Joshua Tihada stands alone in state tournament history.

But after powering Lahainaluna to a fourth straight state title with a record-breaking performance, the prolific Lunas running back wanted to acknowledge those who aided in the climb to the summit.

Whether splitting gaps opened by the offensive line and fullbacks or finding seams on his own, Tihada pounded his way to a state-tournament record 310 yards and three touchdowns in the Lunas’ 21-10 win over Kapaa in the Division II final of the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA State Football Championships on Friday at Aloha Stadium.

>> Click here to see photos of the game between Lahainaluna and Kapaa.

“Coming into this game I just looked back at all my memories and all the wonderful blessings I had playing high school football, from my first game to where I am now,” Tihada said. “I’m just so thankful for everyone who helped me get to this moment.”

Lined up in a wildcat formation for much of the afternoon, Tihada kept the ball in his hands 36 times and accounted for all but 29 yards of the Lunas’ total. He ran for 1,087 yards and scored 19 touchdowns over nine state tournament games while helping Lahainaluna claim the koa trophy each year of his high school career.

Three of those titles have come with Kapaa on the opposite sideline, as the Kauai Interscholastic Federation remains in search of its first state championship.

“We keep getting here, at some point we’re going to have to knock the door down,” Kapaa coach Philip Rapozo said. “We keep knocking, but we’re facing a tough team that’s well coached, well disciplined.”

Tihada’s record run on Friday was also credit to the work up front of linemen Dylan Takahashi-Sagapolutele, Hookipa Sakalia, Kaeo Pedroza-Kanemitsu, Rylend Nobriga and Taai Galoia. He often followed fullbacks Neil Agbayani, Treven Tihada (his cousin) and Tysyn Estrella into the hole.

“We just concentrate on reminding them that in order for us to control the ball it’s going to come down to them controlling their blocks and sustaining their blocks,” Lahainaluna co-head coach Dean Rickard said. “We knew the battle in the trenches was going to dictate the pace of this game.”

The Lunas attempted just two passes and won their fifth state tournament game without a completion to their credit.

Tihada picked up 156 yards before halftime and scored on runs of 4 and 22 yards to help send the Lunas into the locker room with a 14-10 lead.

Kapaa, powered by running back Baba Na-O (who finished with 108 yards on 20 carries) and quarterback Kahanu Davis, traded blows with the Lunas for much of the first half. Na-O capped a 10-play, 71-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown plunge late in the first quarter and the Warriors added a 23-yard field goal by La’akea Gonsalves just before halftime.

The Lahainaluna defense held Kapaa to 33 yards of total offense while shutting out the Warriors in the second half.

“It was just reminding kids of what to read, keying on their reads and swarming to the ball,” Rickard said. “They had to settle down. I think it took that whole half for them to realize that and it made all the difference in the world. The second half they came out they were more crisp, they were more energetic.”

After Kapaa’s defense forced Lahainaluna to punt on its first two possessions of the third quarter, the Lunas got the ball back at their 8-yard line with 1:48 left in the period. Tihada kept the ball nine times in an 11-play march and picked up 85 of the Lunas’ 92 yards on the drive. He finished it by breaking out to his right after finding the middle clogged and racing 40 yards for the game’s final touchdown.

“When you say Josh Tihada, everybody thinks he can do anything and actually he proved it today,” Rickard said. “He’s just a special athlete to me.

“Everything was piled up inside he just bounced it outside and everything after that is just instinct on his part and the rest is us just watching him and enjoying what he’s given us the last four years.”

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