and open up the run, they are capable of taking advantage of that with their run game. They have a pretty good running back; Algene (Kelekolio) is pretty good. Hopefully we can slow down their tempo."

Uemoto: "Defensively, me being the offensive coordinator, I guess my first thought is defensively and they're very stout upfront, very talented, very physical, they're big and so that's my concern. We don't matchup very well with them. We're obviously going to have to use a lot of tempo to wear them down, get them out of position and sort of dictate what we want them to do defensively. I know they have a new offensive coordinator and they're still trying to find an identity and sometimes those games are the toughest to scheme for because you don't know what they'll come out in and you're not sure when they'll find that identity, you just hope it's not that night you play them. They're definitely a worthy opponent. They haven't blown people out, but they're undefeated and doing enough to win so we can't look past them."

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Waverider Stadium in Kailua-Kona.