Lahainaluna High School running back Kaulana Tihada carries the ball during the Lunas’ 19-13 win over Kamehameha Maui on Oct. 14. The fourth-seeded Lunas host fifth-seeded Kapaa at Sue Cooley Stadium in a first-round game of the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Division I state tournament Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photos

The Lahainaluna High School football team won 10 state tournament games in a row from 2016-21 as it claimed four straight Division II crowns and advanced to the first D-I state final ever for the Maui Interscholastic League in First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA state tournaments.

Three of those wins were against Kapaa in D-II state championship games — the Lunas beat Kapaa 21-14 in 2016, 34-32 in 2018 and 21-10 in 2019 in those title tilts.

Lahainaluna also beat Kapaa 21-18 in 2019 and 30-10 in 2018 in preseason games.

The Lunas lost to Kapaa 21-0 in the 2016 preseason, meaning they carry a five-game win streak in the series into Saturday night’s 7 p.m. showdown with the Warriors in the HHSAA D-I quarterfinals at Sue Cooley Stadium.

“They’re huge, but we believe we match up well with them and we have a lot of history between the two schools, so it’s going to come down to whoever makes the least mistakes and can execute well,” Lahainaluna co-head coach Dean Rickard said via phone on Thursday. “That’s what we’re really focusing on, is just executing, not missing any assignments and just polishing up what we already have because we have a lot of packages.”

Lahainaluna co-head coach Dean Rickard talks to his players during a fourth-quarter timeout on Oct. 14.

Unlike their remarkable march to four straight D-II state crowns, the Lunas have lost their last two state tournament games — 38-0 to Iolani in the 2021 D-I state title game and 30-10 to Aiea in last season’s D-I quarterfinals.

“They understand what’s at stake, especially our seniors, they’re very excited with the chance to at least play for a spot to advance,” Rickard said. “They understand the repercussions — it’s a one-and-done deal. They’ve been focusing in on the X’s and O’s and making sure that we concentrate on remembering our assignments and doing the best they can to prepare themselves physically and mentally.”

Rickard said the opportunity to play the game at home is a big advantage. The winner of Saturday’s game will earn a spot in the state semifinals at No. 1-seeded Konawaena on Nov. 18.

“I think the best thing is we get to host it, so we don’t have to deal with traveling and all those kinds of things,” Rickard said. “Any time you travel there’s always too many distractions. So, we’re glad we get to host at least the first round here.”

The Lunas are 5-0 against the Maui Interscholastic League this season — four of the wins came twice each against Maui High and Baldwin in the their chase for the MIL D-I state berth, and the other was a hard-fought 19-13 victory against Kamehameha Maui on Oct. 14.

Kamehameha Maui is the No. 2 seed in D-II and will host a semifinal game on Nov. 18.

Lahainaluna ran its MIL-record win streak to 44 games this season, dating back to 2016, and they are 47-3 overall since the start of the 2017 season.

That they are back in the state tournament after the Aug. 8 wildfire ravaged their town and put their season in major jeopardy makes Rickard shake his head. Nine of the 18 coaches on the staff lost homes in the fire, and more than half the team did as well.

All six Lunas games this season have sold out, most of them within minutes after tickets went on sale online.

“At the end of the day it comes down to just the game itself,” Rickard said. “That is what we do this for and that’s what we’ve been preparing for. Of course, there was the immediate impact of the fire, but that support from our community has always been there and now even more so because of what happened. And the kids understand that, but at the same time they also understand that, hey, the game still needs to be played.

“Take out that aspect and the kids realize that now it’s just a matter of focusing in on the game. And for us as coaches that’s all we ask: that these kids focus on what really needs to be done, disciplining themselves and making sure we go out there and give our best effort each and every time we take the field.”

Rickard said most of the national media attention has died way down, but The Washington Post and NFL Films are still around working on stories and a documentary on the team.

“There’s still some media attention and I think it’s going to last,” Rickard said. “Hopefully this ain’t the last week. I welcome that because as long they’re around that means we’re advancing and from the coach’s perspective that’s always good, right? That’s the intentions anyway.”

Added Rickard: “We’re five games in, this is going to be our sixth game, so we’re comfortable with where we’re at, mentally and physically. A little banged up, but the extra week we had has helped us out. For the most part we have everybody back in some capacity, with the exception of Avery Baybayan (shoulder injury) who is highly doubtful for this weekend.”

Rickard said Kapaa is its usual self — very large and run-oriented.

“Kapaa is definitely a physical team, no doubt, I mean they always have size,” Rickard said. “But as much as they like to run they can air it out as well. We’ve seen them throw the ball, they run from a spread, they have a heavy offense. Defensively, they’re athletic — they’re not as physically big as they were in the past, but they have athletes on defense.

“They run a base 4-4 and we believe that they will try to disrupt our trapping and our misdirection by blitzing. So, we expect a lot of blitz packages coming from them. Offensively, they are kind of a zone read kind of offense. They’re very physical up front.”

* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com.

*****

FOOTBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

DIVISION I

Saturday’s Games • Quarterfinals

No. 3 Damien vs. Farrington at Kaiser, 6 p.m.

No. 5 Kapaa at No. 4 Lahainaluna, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 18 • Semifinals

Lahainaluna-Kapaa winner at No. 1 Konawaena, 7 p.m.

Damien-Farrington at No. 2 Waipahu, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 25 • Championship

Semifinal winners at Mililani, 7 p.m.

DIVISION II

Today’s Games • Quarterfinals

No. 3 Pac-Five vs. Kaimuki at Roosevelt, 4 p.m.

No. 5 Kamehameha Hawaii at No. 4 Roosevelt, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 18 • Semifinals

No. 1 Waimea vs. Roosevelt-Kamehameha Hawaii winner at Hanapepe Stadium, 1 p.m.

Pac-Five-Kaimuki winner at No. 2 Kamehameha Maui, 6 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 25 • Championship

Semifinal winners at Mililani, 4 p.m.

OPEN DIVISION

Friday, Nov. 17 • Semifinals

Campbell at No. 1 Mililani, 4 p.m.

No. 2 Punahou vs. Kahuku at Mililani, 7 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 24 • Championship

Semifinal winners at site TBD, 7 p.m.

Lahainaluna co-head coach Dean Rickard talks to his players during a fourth-quarter timeout on Oct. 14. Lahainaluna High School running back Kaulana Tihada carries the ball during the Lunas’ 19-13 win over Kamehameha Maui on Oct. 14. The fourth-seeded Lunas host fifth-seeded Kapaa at Sue Cooley Stadium in a first-round game of the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Division I state tournament Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photos Ariana Naipo

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