LAHAINA — The precision at the start of Lahainaluna High School football practice paints a clear picture of where the Lunas stand in the hierarchy of prep football in the 50th state.

The Lunas players know precisely where to go to start their regimented warm-ups with a dynamic beat. There’s no question the attention to practice leads to success on the field.

The Lunas are 46-3 over the last six seasons played — including 9-0 this year — and they open play in the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Division I state tournament by hosting Aiea in a quarterfinal on Friday at 7 p.m.

Na Alii (8-3) are the Oahu Interscholastic Association runners-up after losing 38-30 to Waipahu in the OIA title game on Oct. 29. Aiea has the attention of the Lunas, so much so that Lahainaluna team leaders have been organizing film study groups at lunch time since the state brackets were announced.

“They have everything, they definitely have the size, but it’s going to come up to if they have the heart or not,” Lahainaluna junior safety Kuola Watson said at practice on Monday. “They have good receivers, we have been scouting No. 9 all week. It will be a good experience for the boys, last ride in front of our hometown. We’ll see what they’ve got, they’ll get to see what we got.”

Watson is the grandson of veteran Lahainaluna co-head coach Bobby Watson and the son of former Lunas standout Kenui Watson.

Kuola Watson has grown up on the field at Sue Cooley Stadium since he was a toddler, just as several other sons of the veteran coaching staff have done.

He knows how important the home-field advantage will be on Friday night.

“It’s an honor, honestly, in front of the home crowd, get everyone cheering you on, you’ve got to play your best,” Watson said.

Lahainaluna senior linebacker Josese “Anu” Kaina is back with his home team after spending last season at North Torrance (Calif.) High School, choosing to play there after the season here was paused for six weeks due to the pandemic.

He played on the same 11-2 team as King Kekaulike running back Tysin Zackious, who is also back with his home team that is the No. 1 seed in the Division II state tournament and will host a semifinal next week.

The two Mauians did not know each other prior to transferring to the same school.

If they win Friday, the Lunas would advance to play No. 2 seed Konawaena in the D-I semifinals on Hawaii Island on Nov. 19, but they know they have work to do to get there.

“We just have to work on our assignments, play assignment football, get everybody to execute and be on the same page,” Kaina said. “When it comes to Friday night we know we can all do our assignments and come out with the victory.”

Much like Watson, Kaina is impressed with Aiea.

“Man, they have like the whole thing, they have the size, the speed, they like to do a lot of screens we’ve seen, pass a lot,” Kaina said. “So, they are going to be a good look for us in states. So, we’re just going to have to work on those and execute.”

Kaina can’t wait to play his final game at Sue Cooley Stadium.

“Man, it means everything, you get to play in front of your hometown, you get to play in front of your family, play in front of the alumni that came before you, you get to play for the school,” Kaina said. “You get to play for the name on your chest, so, yeah, it means a lot, especially for the boys. Last ride here for the seniors, so we get to play our last senior game over here. It means a lot.”

Lahainaluna co-head coach Dean Rickard expects key two-way players Ian-Jay Cabanilla and Avery Baybayan back from injuries. Quarterback Noa Gordon is still out with a shoulder injury, although Rickard is hopeful he will be back next week if the Lunas advance.

The Lunas coaching staff scouted the OIA title game and came away impressed with the team that lost a shootout.

Quarterback Ezekiel Olie is 217-for-308 passing for 2,891 yards, including 29 touchdowns and just six interceptions this season. Olie was banged up late in the OIA title game and was replaced by Noah Spencer, who threw just 56 passes for 243 yards this season, but had five touchdowns and two interceptions.

“We learned a lot, nothing we didn’t expect — Aiea is a very big, physical team, fundamentally sound,” Rickard said. “They’ve got a great passing game, that quarterback, he’s legit. He’s got height, he’s got an arm. He’s got great scrambling abilities.

“Defensively, in the trenches, they’ve got a couple Division I caliber players. … They also have the skill positions, they are pretty athletic.”

The Lunas led the MIL in offense at 309.3 yards per game, 80.6 percent of which came on the ground. They also led the MIL in defense, surrendering just 129.1 yards per game.

At this point of the season, the number of players who see the field shrinks as several will play on both sides of the ball. Watson, for example, has added carrying the ball here and there to his repertoire that includes safety, holder for place kicks and returner for kickoffs and punts.

At 9-0, the Lunas certainly had a case for one of the two byes that went to defending state champion Iolani and Konawaena, but they will instead relish the opportunity to play a state game at home.

“Anytime you can play at home, it’s great,” Rickard said. “As much as we would like to have a bye, it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter who we play or how many kids we play, we still have to play that game. To get to host it, makes it all that much better because we get to do it in front of our home fans. The kids are excited, they are looking forward to Friday night.”

* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com.

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State Football Championships

DIVISION I

Friday’s Games • Quarterfinals

Aiea at No. 3 Lahainaluna, 7 p.m.

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

Saturday, Nov. 19 • Semifinals

Waipahu-Kapaa winner at No. 1 Iolani, 3 p.m.

Lahainaluna-Aiea winner at No. 2 Konawaena, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 26 • Championship

Semifinal winners at Mililani, 7 p.m.

DIVISION II

Saturday’s Games • Quarterfinals

No. 3 Waimea vs. Kaiser at Hanapepe Stadium, 1 p.m.

No. 5 Pac-Five at No. 4 Nanakuli, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 19 • Semifinals

Nanakuli-Pac-Five winner at No. 1 King Kekaulike, 7 p.m.

Waimea-Kaiser winner at No. 2 Honokaa, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 26 • Championship

Semifinal winners at Mililani, 4 p.m.

OPEN DIVISION

Friday, Nov. 18 • Semifinals

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

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

Friday, Nov. 25 • Championship

Semifinal winners at Mililani, 7 p.m.