Hawai'i Prep's victory over Moanalua in last Friday's state football quarterfinals sent Kaua'i scrambling.

Second-seeded Kaua'i, which hosts Hawai'i Prep in Friday's semifinals of the First Hawaiian Bank/Hawai'i High School Athletic Association Division II State Championships, had spent the past two weeks preparing for Moanalua.

But the Red Raiders (9-0), winners of six straight Kaua'i Interscholastic Federation titles, are now ready and eager to play Ka Makani. When Kaua'i takes the field Friday, it will be its first game in almost a month.

"(The assistant coaches) came home the next day on the first flight and we were in the office breaking it (film) down immediately," Kaua'i coach Derek Borrero said of the Saturday following the Moanalua-Hawai'i Prep game. "We had a full day of practice, film at 1 ... it was the last really full contact going into this week."

Hawai'i Prep, the Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion, beat host Moanalua, 17-14, after Kalei Konrad kicked the game-winning field goal with 2:07 left. One of the things that stuck out to Borrero from the game film was how Ka Makani capitalized on special teams. One touchdown was scored after Konrad's punt put Moanalua at its 3-yard line. On the first carry, the ball was fumbled and bounced into the end zone, where Max Verbrugge pounced on it. Later, Keoni Colson returned the second-half kickoff 50 yards, and Ka Makani scored four plays later.

"Special teams is important, you got to clean up," Borrero said. "That's what we've been doing on offense, defense, special teams ... it's cleaning up."

Ka Makani's second straight off-island trip is nothing new. Most of Hawai'i Prep's BIIF games required driving more than a hour in each direction, and it won at Waimea during the preseason.

"It's a lot of traveling but we traveled to Kaua'i already this year," Hawai'i Prep coach Jordan Hayslip said after Friday's game. "Hopefully, we're getting good at traveling."

Colson has rushed 187 times for 794 yards this season and Isaiah Adams has 73 rushes for 707 yards. Adams has 18 receptions for 332 yards and twin brother Isaiah has 18 receptions for 273. Quarterback Keanu Yamamoto has 1,217 passing yards.

Borrero wasn't sure how this year's team would fare with players changing positions and the switch from a run-and-shoot to a West Coast offense. They also started the season with five games in five weeks and there was no telling how they'd hold up with no breaks and the possibility of injuries.

The Red Raiders found a way, and Borrero cited their closeness from being together a lot, such as on the baseball and basketball teams. He knew it would be a good year after Kaua'i won at Lahainaluna, 35-18. The Red Raiders gained the "confidence (that) we can compete" the following week after a 49-13 win over Coronado (Calif.).

"For these guys to put us in this position is very gratifying," Borrero said.

The biggest adjustment for senior quarterback Trey Shimabukuro, who has thrown for 1,257 yards, was the maturation of his receivers. Kalena Rodero-Workman, who was converted from defensive back, has 23 catches for 398 yards and 5-foot-5 Taran Tani has 40 catches for 453.

Running back Paleku Yasay has 127 rushes for 787 yards. Free safety Cameron Largusa is the punt returner, kicker and can play wide receiver and slot. Cornerback Kele Hanohano has good speed and junior Jamen Kealoha-Albarado is one of several outside linebackers and brings size, height, strength, and the ability to run and catch.

Borrero says he sometimes looks back on how his team went through some rough spots earlier in the season "and think how terrible that was.

"The postseason, there's no more second chances and we can't afford to make silly mistakes," Borrero said.