'Aiea will try to win its first O'ahu Interscholastic Association overall football championship next week, after an opportunistic 26-15 semifinal victory over Wai'anae last night at Aloha Stadium.

Na Ali'i (8-2) will play Kahuku — a 35-0 winner over Farrington last night — for the title on Friday. Wai'anae (7-3) will play Farrington on Saturday for third place and the OIA's final state tournament berth.

Regardless of next week's outcome, 'Aiea already has reached a milestone by advancing farther than any team in the school's 44-year football history. Na Ali'i lost in the OIA's "co-championship" game against Kahuku in 2001, when a scheduling quirk caused by 9/11 resulted in two title contests.

'Aiea also won the league's inaugural Division II championship in 2003.

But next week's game is for the really big prize.

"I never did think I would feel like this," said Na Ali'i quarterback Kali Kuia, a three-year starter who completed 24 of 32 passes last night for 289 yards and two touchdowns, and also ran for another TD. "It feels great. I have to give it up to my line, my receivers, my backs — all my teammates and all the coaches. Everybody helped build the program to where it is now."

'Aiea excelled in all phases last night and capitalized on several crucial turnovers by the Seariders.

Na Ali'i took the lead for good midway through the third quarter on Kuia's 40-yard touchdown strike to Josh Blakemore, a score that was set up by Joshua Asuncion's 29-yard punt return. Mark Atta's extra point made it 19-15, and 'Aiea converted a Wai'anae fumble on the next possession into another touchdown, this time on Matthew Higa's 11-yard run.

Trailing 26-15 with just over four minutes remaining in the game, the Seariders had a chance to close the margin with a third-and-goal on the 5, but Na Ali'i cornerback Adrian Labuda intercepted a pass on a slant pattern and returned it 31 yards to preserve the lead.

"My coach told me to press the receiver, because I didn't do that on the play before," said Labuda, who was defending on an incomplete pass for the same pattern on second down. "When the quarterback came to the line, he looked right at me, so I got physical and it paid off."

By the time Wai'anae got the ball back again, only 1:35 remained and the Seariders started from their own 19.

It was a different scenario from the teams' regular season meeting Sep. 17, when the Seariders won 25-6 at 'Aiea. That was the last time Na Ali'i lost, as they have since run off six straight victories.

"You can tell they're a different team now," Wai'anae coach Danny Matsumoto said. "You could tell they were getting better with every game."

'Aiea coach Wendell Say said that was the plan ever since the loss to the Seariders dropped Na Ali'i to 2-2 after a 2-0 start.

"After those two losses, the team was able to stick together," said Say, who began coaching at 'Aiea as an assistant 26 seasons ago. "Every team is different, but this is a real special team because of how well they get along. They've been believing in themselves and are just getting better every week."

'AIEA (8-2) 6 6 14 0 — 26

WAI'ANAE (7-3) 7 0 8 0 — 15

'Aiea—Kali Kuia 1 run (kick blocked)

Wai—Darius Fuller 10 run (Henry Keomalu kick)

'Aiea—Lofa Li'ili'i 19 pass from Kuia (pass failed)

Wai—Fuller 6 pass from Liko Manuel (Curtis Jones run)

'Aiea—Josh Blakemore 40 pass from Kuia (Mark Atta kick)

'Aiea—Matthew Higa 11 run (Atta kick)

RUSHING—'Aiea: Kuia 8-(minus-1), Aleni Loa 5-1, Brandon Dela Cruz 1-(minus-1), Li'ili'i 5-28, Matthew Higa 2-16, Crenston Ioapo 2-4. Wai'anae: David Ferreira 1-2, Fuller 7-21, Joshua Telles 2-6, Nui Stevens 10-26, Christopher Santiago-Yoshioka 1-24, Keomalu 4-5, Jones 2-27.

PASSING—'Aiea: Kuia 24-32-1—289. Wai'anae: Keomalu 7-14-0—65, Manuel 9-18-2—93.

RECEIVING—'Aiea: Li'ili'i 10-162, Alfredo Higa 2-22, Blakemore 3-45, Lahaina Olsen-Kuroda 5-34, Loa 2-19, Ioapo 1-7, Josh Asuncion 1-0. Wai'anae: Manuel 1-10, Douglas Newman 4-23, Kainoa Hussey 1-5, Fuller 3-12, Royce Kainoa 1-17, Stevens 3-36, Jones 1-25, Charles Humble 1-19, Leroy Lee-Kiaaina 1-11.

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.