A new chapter in the most storied Hawaii high school football rivalry is set to unfold on Friday night. Traditional powers Kahuku and Saint Louis are set to clash in the HHSAA Open Division championship game at the University of Hawaii's Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex with kickoff set for 7 p.m. All the latest sports news from Hawaii's sports station Both teams clawed their way back into title contention throughout the year. The Red Raiders, who took four losses prior to the OIA playoffs, emerged victorious after installing new quarterback Matai Fuiava. Meanwhile, Saint Louis began the season 0-2, including a narrow 14-13 loss to the Red Raiders on the North Shore in its opener. The following week, the Crusaders fell 16-14 to Mililani. After star playmaker Titan Lacaden returned from injury, a conscious decision from the Saint Louis coaching staff was made to move the Hawaii commit from slot receiver to running back. The move has paid dividends, as Lacaden ran for 216 yards and three touchdowns in a HHSAA semifinal win over Campbell. The Crusaders also overcame a controversial ILH card draw to win the league. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rob DeMello KHON (@robdemello) The more things change, the more they stay the same. The Red Raiders and Crusaders are the only teams that have won a Hawaii Open state title since its inception in 2016. “It’s an old rivalry renewed," Kahuku head coach Sterling Carvalho said on Monday. "Everyone wants to see the private vs. public, the town vs. country, the Kahuku vs. Saint Louis. It’s gonna set up for a great game come Friday night. “When we train in the offseason, it’s always for this moment. The road we took this year compared to years past is maybe a little different. The losses were a little more and the adversity was even greater. But to be back here in this place playing in the championship game, it just shows the resilience and how to overcome adversity. First year Saint Louis head coach Tupu Alualu has brought the Crusaders back to the state title game after two years away from the state tournament. A former Saint Louis running back himself, he certainly understands the magnitude of Friday night's matchup. “I’m so excited to be here as an alum of UH. When we were here, it was Cooke Field. It’s beautiful. But I’m here for business. I’m here to take care of business," Alualu said. "Whatever atmosphere they give us, they’ll give us. I’m gonna stay focused on what we do on our situation and our game, all three phases. We’re here to play." The Red Raiders were recently informed they will be without standout linebacker Fale Atuaia, who was ejected for targeting in the team's 8-6 semifinal win over Mililani. Per HHSAA rules, a player ejected for targeting will also miss the following game. “Preparation has been great, but let’s not avoid the fact that we are a little saddened by what happened to the suspension of our player," Carvalho said, noting that a Mililani player's appeal in 2023 in time for the state championship game was successful. "The same thing that happened last year, that player was allowed to play compared to our player this year with the same grievance and allegations that were overruled last year, now to uphold it against our player this year. It’s not gonna be a distraction for us, but we’re very saddened by such a decision from the HHSAA to uphold that ruling. We’re going to fight it and our community will continue to fight it because it’s not pono. We want transparency, we want consistency, we want fairness. "Our preparation will be to go out there to win, but we are saddened by one of our fellow players because each player matters to our family as a team.” With or without Atuaia, Carvalho knows the team on the other sideline will be hungry to end his program's string of titles. It's the same position Kahuku was in when the Red Raiders beat Saint Louis in the 2021 title game. “Three years ago, that’s who we wanted to play, right? We wanted to play the defending state champs. Saint Louis probably has that same mindset," Carvalho said. "They want to take down the defending state champs. We understand the magnitude of this game and the importance of it on both sides of the ball. They have their gameplan, we have our gameplan. It’s all about executing it Friday night.” After serving as an assistant coach with Saint Louis for over a decade, Alualu has the Crusaders back in the championship game in Year 1 to go with the team's recent ILH title. But as he reaffirmed on Monday, his team isn't satisfied with merely making the state finals. "You don’t reflect back until you’re done with your season," Alualu said. "We’re happy to be here, but we’re not just happy to be here. We’re gonna be ready to go. Let’s go.”