WAIPI'O — Years removed from state titles, Kamehameha and Punahou will have a chance at winning another.

Nanea Fujiyama scored four goals and came up with a big steal late in the game to help the Kamehameha water polo team defeat second-seeded Kahuku, 8-5, last night in a semifinal of the Local Motion/Hawai'i High School Athletic Association state water polo championship at the Veterans' Memorial Aquatic Center.

Kamehameha (8-3) and top-seeded Punahou (10-0) meet in this afternoon's championship game. Punahou won the first two state titles in 2004 and 2005, then didn't qualify for the last two state tournaments. Kamehameha won the state title in 2006, but didn't qualify for last year's state tournament that was won by 'Iolani.

"I was really concerned and worried because the score was close," said Kamehameha freshman goalkeeper Chloe Shaw-Limary, who had eight saves, including several big ones late in the second half. "Two quarters is a lot of time, but I had faith in my team."

Kamehameha's Kehau Ai scored the go-ahead goal with 2:07 left in the third quarter on a penalty shot that made it 5-4.

Iikea Snow's goal on a power play gave Kamehameha a 6-4 lead with 5:45 left in the fourth. But Taniya Sifton scored for Kahuku with 3:48 left to cut the deficit to 6-5.

Fujiyama scored the next two goals, both on back-handed shots with her back toward the goal, that made it 8-5 with 3:02 left.

"The shot, the more I take it, it just seems more accurate," Fujiyama said.

Fujiyama then came up with a key steal with 2:12 remaining. She attributed the play to her team's explosive style.

"She had the ball and just wasn't aware I was coming at her," said Fujiyama.

Ai's goal with 5:27 left in the second quarter gave the Warriors a 4-2 lead. Goals by Kahuku's Rosie Jaffurs and Gina Ahue in the next minute tied the score at 4.

Ahue led the Red Raiders with three goals. Kahuku faces No. 4 Lahainaluna (11-1) in today's third-place game.

NO. 1 PUNAHOU 14, NO. 4 LAHAINALUNA 4

Aisha Price scored five goals, Kulani Jenkins and Shayna Price had three each and the Buffanblu played their usual brand of tenacious defense to defeat the Lunas in a semifinal game.

"I think we can do a better job, though," Jenkins said of her team's defensive intensity. "We didn't hold them as well as we should have in the middle there."

The Buffanblu got off to a 4-0 lead and their defense gave few looks for the Lunas (11-1) the entire match.

"Punahou brings such a high-skill level, such intensity," Lahainaluna coach Will Hutchison said. "We had a hard time matching that intensity. It's not that we didn't play hard; they are a special team."

Lahainaluna's Moana Tuipulotu scored with 35 seconds left in the first quarter to make it 4-1. Aisha Price scored 15 seconds later to make it 5-1 and the Buffanblu scored twice in the second quarter for a 7-1 halftime lead.

"We wanted to send a message," Aisha Price said. "We knew what we wanted to do and executed it well. Our defense is the most important aspect of our game this year."

Tuipulotu scored two goals for Lahainaluna and Alana Hendrickson and Kayla Wall each added a goal. Consolation games

LEILEHUA 8, KS-MAUI 5

Jennifer Morihara scored five goals and Brittany Sweeney had three as the Mules rallied past the Warriors. Leilehua (12-6) plays Roosevelt (14-4) today for seventh place. Kaulana Ane and Su Lun Guth had two goals each for the Warriors (7-5).

HILO 6, KAPOLEI 5, OT

Eva Avery scored twice to lead the Vikings over the Hurricanes. Hilo (9-4) plays Kamehameha-Hawai'i (10-2) for fifth-place today. Bethany Salas-Selem had two goals for Kapolei (12-7).

KS-HAWAI'I 9, KALANI 2

Ryenn Lyons scored three goals to lead the No. 3 Warriors over the Falcons. Brittany Lam and Tina Pulu each scored for Kalani (12-7).