LIHUE, Kaua'i -- Cory Somera-Payomo scored on a 3-yard touchdown run with 10:56 remaining in the fourth quarter last night and Kapa'a limited Pearl City to 143 yards of total offense to lift the Warriors to a 7-0 victory in the opening round of the First Hawaiian Bank/Hawai'i High School Athletic Association Division II State Championships.
Kapa'a, which earlier in the week won its first Kaua'i Interscholastic Federation title in over two decades, improved to 8-3 and will travel to four-time defending DII state champ 'Iolani (6-4) for Saturday's 2 p.m. semifinal at Eddie Hamada Field.
Pearl City's season ends at 9-3 after a loss in its first-ever state tournament appearance.
Last night's game was deadlocked for three quarters, before Somera-Payomo's TD capped a 17-play, 92-yard drive. The Chargers went three-and-out on their next two possessions but put together a 12-play drive that advanced them to the Warriors' 43-yard line.
But Kapa'a's defense held firm on fourth-and-1, and with Pearl City out of timeouts, the Warriors were able to run out the final minute.