Kamalei Watson and the Lahainaluna Lunas host and Caine Fitiausi-Fung and the Roosevelt Rough Riders Saturday afternoon in the Division II semifinals. ScoringLive photo illustration

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While two-time defending state champion Lahainaluna is no stranger to the state tournament, its opponent this weekend is an unfamiliar one.

The seventh-ranked and top-seeded Lunas will be making their 12th appearance in the Division II semifinals when they host fourth-seeded Roosevelt at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Sue D. Cooley Stadium.

It is the first time the 16-year history of the state tournament that the Lunas (9-0) and Rough Riders (12-1) will face off. The winner advances to the state title game at 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 24 at Aloha Stadium against either Kaimuki or Kapaa.

Lahainaluna, which has captured the last 12 D2 crowns in the Maui Interscholastic League, have not played since a 54-0 win over King Kekaulike to end league play on Oct. 27.

"It's been rough. The kids have been really, really antsy and anxious to play," said Lunas co-head coach Garret Tihada, whose team had a bye in last weekend's opening round of the six-team state tournament.

"It's been a while (since we've last played a game), but we just got back to fundamentals and tried to heal up a little bit," Tihada added. "We just kind of look at the big picture, as far as this should help us with injuries and again, going back to basics, but it is hard to keep the kids focused. We kind of shorten practices a little bit and add in some trick plays here and there to keep the kids excited."

The Lunas have thrived this season with an offense averaging 235.7 rushing yards and 38.1 points per game, to go along with a ultra stingy defense that has allowed a total of 29 points through nine games.

Opponents are averaging a minuscule 3.2 points and 116.3 yards per game against Lahainaluna.

"That's incredible and one of the scores this year was off of our offense, so that's six points right there that our defense did not allow," Tihada said. "If other people overlook it, our coaching staff definitely does not overlook our defense. That's the strength of our team. We're always going to rely on our defense because if the other team can't score, they can't win."

Tihada, who coordinates the offense, is in his 11th season, while fellow co-head coach and defensive coordinator, Robert Watson, is in his 30th season. Tihada praised the work of Watson and the play of the defense, which has posted four shut outs this season.  

"The job that he's done preparing the entire defense has been amazing. They work so well together, from the front line, the linebackers, the (defensive backs), they're just on the same page and that's the only way you can run a successful defense, and then the defensive coaches under him have carried out their game plan to perfection," Tihada said. "It's actually incredible to watch."

The last points allowed by the Lunas came in a 49-3 win over King Kekaulike on Sept. 28. They have not surrendered a touchdown since the first quarter of a 34-7 victory over Baldwin on Sept. 22.

Lahainaluna's closest margin of victory came in a 14-0 win over Kamehameha-Maui on Sept. 8.

"I think the teams on Maui help us a lot because everybody throws the ball," Tihada said. "Everybody is in a spread in the state and now that most of Maui is also in that spread and throwing the ball a lot, I think that helps us get ready a lot for the states."

However, the Lunas will face a different look from Roosevelt run-first attack.

"They present something that we don't see all year: they run the option," Tihada said. "Any time anybody runs the option, you gotta be really, really disciplined as far as the assignments."

ROOSEVELT IS MOVING ON. The Rough Riders cruise past PAC-5, 20-7, to advance to the semifinals of the @FHBHawaii/@HHSAAsports Division II Football State Championships. Roosevelt will travel to defending champion Lahainaluna's home field next Saturday. #ChaseForTheChampionship pic.twitter.com/1XIWhhmuaB

— ScoringLive (@scoringlive) November 11, 2018

The Rough Riders average 185.5 rushing yards and 26.3 points per game. They posted 316 yards of total offense, including 188 rushing, in a last Saturday's 20-7 opening-round win over PAC-5.

Defensively, Roosevelt has also been up to the task. It is allowing a mere 9.2 points and 173.7 yards per game.

"They have some nice size, good athletes both offensively and defense and I think, right now it's looking like they're gonna be the best team that we've faced so far all year," Tihada said.

The Rough Riders will be making just their third state tournament game in program history. Prior to Saturday's win over the Wolfpack, their only other appearance was in 2007, when they lost to Kauai by a score of 40-9 in a quarterfinal game at Vidinha Stadium in Lihue.

While the 2018 edition marks just the second state tournament for Roosevelt, it is the 15th overall appearance for Lahainaluna, including 13 in the D2 field.

"We have a kind of nice little mix of veterans and younger guys, but same like every year, you win with senior leadership, so year after year we bank on our seniors to carry the team and keep them focused and I think our senior leadership is a strength for us and our depth is pretty well off this year," Tihada said.

The Lunas' success this year has extended beyond the gridiron.

"Our coaching staff, we're really really proud of our kids and their work ethic and what they've done this year and more specifically after the first quarter, we had 30 kids with a 3.0 or higher (GPA) and then an additional four kids with a 4.0 or higher, and that's hard to do so we're just really really proud of our kids for taking care of business in school," Tihada said.

Although his team has hoisted the state championship trophy at the end of the last two seasons, Tihada said this year's team has remained steadfast in focusing on the task at hand.

"I think from the very beginning up until now they've done a very very good job as far as putting that in the past," Tihada said. "Not one single time have i heard any of the kids talk about last year's game. I think the seniors every year do a good job of taking ownership of the team and not looking back and not taking credit for what the previous year's seniors did."