WAIPAHU — Waiting one year plus 35 minutes for its second chance at a Division II boys soccer state championship, Kapa'a fulfilled the mission last night with a convincing 3-1 victory over Hawai'i Prep.

A crowd of about 1,500 at Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium watched the Warriors finish the regular and postseason with a 10-0-1 record and gain redemption after falling to Mid-Pacific in last year's DII final.

"This was our second chance, and it feels great to finally bring (the championship) home to Kaua'i," said Kapa'a senior forward Ikaika Fuerte, who scored in the 13th minute to tie it at 1-1 and again in the 51st minute to give the Warriors a 3-1 lead. "We have great competition on Kaua'i, and I want to thank all the players and coaches there."

Kapa'a's chance at redemption was delayed about 35 minutes after HPA showed up with white jerseys instead of its designated red (Kapa'a correctly wore white). The game started with Ka Makani wearing red practice T-shirts, and it didn't seem to bother them as they took a 1-0 lead in the sixth minute on Korey Tsubota's goal from about 25 yards into the upper middle portion of the net.

Fuerte, voted the tournament's most outstanding player, tied it eight minutes later on a free kick from just above the arc, threading a needle between the HPA wall, the right post and goalkeeper Bobby Stomski, who dived to his left.

"That's actually one of our plays, we work on that in practice," Fuerte said of the low hard shot.

Caleb Sarsona made it 2-1 in the 28th minute after breaking free in the open field and sending a shot from about 15 yards on the right side into the lower left corner of the net, assisted by Fuerte. The Warriors continued to apply pressure the remainder of the half, and out-shot Ka Makani 7-3 in the first 40 minutes.

"You don't like to be down 1-0, but we weren't in a panic mode," Kapa'a coach Kevin Cram said. "Our guys are well-conditioned, and I knew they would run for us the whole half."

The Warriors maintained the pressure in the second half, getting five more shots on goal, including Fuerte's score from just above the arc into the upper right corner of the net, off an assist by Sarsona.

HPA (14-4) had one golden chance in the 71st minute, on Tsubota's header in the goal box. But Kapa'a keeper Christian Taniguchi dived to the ground to make the saving catch.

That would be their last serious threat.

"We got up 1-0, but then we lost the flow," Ka Makani coach Jon-Paul Mangarin said. "We had a few defensive errors, and (Fuerte and Sarsona) played us wide and pulled our middle (defender) out. But this was just their night. They were stronger than us and played better soccer. They were the better team tonight."

DIVISION II

CONSOLATION

MAKUA LANI 2, RADFORD 1

ML — Kainoa Seeley (37:00), Ryan Orvis (39:00). Rad — Aaron Sylman (35:00).

FIFTH PLACE

HONOKA'A 1, WAIALUA 1

Hon — Sage Johnson (63:00). Wai — Brandon Galapia (65:00).

THIRD PLACE

MID-PACIFIC 2, SEABURY HALL 0

MPI — Daigo Kamekoa (50:47), Ryne Shimabukuro (68:40).

CHAMPIONSHIP

KAPA'A 3, HAWAI'I PREP 1

Kap — Ikaika Fuertes (13:00, 50:27), Caleb Sarsona (27:16). HPA — Korey Tsubota (5:47).

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

Caleb Sarsona, Kapa'a.

Joseph Velasco, Kapa'a.

Kaisen Carrillo, Kapa'a.

Tyler Cram, Kapa'a.

Erik Zhou, Hawai'i Prep.

Tyler Tsubota, Hawai'i Prep.

Johnny Himalaya, Hawai'i Prep.

Ryne Shimabukuro, Mid-Pacific.

Daniel Wagner, Mid-Pacific.

Jerry Walsh, Makua Lani.

Jacob Sandoval, Seabury Hall.

Goalkeeper: Christian Taniguchi, Kapa'a.

Most outstanding player: Ikaika Fuerte, Kapa'a.