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MANOA — The Monarchs will have a chance to continue their reign. 

Tryten Vicari drove in Francis O'Connor for the go-ahead run with his RBI-sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth inning to lift two-time defending champion Damien to a 2-1 win over Waianae in the semifinals of the Wally Yonamine Foundation/HHSAA Division II Baseball State Championships at Les Murakami Stadium Friday afternoon. 

The Monarchs improved to 6-10 and secured a spot in Saturday morning's title game, where they will play No. 10 Kamehameha-Hawaii at 10 a.m. at Moanalua High School. 

The top-seeded Seariders saw their season end at 12-3. 

Shysten Nagasako scored the game's first run in the top of the fourth inning. He led off the frame with a walk and moved to second after an errant pick-off throw. Nagasako went to third on a Chaseten Rice bunt single and then took advantage of another errant pick-off attempt to come home. 

Damien evened the score in the bottom of the fifth, when Rydge Kohagura smacked a leadoff triple and scored two batters later on a single by Max DeTrinis. 

O'Connor singled to open the bottom of the sixth. Nainoa Begonia's sacrifice bunt moved O'Connor into scoring position and a passed ball put him on third base. Vicari then lifted a 3-0 pitch to right-center field, which was secured by centerfielder Kona Maxwell for the second out of the inning. O'Connor tagged up from third base to score the go-ahead run. 

In the top half of the sixth inning, O'Connor — who started the game on the mound before he moved to the outfield for the final four innings — came up with a pivotal assist after he fired a rocket from centerfield to catcher Carl Julian well in time to get Nagasako, who was trying to score on the play. 

Aaron Rapoza allowed one hit and one walk with three strikeouts in four scoreless innings of relief to get the win for Damien. 

Nagasako took the loss for the Seariders after he allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits with one strikeout and three walks in six innings. 

Waianae, the Oahu Interscholastic Association champion, was seeking its first appearance in a state title game since it lost to Mid-Pacific in back-to-back seasons in 1990 and 1991. 

The Seariders have lost in the semifinal round of the D2 state tournament four times since 2013. 

Damien will be making its fifth appearance in the D2 title game since 2017.