Asked to describe Jaci Young’s performance this week, Punahou softball coach Bob Makahilahila simply tapped his chest.

"Heart," he said through the emotion as the Buffanblu celebrated the program’s first state championship.

Pitching for the fourth straight day, Young’s complete-game effort sent Punahou to a 2-0 win over Kamehameha in the Division I title game of the DataHouse/HHSAA Softball State Championships on Friday at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

Young held the top-seeded Warriors to two hits and escaped two late-inning jams, triggering the celebration with her ninth strikeout of the game and 43rd of the tournament.

Young and senior catcher Kylie Popovich had come close to a title as freshmen, when Punahou finished second in 2010. This time they helped the Buffanblu softball program earn its first contribution to the school’s vast collection of state championship trophies.

"We definitely talked about it and it’s just an amazing feeling right now," Young said. "To win it with this group of girls is amazing. I’m so grateful we got this opportunity and we were able to do something with it."

Young had thrown two complete games earlier in the tournament and outdueled Kamehameha sophomore Kamalani Dung in the final.

"Adrenaline definitely kicked in, but I probably won’t be able to pitch for a while," Young said with a laugh.

Dung struck out the first four batters she faced and finished the game with 12. But the Buffanblu managed to scratch out two runs in the bottom of the third inning, and Young kept the Warriors off the scoreboard, stranding five Kamehameha runners on base in the last two innings.

"We just came a little short. Hat’s off to Punahou. They were able to capitalize when it counted and I still believe in our team," Kamehameha coach Aloha Yamaguchi said.

Punahou rallied from deficits twice in the tournament, but went ahead early in the final.

Freshman Heaven Wong led off the bottom of the third with a line single to left field. She went around to third when a wild pitch got hung up on the backstop and scored the game’s first run when Thalen Masada reached on a single to shortstop.

The Buffanblu loaded the bases with a single and a walk to bring Vanessa Va’a to the plate. With the Kamehameha outfield playing deep, Va’a’s looper into shallow center fell in and Masada scored.

"We had to settle down, but thankfully we did," Va’a said.

Va’a said the nerves that accompanied singing the national anthem before the game were comparable to the anxious moments in the sixth and seventh innings.

With one out in the top of the sixth, the Warriors’ Rachel Dumlao reached on an error and stole second. Pinch hitter Kaleihoku Kaneshiro hit a grounder to third base and the Buffanblu tried to catch Dumlao straying off of second. But the throw back to third was wild and the Warriors put the tying runs in scoring position with one out.

Young got a pop up, then walked a batter to load the bases with two out and cleanup batter Kaya Naiwi coming up. With a 1-2 count, Young got Naiwi to chase a riseball to keep the shutout intact.

"I was looking at my pitching coach (Courtney Baughman) and she kept me calm through the whole thing," Young said. "I knew the team had me no matter what."

Kamehameha had another flash of life in the seventh, putting two runners on with two out. But Young ended the game with her ninth strikeout.

Punahou ended the season with a 12-game winning streak, a run that began with a win over Kamehameha on April 3.

"This was the goal," Makahilahila said. "I told them if we all believed in each other and we play the way I know we’re capable of, we can do this. It’s just great."