Speed encountered power in the semifinals of the Stanford Carr Development, LLC/HHSAA water polo state championships on Friday.

Speed gave power a run, but power prevailed in the end.

In a duel that resembled a much friendlier, aquatic version of The Mountain vs. The Viper from “Game of Thrones,” host Kamehameha, the ILH runner-up, was too strong in its own pool for OIA champion Kaiser. The Warriors, quick in their own right, won 9-4 to reach the tournament championship game for a fifth straight year.

“Strength can nullify speed. So I think that’s what happened today,” Kaiser coach Asa Tanaka said.

At 6 p.m. today, Kamehameha will face 11-time defending champion Punahou, the juggernaut that downed Kamehameha-Hawaii 18-4 in Friday’s other semifinal.

The Warriors lost 12-6 to the Buffanblu in the ILH championship. They’re hoping the fifth time — both within this season, and in terms of consecutive state finals — is the charm.

“It really comes down to if we’re using all of our talents and adding them together,” said Lori Char, a senior who missed the ILH final. “When we play as a team, and each of our strengths adds on to each other, then that’s when we’re really powerful. So when we do that tomorrow, I think there’s a lot of possibilities that can happen. I’m really hopeful.”

Kaiser, in the semis for the first time in school history, offered a blur of a test. The Cougars got a goal on a deep shot from Megan Kaneshiro just before halftime, cutting the deficit to 6-3. It was still a three-goal game after three quarters.

But Kamehameha separated in the fourth, capped with Char’s fourth goal on a penalty shot.

“They were definitely difficult for us to get through today. They’re fast, they’re definitely fast,” Kamehameha first-year coach Anthony Cabrera said. “I don’t think we used (the power) as much as I would have liked, for my personal taste, but we used our speed well and we took advantage of our opportunities when they became available. So as far as that goes I’m happy.”

Kamea Kim and Kyra Kahahawai scored a pair and Samantha Nakagawa rounded out Kamehameha’s scoring.

The second-seeded Cougars did some damage in transition — they went up 1-0 on a fast-break lob shot by Noelle Nakakura — but found the going exceptionally tough once the Warriors set up defensively.

“They’re strong,” Tanaka said. “And once we set up (in the halfcourt), it’s not a transition, not a counterattack, we kind of get pushed around. But (our players) played hard. They never gave up. That’s all you can ask.”

Plenty of familiarity existed between the squads; the opposing players exchanged pleasantries throughout the match. But it might’ve worked to Kaiser’s disadvantage.

“They know us, they know how we play,” said Cougars senior Kanoko Niimura, who scored twice. “They’re obviously really good. So they catch on really quick, and they can catch up. They’re bigger than us, they can hold us. It’s not very difficult for them to defend on us.”

Kamehameha’s only state water polo title came in 2006, over Kahuku. It is 1-9 in state finals, with all of the losses to Punahou.

No. 1 Punahou 18, No. 4 Kamehameha-Hawaii 4

The Buffanblu, 41-0 all-time in states, made it a knockout early against the Big Island Warriors, racing out to a 6-0 lead after a quarter with a pair of goals from Christina Hicks and Josie Mobley.

Hicks finished with four goals, Mobley and Dillyn Lietzke had three, Emma Luna two, and Kaya Lee, Victoria Gacutan, Emmalia McKenney, Mahina Damon, Sierra Smart and Mallory Meister added one apiece.

“I was really proud of our effort and our execution,” Punahou coach Ken Smith said. “That’s what we want to do going into playing tomorrow. We had enough depth that other guys got some rest.”

Naniloa Spaar led KSH with two goals and Aubrey Carter and Ocean Aikau also got on the board.