Kahi Bisho is expected to get the start for Punahou against Kamehameha and Javyn Pimental. ScoringLive photo illustration

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Two of the hottest teams in the state will cross paths Saturday afternoon.

Between Punahou and Kamehameha, the teams have reeled off the their share of wins as of late in the ultra-competitive gauntlet that is the Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I baseball schedule.

The Buffanblu (5-1), who moved up four spots to No. 6 in this week's Hawaiian Electric/ScoringLive Power Rankings, are riding a four-game winning streak entering the weekend. They have outscored opponents by a combined margin of 48 to 11 since a 5-0 loss to Mid-Pacific on March 3.

Despite a resounding 12-1 win at No. 2 Iolani Thursday — a game that was called after five innings due to the mercy rule — Punahou coach Keenan Sue said his focus is on keeping his crew even keel.

"I think we're getting there. I can't say that we're not playing well because we are, so we're hitting our stride, but I think it would be safe to say that our best is in front of us," Sue said.

"I think the reason we're starting to hit our stride is — and we talk about this in practice — being grateful for everything and being entitled to nothing and being great is being boring," Sue said. "Being great is doing the little things day after day after day. That's no secret. Look at every single great player, great program or dynasty; Everybody who does well focuses on the process and not the results. What you do right now in front of you, especially in practice, is more important that what happened yesterday or what's going to happen tomorrow."

After reaching the state tournament two years ago, Sue's second at the helm of his alma mater, the Buffanblu missed out on states last season. However, with a veteran roster, they have certainly positioned themselves well through the first three-plus weeks of the ILH season for a run at a postseason appearance in 2018.

Sue said it's truly been a team effort, but singled out catcher Ryan Nishi, shortstop Kyson Donahue, center fielder Ola Aina and pitchers Kyle Uemura and Kahi Bisho for their leadership.

"We don't have team captains because I believe that everybody should have an opportunity to lead where its appropriate," Sue said. "I do have a handful of guys that if I need to disseminate information to the team and they've embraced that. The guys respond to them, they like them and I think there's a healthy respect, but I think there's also an element that they will get on the guys if they step out of line. They can hear it from me, but if that same message comes from one of their peers, they tend to receive it better."

Now in his fourth season, Sue said that message is starting to reverberate within the program.

"You know they get it when they start mimicking what you say and they start saying it to each other," Sue said. "Now the older guys are starting to talk to each other about it."

Sue was especially pleased with the execution in Thursday's rout of the Raiders, in which his team rapped out 12 hits and did not commit an error behind a solid four-hit, seven-strikeout effort from Uemura on the mound.

"That was particularly gratifying because Kyle had just unbelievable command. He was throwing three pitches for strikes and he kept guys off balance and we played good defense," Sue said. "Any time you can pitch well and play good defense, you'll do well and you hope to get some hits here and there. We were able to capitalize on Iolani's miscues, which was significant, and we had command of the game from the start."

As hot as the Buffanblu have been, Sue wants his players to always keep the wins and losses in perspective.

"We either win or we learn, that's what we tell the guys," Sue said. "I think any great educator, any great coach is going to be a learner. You can't be great unless you have the humility to say that someone is doing it better and be open to criticism and be thirsty for knowledge. Some of it you will use, some of it you will not, but if you think you've arrived, then you pretty much just stop (progressing)."

Punahou's opponent Saturday has been doing a lot of learning of its own.

The 10th-ranked Warriors (4-1-1), winners of four of their last five games, have not lost since a 14-5 defeat at the hands of Mid-Pacific to open the season back on Feb. 28. Since then, they have posted three one-run victories, including a hard-fought 5-4 win over Maryknoll in eight innings.

"It was just our second game, but the way we battled back and the way that pretty much the whole team was involved in that game — it took everybody to get it done — and I think they saw that's how things are going to be and everybody has to be ready at all times," Kamehameha interim coach Kahi Kaanoi said.

The Warriors came back from a deficit twice against the Spartans. After they scored three runs to tie it in the bottom of the sixth, Maryknoll pulled back ahead with a single run in the top of the eight. However, Kamehameha walked off with the victory after plating a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame.

"It took a team effort and I feel like that was when we kind of jelled. That was cool to see and it's just grown since then. Against Iolani we were down 3-0 in the first inning — which happened to us against Mid-Pac — but this time around it seemed like nobody got down," Kaanoi said. "They knew that we still had lots of time left and they battled right back and the next thing you know we put up four runs ourselves, so just the way they can stay in it and take punches and punch right back, it seems like we'll be in it no matter what."

Kaanoi is still getting acquainted with his bunch. After all, it wasn't until early February that he was appointed to his post after a shake-up to the program that saw the varsity and JV coaching staffs released just weeks before the start of the season.

"I'm very pleased with how the boys have come along. With each game, especially since the preseason, I feel that we progressed each time out," Kaanoi said. "We took a little step back there against Mid-Pac, but sometimes that's not a bad thing. I think it refocused them. They came back and they worked hard. We've played some close games that could have gone either way, but they pulled through and it's kind of sparked some confidence in them. We have a lot of new guys that haven't contributed in the past, new faces in new roles and I think each time out they're getting more and more comfortable. We still make mistakes daily and we still gotta correct them, but they're motivated and determined to work hard, so it's coming along, I think."

Kaanoi has been especially pleased with the production from sophomore catcher Vince Venenciano, who is batting .421 with eight hits and six RBI in 19 at-bats, as well as junior first baseman Jonny Shimabukuro, who leads the team with nine hits and is batting .409.

"I wouldn't say it's much of a surprise with Vince, but for him being just a sophomore, he's very mature in his actions and how he goes about his business. From day one I could tell that he was somebody we could count on and especially with him being a catcher, that's such an important position. He basically hasn't played at all (in the past) for whatever reason. This year is his first year starting, but the moment is not too big for him," Kaanoi said.

"Jonny Shimabukuro has been clutch. He's driven in a lot of runs in times where they were really needed, so he's stepped up," said Kaanoi.

Another standout so far has been senior Jace Borja, who has played well enough in the field to take over as the everyday center fielder.

"He was coming off the bench, but he's earned a starting role in the outfield," Kaanoi said. "I was looking at him being our closer, but I kind of had to tweak that since he's displaying some good hitting and the fielding is there. There's been a bunch of guys coming through and it's good to see."

Sue spoke highly of the job Kaanoi and his staff have done in a relatively short time frame.

"They seem to be really rallying around Kahi," Sue said. "Some people might have said that all that adversity they faced early in the year could have been a disadvantage, but whatever message they're getting from him and his staff, or internally, they've seemed to turn that into an advantage and I think it's admirable."

Kamehameha will send sophomore southpaw Javyn Pimental (1-0, 1.98 ERA) to the hill, while Punahou is expected to throw Bisho (1-1, 3.00), who is signed with the University of Kansas.

First pitch between the Warriors and Buffanblu is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Ala Wai Field. The game will be preceded by a D2 game between Damien and Hanalani at 9 a.m. and a D1 matchup featuring Mid-Pacific and PAC-5 at Noon.