Lahainaluna quarterback Kiko Kohler-Fonohema has rushed for 407 yards and 8 touchdowns this season. ScoringLive file photo

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Nanakuli DB Jaryn Paris intercepts a pass against Konawaena. ScoringLive file photo

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The differences are evident between the Nanakuli and Lahainaluna football teams.

While the Golden Hawks are this year's Cinderella story - posting upset victories in two of their last three games - the Lunas, who have been idle for nearly three weeks, have been trouncing their competition on Maui.

Nanakuli (7-4), the Oahu Interscholastic Association runner-up, and the Maui Interscholastic League titlist Lahainaluna (8-1) will square off in the first of two semifinal games at Hawaiian Airlines Field at Aloha Stadium Saturday as the First Hawaiian Bank/Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division II State Championships rolls into its second week. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. Five-time defending state champion Iolani will play OIA champ Radford in the 7 p.m. game.

The Golden Hawks made a triumphant return from the Big Island following their 25-23 come-from-behind win over Konawaena Saturday night.

In the closing minutes of the game, Nanakuli defensive end Royce Ochimas pressured Wildcats' quarterback Kahoalii Karratti on a third-and-long play into his own end zone. Attempting to avoid the pass rush, Kahoalii threw the pass away, but with no eligible receiver in the area, he was flagged for intentional grounding and the Golden Hawks were awarded a subsequent safety to take the lead for good.

"That was a big play at an important time of the game," said quarterback/safety Chazz Troutman. "That was a big boost because there was only a couple of minutes left and after that safety we just ran out the time."

Troutman, a 5-foot-9, 150-pound junior, along with senior fullback Khade Paris, led the Nanakuli comeback of 18 unanswered points to close out the game. Troutman scored on touchdown runs of 18 and 11 yards and completed two pivotal two-point conversion passes while Khade Paris carried 20 times for 135 yards to lead a Golden Hawks' option-running game that accumulated 205 yards on 54 rushes.

"That's always the thing if you're going to run the option, that's the main thing to the option is the fullback and he did his job (Saturday)," Nanakuli coach Skippy Lopes said.

Jaryn Paris, Khade's younger brother, intercepted a fourth-quarter pass that was recycled into Troutman's second touchdown run minutes later.

The Golden Hawks' defense surrendered 295 passing yards by Kahoalii, but just 39 came after halftime. Konawaena had just 29 rushing yards on 19 attempts.

"(Troutman) does a whole lot of things for our team, but (Saturday) was a team effort and my defense pulled it out," Lopes said.
While Nanakuli staged its heroic rally on the Kona coast, Lahainaluna spent its first-round bye at home in West Maui.

"We got to rest up a lot the first week we were off and we've been slowly coming back so overall we're pretty healthy," said Garrett Tihada, who along with Robert Watson are co-head coaches for the Lunas.

One thing is for sure: Tihada's team will be well-rested. Lahainaluna hasn't played since Oct. 26, when it beat Maui, 31-0, for its sixth shutout of the season.

"I think this week, we've been working on getting back our timing and I think if you ask any team in the league at this point in the year, I think everyone would choose more time off versus playing a game every week," Tihada said. "I'm hoping it doesn't hurt us, but every team is different. One good thing is we got to see Nanakuli twice - both on Oahu in the OIA championship game and at Konwaena last week - so that should help a little."

Lahainaluna's defense was a dominant force, allowing just 23 points in its eight MIL games, 20 of which came in an overtime loss against Baldwin last month. The Lunas have allowed just 694 total offensive yards by opponents this season. They allow averages of just 4.1 points and 77.1 yards per game (55.8 pass, 21.3 rush) and have notched 18 interceptions.

"Year after year, our defense has been our strength.We have some good players on every level, but the main thing is they play very very well together," Tihada said.

Hercules Mataafa (6-foot-4, 220 pounds), Samiuela Filiai (6-2, 225) and Pousima Galoia (6-4, 330) standout among the defensive front while linebackers Bronson Kaina and Semisi Filikitonga and defensive backs Tytus Lucas (MIL-leading 7 INTs) and Jeffrey Ancog (4 INTs) help solidify the back end.

If there is a weakness, it may be depth. The Lunas list 40 players on its roster - still seven more than the Golden Hawks - but seven or eight players are expected to play both ways and four or five of those also have special teams' duties.

"Depth is always a concern, especially when you're dealing with injuries," Tihada said. "For us, one guy going down could affect us at three different positions, so it's always a concern, but if it happens, we'll just deal with it."

Junior Kiko Kohler-Fonohema (407 rush yards, 8 TDs) is at the controls of the Lunas' double-wing offense with a stable of backs behind him. Filikitonga, who is also a running back, has run for team-high 466 yards and five touchdowns. Jared Rocha-Isalas (284 yards, 3 TDs) and Lucas (244 yards, 2 TDs) are also expected to get some carries.

"The way we've always run our offense is that it all depends what the defense gives us, so we never have a feature back," Tihada said. "Sometimes our fullback will have a good game, sometimes it'll be our half backs. Year after year we have a bunch of kids that average about the same amount of carries and the same amount of yards."

About 70 percent of the Lunas' total offense this year has come via rushing yards. They have amassed 2,414 offensive yards this season, including 1,704 rushing yards. Lahainaluna averages 33.1 points and 301.8 yards per game, including 213 rushing and 88.8 passing.

"We have to block and tackle better than they block and tackle," Tihada said. "That's always the bottom line. Whoever does that best will win the game."

A year ago, the Lunas advanced to the semifinal round of the state tournament with a 23-6 win over Konawaena, in which they intercepted seven passes. However, they lost to Waipahu, 19-14, the following week to end their season.

"I think for our players, it was a huge motivation factor losing to Waipahu," Tihada said. "We were very, very young last year with a bunch of freshmen and sophomores starting and we had a nice group of kids this year that just decided that that's not how they want to end things, so they got in weight room religiously throughout year and now they're bigger and  stronger and what's happened so far this year has been a direct result of that."

This is Lahainaluna's ninth state-tournament appearance. They are 5-8 overall in the 10-year history of the tournament, including a 4-6 mark in Division II.