The quickest way to Aloha Stadium will require the longest route for Radford High School.

The Rams (9-3) continue to island hop this week, playing second-seeded Lahainaluna (7-2) in Friday's semifinals of the First Hawaiian Bank Division II State Football Championships at War Memorial Stadium on Maui.

Radford, the O'ahu Interscholastic Association White runner-up, won its first-round game at Kaua'i, 17-7, last Friday. Radford is the only team in both the Division I and Division II tournaments that is island hopping for the second straight week.

The winner of the Lahainaluna-Radford game will face the winner of the 'Iolani-Campbell game in the Dec. 5 championship game at Aloha Stadium — right down the street from Radford.

"These guys did a great job (of traveling); it was rewarding to have strangers come up to me in the airport, on the airplane, in the hotel and bus drivers asking who's the head coach and everybody pointed to me," Radford coach Fred Salanoa said.

"I was thinking 'why are these people coming up to me?' They wanted to compliment our team on how well-behaved they are and respectful. Those are the things that added to us being victorious at the end of the Kaua'i game. The travel, weather, getting delayed here and there, these kids traveled in class and respectfully.

"If we do the same thing on Maui and go up businesslike, we won't have any problems."

Ironically, the Lunas have a longer drive from their campus to War Memorial Stadium, than the Rams will make from their hotel. Lahainaluna, the Maui Interscholastic League champion and last year's state Division II runner-up, will make the 45-minute trek for the "home game." The Lunas' field doesn't have lights.

"Playing at home, it's a big advantage," said Lahainaluna's Garret Tihada, who is the co-head coach with Robert Watson. "For the kids, they want to travel (off island), but we've traveled for a number years and we prefer to stay home. I believe everybody in the state feels the same way."

Kaua'i prepared for Radford's passing game, but the Rams saw what they could do after their first drive and went with a running game. Sophomore Phil Hogan, brought up from the junior varsity and playing his first varsity game, led Radford with 25 rushes for 160 yards and one touchdown.

"I had so much confidence after we drove down on the first drive and took four to five minutes off the clock," Salanoa said. "I was confident our team, our O-line came to play and get the line of scrimmage and do what the team is doing well. That's the great thing about being balanced, if we're off being a passing team, we can run. If one thing works, go with it."

The Lunas go mostly with their running game. Versatile senior Jake Manning has thrown for 746 yards and rushed for 355, and different players have contributed in key roles throughout the season.

"Week-to-week, it's been a different kid because of the style of our offense," Tihada said. "It could've been our quarterback one week, the receiver the following or a fullback."

The Rams have relied on leadership, a collaborative effort and the little things to help them make it this far in a season where some had their doubts about them. Senior Mosiah Manuma has done a bit of everything for the Rams, starting at strong safety, punting in every game and becoming the quarterback midway through the season.

"Just having leaders on the team has helped us," Salanoa said. "We got a good bunch of kids. We may not have the best athletes or playmakers or those things. I like to brag about our 2.9 cumulative team GPA. That speaks miles about what kind of team we have."

The Lunas' focus on playing together has carried them as well.

"We're the type of team on offense and defense that is team-oriented," Tihada said. "We run the option. The team works well when we're not doing things individually."

Tihada said the Rams are "big, fast and strong," and the Lunas will need to take care of the ball in order to return to another championship game.

"We got to play mistake-free football if we want to advance," Tihada said.

Salanoa said the Lunas have good athletes and look big. The focus, though, is on what Radford can do on its own end. There's also the confidence the Rams have had all year, and how much it was boosted after the win at Kaua'i.

"The confidence on our team, it is out of the roof," running back Hogan said. "We're confident going to Maui and hopefully come out with a win."

NOTE

St. Anthony graduate and Philadelphia Phillies Gold Glove center fielder Shane Victorino will perform the pregame coin toss at War Memorial Stadium.