Sama Paama and the Kaimuki Bulldogs travel to take on Eli Unutoa and the Kapaa Warriors Saturday afternoon at Vidinha Stadium. ScoringLive photo illustration

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Kapaa RB Ryno Banasihan looks for some running room against Damien in the 2016 Division II state semifinals. Brien Ing | SL

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Kaimuki defeated a Warrior team in Keaau last weekend and will face another Warrior team, this time in Lihue.

The Bulldogs' journey to a state title takes them from the Big Island to the Garden Isle as it faces Kapaa in the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Division II Football State Championships semifinals on Saturday.

Kickoff is slated for 2:00 pm at Vidinha Stadium and the winner advances to the title game to face either Lahainaluna or Roosevelt at Aloha Stadium on Nov. 24.

"We know they are a tough team and I know they've been watching this game close. I know every year they represent Kauai so we're fortunate we have another game. We are looking forward to another opportunity," Kaimuki coach David Tautofi said of Kapaa.

"They're a hard team to stop when they're running the ball," Kapaa coach Philip Rapozo said of Kaimuki. "They're big, physical, and well-coached. I noticed when things didn't go their way, other teams would've given up when they went down and things went Kamehameha-Hawaii's way, but they stuck to the game plan."

Kaimuki weathered the rain and wind to come away with a 28-27 victory over Kamehameha-Hawaii despite losing five fumbles that kept the Warriors in the game. The Bulldogs were fortunate that a missed extra point and an onside kick recovery extended their season another week.

"We did enough to win and enough to lose. You don't see too many teams do that and come out with a win, but we can't afford to do that this week especially when the games get tighter and the stakes are higher," Tautofi said.

The team is no stranger to traveling and will be arriving a day early to get used to the weather and the field.

The Bulldogs might have to face inclement weather for a second straight week, but Kaimuki can draw upon some experience to get them through it.

"It's very important," Tautofi said about good snaps and ball security. "It's important to stress it, but to also implement it and we may practice with wet balls to get used to it. We had a few games like Kalaheo where it was a mud bowl and last week's game we can draw upon. Experience is a plus."

Rapozo agreed as well about the importance of ball security in bad weather.

"It can cost you games and the elements don't help so you have to protect the football."

The Bulldogs' only first half score came off a blocked punt and the offense sputtered by turning it over on downs three times and losing two fumbles in their six first half offensive drives.

KS-Hawaii scores two straight TDs to take a 14-7 lead over Kaimuki at the half in the first round of the @FHBHawaii/@HHSAAsports Division II Football State Championships. Follow the rest of the action on https://t.co/pORJz15WGi! #ChaseForTheChampionship pic.twitter.com/dbSjJUb2s6

— ScoringLive (@scoringlive) November 11, 2018

"The second half message was, ‘Hey, this is going to be your last game or it's not.' With all the excitement and talk that they had during the season it would be junk to end this way," Tautofi said.

The halftime message worked as the Bulldogs went back to playing Kaimuki football and going to what got them to this point in the season.

The Bulldogs was limited to 119 first-half rushing yards in the first half, but rushed for 146 yards and three different ball carriers rushed for scores in the second half.

Big runs during the drive set up touchdowns. Kaimuki ran a fake punt on their own 44 that resulted in a 17-yard gain and later Jonah Stephens ran in a 1-yard score to finish a 14-play drive that took almost 7 minutes.

Elijah Lemalu ran it in from 17 yards out after being set up by 29 and 22 yard runs by Asuega-Fualaau and Stephens respectively to give Kaimuki its first lead of the game since the first quarter.

Naomas Asuega-Fualaau rushed for a 23-yard touchdown for the go-ahead score after Lemalu's 54-yard run.

KS-Hawaii's offense was predicated on timing and precision, but Kaimuki's front was able to generate enough pressure to make Kaimi Like feel uncomfortable. KJ Navaez, Blade Pfeiffer-Kekoa, and Hunter Mulu combined for six of the team's seven sacks. Stephens had the game's only interception late in the fourth quarter.

"Get to the quarterback and rattle him a bit and dominate the trenches. That's where we have to stay strong in our identity," Tautofi said.

"We have to sustain drives and stay balanced against a team that physical and we have to use up clock," Rapozo said.

Kapaa RB Ryno Banasihan looks for some running room against Damien in the 2016 Division II state semifinals. Brien Ing | SL    Purchase image

Kapaa, the Kauai Interscholastic Federation champion, drew a first round bye and took that time to focus on themselves.

"We got to do what we have to do is concentrate on us and getting down the fundamentals, all the basics and stay focused. This team has been focused from their first loss until now," Rapozo said.

The Warriors make their first state tournament appearance since 2016, where it made it to the championship game but fell to Lahainaluna.

"It's a great journey for us. Last year was a rough season for us and guys came together, coaches and players vowed to work harder than we ever did and do whatever it takes. Everyone has been doing their job," Rapozo said.

The Warriors opened the season with a 30-10 loss against the defending state champion Lunas, but defeated perennial Division II power Konawaena, 37-0 the following week. An opening league loss to Kauai High, 13-3 on Sept. 7 was the wake up call the team needed.

"I think it had to do with last season the way it went and the first loss to Kauai High, that turned our season around. The players called an all players meeting and that just changed everything right there," Rapozo said.

Since the loss to the Red Raiders, Kapaa won five-straight games by an average margin of 32.8 points per game.

"You keep playing the same guys and when you play them three times, it's not easy," Rapozo said, despite the margin of victory.

Some players to look out for on offense are quarterback Kahanu Davis (722 pass yards, six TDs) and running backs Ryno Banasihan (648 rush yards, 10 TDs) and Baba Nao (566 rush yards, six TDs), but Rapozo feels like the team doesn't have a marquee player that stands out.

"We have a lot of good guys on the team, we don't have that so-called star. They're good, but they don't think they're stars. That's what helps us the most because everyone is just focused and working," Rapozo.

Players to look out for on the Warriors is senior linebacker Raffy Perono, who leads the team with 29 tackles and senior linebacker/defensive lineman Patrick Peters with 15 total tackles, 4 1/2 sacks on the season.

"Our linebackers have been playing awesome all year and our D-lineman Raffy Perono has been lights out, he's been a great leader. On the D-line, we got Patrick Peters, who's been playing great football. We have a lot of good players working hard," Rapozo said of his defense.

Kapaa made back-to-back title game appearances in 2015 and 2016, while Kaimuki last made the title game back in 2010.