Waianae's Kekoa Kaluhiokalani Jr. makes a throw on the run against Kahuku. Johnny Wilson | Special to SL

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Kahuku's Soli Afalava carries the ball down the field for the Red Raiders. Peter Caldwell | SL

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Waianae quarterback, Kekoa Kaluhiokalani Jr. avoids a Kahuku defender. Peter Caldwell | SL

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Kahuku running back Soli Afalava rumbled for 162 yards and 18 carries with a touchdown against Waianae. Johnny Wilson | Special to SL

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KAHUKU — The third time was not a charm for Waianae Friday night.

Led by a stout defensive effort and boosted by the return of tailback Soli Afalava, Kahuku scored early and often in a 45-20 win over Waianae in an Oahu Interscholastic Association Red Conference Tournament quarterfinal.

The Red Raiders, ranked eighth in the ScoringLive/OC16 Division I Power Rankings, improved to 6-3 on the season and advanced to Thursday's semifinal round at Hawaiian Airlines Field at Aloha Stadium, where they will play the winner of Saturday's quarterfinal between Leilehua and Mililani. It was the third consecutive year that the Seariders' season ended at Carleton E. Weimer Field. Waianae, which is ranked fifth in the SL/OC Power Rankings and the third seed out of the Red West, finished 2013 with a 7-3 record.

"Our defense did a lot better job this game and it had to do with their preparation," Kahuku coach Reggie Torres said. "Our coaches and kids, they took a step back and the bye week helped us clean up some things in that area."

The Red Raiders have not lost at home since a 2007 quarterfinal to Kapolei, which is never far from the memory of Torres and his squad.

"Coach Reggie always talks about it, but we came out with the mentality that it wouldn't happen again — we weren't going to lose on this field again," said defensive end/tight end Lamone Williams, who had one of his team's seven sacks and caught a two-point conversion pass.

Waianae's vaunted rushing attack — which averaged just over 200 yards per game — was held in check for minus-18 yards and four first downs by rush. The seven Kahuku sacks on quarterback Kekoa Kaluhiokalani resulted in a loss for 64 yards, but the Searider running backs netted just 60 yards on 16 carries. Tailback Jemery Willes managed 33 yards on nine attempts and fullback Mahvan Tau carried three times and for 16 yards while goal line-back Ronald Matautia added four rushes for 11 yards.

"It was just preparation," Williams said. "We had the advantage coming off a bye and we just prepared for the run all the way."

Kahuku, meanwhile, benefitted from the return of Afalava to anchor its ground game. The junior made his return from a broken collarbone and torn shoulder ligaments and had not played in a game since Sept. 7. Afalava carried 18 times for 162 yards and scored a 13-yard touchdown in the first quarter Friday night.

"I was excited to come back — I was out for a long time and I couldn't take it anymore," said Afalava, who had 15 rushes for 153 yards by halftime. "I just came back excited. I'd like to thank my O-line and my fullback for blocking for me."

Torres said Afalava looked good in his return, but he is far from being back to full strength.

"Him being back in the lineup is a morale boost," Torres said. "He's worked his butt off this week and he still doesn't have his legs — he's got to get his legs under him — he's a few more weeks away from getting physically in shape to carry the ball more. We had to pull him a few times because he was tired."

Defensive lineman Roman Salanoa opened the scoring with five minutes and 13 seconds left in the first quarter when he recovered a Kaluhiokalani fumble in the end zone for a Kahuku touchdown. Just four plays later, Waianae lined up to punt from its own 26-yard line, but the snap was low and punter Stanton Spencer chucked the ball out of the back of the end zone for a safety.

The Red Raiders took a 9-0 lead on the safety and after receiving the ensuing free kick, extended their lead to 17-0 near the end of the first quarter on Afalava's 13-yard touchdown run via an option pitch from quarterback Tuli Wily-Matagi. Kahuku got the two-point conversion on a pass from Kuuliko Carvalho to Williams.

"It was tough playing from that deficit," Waianae coach Dan Matsumoto said. "It's hard for us because we're basically a run-team, so it's tough to come back from that."

The Seariders got on the board three plays into the second quarter on a 5-yard touchdown run by Matautia, but the Red Raiders answered with a nine-play, 90-yard drive that was capped by PJ Liua's 9-yard touchdown run to make it 24-7. They stretched the lead to 31-7 with just 30 seconds left in the first half on a 35-yard touchdown pass from Wily-Matagi to Huleia Naeole.

Matautia scored on a 3-yard touchdown run — his second of the game — minutes into the third quarter to pull Waianae within 31-13. The two-point conversion pass was no good.

Kahuku, however, drained the clock on its ensuing drive, which covered 80 yards in 14 plays and took seven minutes and 15 seconds in duration. The drive included six first downs and three third-down conversions, including Wily-Matagi's 5-yard touchdown pass to Marques Johnson on third-and-goal.

"They played a great game, they deserved to win this game," Matsumoto said of the Red Raiders. "It's always a physical game. They did a number on us. They were prepared in every aspect of the game. We just couldn't move the ball as well as we thought we could and they ran well against our defense."

Carvalho added a Kahuku touchdown midway through the fourth quarter on his 84-yard punt return. Waianae scored a late touchdown on a 4-yard pass from Kaluhiokalani to Johnothan Napierala-Rose.

Kaluhiokalani finished 15-of-31 passing for 273 yards. The Seariders 4 of 14 on third downs and 0 of 4 on fourth downs.

Perhaps the lone downside for Kahuku was its 14 penalties for 140 yards.

Kahuku eliminated Waianae from the OIA playoffs the past two seasons. The Red Raiders won 20-16 in 2011 and 14-10 last year.