Saint Louis quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw for 376 yards and three touchdowns in the first half to lead the Crusaders to a 56-30 win over defending state champion Mililani tonight in the Division I semifinals of the HHSAA/First Hawaiian Bank State Football Championships at Aloha Stadium.

Tagovailoa completed 15 of 18 passes and ran for two touchdowns and the Crusaders took a 49-14 lead into halftime. The junior spent the rest of the game on the sideline and Saint Louis advanced to face top-seeded Kahuku in the Division I championship game next Friday at Aloha Stadium. The Crusaders and Red Raiders will meet for the title for the sixth time in the 17-year history of the state tournament.

The Crusaders earned the program’s ninth appearance in the final and its first since Marcus Mariota led Saint Louis to the championship in 2010.

Mililani led 14-7 after Vavae Malepeai’s 1-yard touchdown run with 41 seconds left in the first quarter. Tagovailoa answered with a 76-yard touchdown pass to Drew Kobayashi to trigger a 42-0 Saint Louis run over the remainder of the first half.

Mililani had appeared in the previous two state finals, winning the title last year, and Friday’s loss ended the high school careers of Malepeai and quarterback McKenzie Milton.

Milton completed five of 14 attempts with three interceptions and a touchdown before leaving the game with an injury in the second quarter.

Malepeai rushed for 258 yards on 32 attempts and passed ‘Iolani’s Joe Igber to become the state’s all-time leading rusher in the third quarter.