WAIPAHU — Kapa'a's Dylan James and Ikaika Fuerte each scored in the first 11 minutes of yesterday's 2-1 semifinal win over top-seed Honoka'a to lift the Warriors into tonight's inaugural JN Automotive Group/HHSAA Boys Division II Soccer State Championship final at Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Complex.

Kapa'a, the Kaua'i Interscholastic Federation champion, improved to 8-1-1 and will meet Interscholastic League of Hono-lulu champion, Mid-Pacific, in the 6 p.m. title game. Honoka'a, the Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion, fell to 12-5.

"This is what we've worked for," said Kapa'a coach Kevin Cram. "We had pretty much the same group coming back (from last season), so our goal was to get to this point. Anything short, we would have been disappointed, because we know we have the ability to do it."

James, a senior forward, opened the scoring in the second minute.

"I brought it from the left side and into the middle," said James. "The sweeper mis-kicked it and it rolled right in front of me and just kicked it in the right corner."

In the 11th minute, James assisted on the Warriors' second goal by Fuerte, a junior midfielder.

James crossed a ball from about 25 yards out to the far left corner of the box and Fuerte leapt to get a head on it and past the Dragons' goalkeeper.

"I thought we came out a little flat and they took advantage of it," said Honoka'a coach Maurice Miranda. "We didn't make them work for their goals. We had breakdowns in those two quick scores."

Kapa'a missed an opportunity late in the first half on a through-ball to Pedro Rupert, but Dragons' goalkeeper, Will Zenk, made a diving save.

Honoka'a got its only goal on a penalty kick in the 64th minute by Rogelio Maltezo. The senior midfielder put the ball in the bottom right corner of the goal to make it 2-1.

Honoka'a adjusted its offensive strategy in the final 20 minutes of the game.

"We pushed an extra guy up and we went to three forwards," said Miranda. "At that point we went man-to-man in the back and we told our guys 'You're going to have to handle that, we're going to push up and try to score a goal.' "

Kapa'a dodged several late Honoka'a threats to hold on.

"I was just trying to calm down the whole back line," said Warriors' goalkeeper Parker Blalock. "We have so much potential, but if we lost focus and gave up a goal, it could have gone for nothing."

Honoka'a beat Kaua'i, 7-6, in penalty kicks earlier yesterday, in a game that began Thursday, but was suspended due to inclement weather and field conditions.

"I think having to come out this morning may have taken out some of our energy, but we came out and really battled in the second half," said Miranda.

MID-PACIFIC 1, KAMEHAMEHA-HAWAI'I 0

Rex Meier scored in the 58th minute to lead No. 2 Mid-Pacific to a 1-0 win over Kamehameha-Hawai'i in yesterday's other semifinal.

The Owls improved to 7-6-1 and advanced to tonight's championship game. The Warriors dropped to 15-3.

"It was our goal this season to get there," said MPI coach Marc Miranda. "After last season, we thought we had all the pieces to get here and then the opportunity arose with the Division II slot and we jumped on it."

Meier, a 4-foot-10 sophomore forward, put away the right-footed shot to the right side of the net.

Marc Miranda is the son of Honoka'a head coach, Maurice Miranda.

"We kind of wanted to play my dad's team," said Marc Miranda. "But Kapa'a will be a good game, I think they've got one of the best players in the state in Chance Bukoski."

Bukoski, a senior midfielder, was named to The Advertiser's All-State First Team as a junior.

DIVISION II

CONSOLATION

KAUA'I 1, KAHUKU 0

Goal—Kaua'i: Josiah Motosue, 16th minute.

SEABURY HALL 2, HAWAI'I PREP 1

Goals—Sea: Jacob Sandoval, 33rd minute; Kevan Blunt, 75th minute. HP: Korey Tsubota, 2nd minute.

SEMIFINALS

KAPA'A 2, HONOKA'A, 1

Goals—Kap: Dylan James, 2nd minute; Ikaika Fuerte, 11th minute. Hon: Rogelio Maltezo, 64th minute.

MID-PACIFIC 1, KS-HAWAII 0

Goal—MPI: Rex Meier, 58th minute.

(Continued from Thursday night)

QUARTERFINAL

Honoka'a 1, Kaua'i 0 (2OT/PK)

Reach Kalani Takase at ktakase@honoluluadvertiser.com.