Waiakea's David Nakamura jumps into the D1 championship game after pitching a complete-game shutout. Greg Yamamoto | SL

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Centerfielder Gehrig Octavio takes a leap of faith to come down with the ball to help seal Waiakea's win. Greg Yamamoto | SL

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MANOA — Inclement weather put Friday afternoon's Wally Yonamine Foundation Division I State Championships semifinals in jeopardy of being postponed, but one thing for certain was that the Warriors were going to win.

The tarps were removed and Waiakea and Kamehameha — both nicknamed Warriors — came out to play at Les Murakami Stadium in a war of high-flying action as the team from the Big Island stood strong, 2-0, in a spectacular display of defense to earn a spot in the championship game for the second time in school history.

Waiakea will play the Maui Sabers Saturday night at 7 p.m. at Les Murakami Stadium in a chase for its second koa head trophy.

Starting pitchers David Nakamura for Waiakea, and Hunter Breault for Kamehameha both went the distance in a duel on the mound, but for the second night in a row, it was what Waiakea's pitchers did off the rubber that helped the Warriors earn the victory.

In the top of the first inning, Nathan Minami took an 0-2 count and blasted a single to left centerfield. Jacob Igawa was pelted on the next pitch for a free base, setting up Nakamura's RBI single for what would end up being the winning run.

"My teammates came in and said, ‘Look for that fast ball. He's going to try bring it by you.' I had it in my mind ready to jump on it," Nakamura said, who took Breault's first pitch offering to left field. "It was pretty much make contact and hope for the best."

For the next five and a half innings, it would be goose eggs across the board for either Warriors team.

Both pitchers were making their second appearances of the tournament after struggling in their first outings on Wednesday.

Centerfielder Gehrig Octavio takes a leap of faith to come down with the ball to help seal Waiakea's win. Greg Yamamoto | SL    Purchase image

"It was a brand new mound, something that was an alien to me," Nakamura said. "It helped me figure out what I had to adjust to."

Nakamura seemed to start to slip in the bottom of the fourth inning after throwing seven-straight balls to load the bases, giving Kamehameha its best opportunity to bring a runner across the plate.

"The three words I said was: ‘Step. Throw. Follow-through'," Nakamura said, inducing a grounder to third to get out of the jam. "That was my motto for the whole game."

Kamehameha also had another chance in the bottom of the sixth after Dylan Salcedo tried to get a two-out rally going with a single through the left side to reach base for the third time of the game. Courtesy runner Francis Gora replaced him on the base paths — also for the third time in the game.

Chase Miyasato was brought in to pinch hit and on the third pitch, Gora stole second to get in scoring position. Miyasato dribbled the next pitch down the first base side, but Waiakea failed to cover the base in time.

In the split-second of confusion amongst Waiakea's players, Gora rounded third and headed for home but was easily thrown out at the plate.

"I was holding him up but I was watching the first baseman. I didn't even see him go by," Kamehameha coach Tom Perkins said while taking the blame. "I should've paid attention to him. The thing about it, if it works, ho, you're a genius."

On the other side, an aggressive approach to base running worked out well for Waiakea.

In the top of the seventh, pinch hitter Anthony Benevides, Jr. got on with a wild pitch strikeout with pinch runner Chris Hatakenaka-Gibbs taking over. A speedy Khaden Victorino attempted to bunt him over but instead outran the throw for an infield single.

Curren Inouye then hit into what potentially could have been an inning-ending double play, but Victorino was too fast and slid safely into second base. Kamehameha shortstop Kawaiola Takemura argued the call with the umpire while Hatakenaka-Gibbs raced home for an insurance run.

In the final frame of the game, Takemura got on with a single up the middle, bringing up Nakea Hanohano.

After slamming a double to centerfield earlier in the game, the senior blasted an even deeper shot beyond the same area, but Waiakea's Gehrig Octavio made an on-the-fly leaping back-handed catch at the warning track. The next batter flied out to Octavio again to seal the victory.

"It was a great game and defense made excellent plays. All yearlong we preach, ‘Take care of the ball. Play great defense. Back up our pitchers'," Waiakea coach Rory Inouye said. "Today, the ball just fell our way."

Waiakea last won a state championship in its lone title game appearance against Baldwin in 2012.

Kamehameha will play Campbell for third place.