For the 2nd straight year, Kapaa & Lahainaluna will face the same foe in the D2 semis. ScoringLive photo illustration

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For the 2nd straight year, Kapaa & Lahainaluna will face the same foe in the D2 semis. ScoringLive photo illustration

View image 1 of 1

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Same matchup, same result?

The Kapaa and Lahainaluna football teams are hoping so.

Déjà vu is in full swing this Saturday when the second-seeded Warriors host Kaimuki while the three-time defending state champion Lunas take on visiting Roosevelt in the semifinals of the First Hawaiian Bank Division II Football State Championships.

Kapaa ended the Bulldogs' 2018 season by a score of 20-12 in last year's semifinals while Lahainaluna handled the Rough Riders on the same day in convincing fashion, 48-10.

With the Warriors (7-1) reaching the title game in three of the past four seasons and the Lunas (9-1) as the marquee team of D2, another championship appearance for both teams seems inevitable.

But is it ever that easy?

Kapaa sixth-year coach Philip Rapozo doesn't think so.

"Right now we not even thinking about Lahainaluna. We focusing on Kaimuki," said Rapozo. "This is not one two-team division. I think the parity this year is really good."

A long delay since closing out the regular season with a 51-0 victory over Kauai on Oct. 26 is also an obstacle in itself.

"The last three weeks...the first two was the hardest," said Rapozo. "You just have to keep everybody focused, but I think we did a good job at that. Took a little different approach this time around. Instead of suiting up and banging each other, the first couple of weeks we did plenty of film and walkthroughs and the mental stuff."

The Lunas are in a similar state with their last game being a 49-0 win over Maui on the same day. First-year Lahainaluna co-coach Dean Rickard echoed Rapozo's words.

"We're able to concentrate more now that we know we're playing Roosevelt," said Rickard, who serves as the team's offensive coordinator. "We just have to take care of the double-edge sword. Making sure our kids are not being complacent, keeping them occupied with football so they can continue with the task at hand."

If there's any silver lining, it's that Lahainaluna was able to recover from nagging injuries that limited key players during season. In Rickard's words, the Lunas are "at full 100-percent."

Among the notable players that have benefited from the long break is all-purpose Devon Sa-Chisolm and quarterback Esekielu Storer, with both players recovering from shoulder injuries.

The Lunas will play host to a Roosevelt team (10-2) that is coming off a 31-7 road win over Kamehameha-Hawaii in the opening round of the tournament.

"We got a chance to go see them on the Big Island," Rickard said. "We know they got that potent passing attack. We know they're very well-coached and disciplined and well-sound. They don't look as big as they were last year, but they definitely look much quicker."

Rickard noted that Roosevelt employs a variety of formations that they will have to be ready for defensively. He also credited long-time co-coach Bobby Watson, who is also the defensive coordinator, with getting the Lunas ready against the Rough Riders' offense.

"We're preparing our players to be ready for anything they see. Coach Bobby Watson, he is one of the top gurus and defensive minds in the game. The details that he breaks down in film and then relays to the players is unbelievable."

For Kapaa, Rapozo believes the Bulldogs (10-2) are better than they were a year ago.

"I think they got more experience. I think a lot of them guys are coming back and I think they're more athletic. That's one D2 championship team right there that's for sure."

Rapozo also noted the play of Kaimuki sophomore quarterback Jayden Maiava, who stands at 6-foot-5 with 3,013 passing yards and 36 touchdown passes.

"Their quarterback makes a good difference. They have a big quarterback that can throw the ball," said Rapozo.

Meanwhile the Bulldogs have been using their time off since winning the OIA D2 title on Oct. 26 by growing in a number of different ways.

"There was a lot of growth within the team, and I don't think necessary everything happens on the field," said Kaimuki coach David Tautofi.

"There was a lot of changing in their attitude in school and home things. There was just a lot of growth and them understanding and going about life with a bette perspective on things. At the same time, learning life lessons that really changes a person. You can see it with the relationship on the field, how they vibe in practice, how they respond and seeing how these guys are taking to correction and willing to fix things.

"The boys have been sharp. We've had one of our best practices that we had. I think they're ready to show the work they put in, and if they didn't put in enough work, you're going to see on Saturday."

Kaimuki takes on Kapaa at 2 p.m. at Vidinha Stadium while Roosevelt travels to Sue D. Cooley Stadium for a 7 p.m. tilt against host Lahainaluna.

The winner of both semifinals will face each other in a 1 p.m. championship game at Aloha Stadium next Friday.