Posted on: Sunday, February 22, 2004
STATE SOCCER
Mililani wins fourth title in row
The Mililani High School boys soccer team celebrate its fourth consecutive state title after defeating Iolani 1-0 in the championship game.
Photos by Eugene Tanner The Honolulu Advertiser |
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By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer
The match was watched by 3,338 fans at Aloha Stadium.
Top-seeded Mililani (15-0), the three-time defending O'ahu Interscholastic Association champion, beat Iolani, 4-3, in sudden victory penalty kicks after two scoreless 40-minute halves and two 10-minute overtime periods.
The score was tied at 3 after the first five shooters, and then went into sudden victory, where the penalty kicks continue with both teams getting a shot. The game ends when one team makes a shot and the other misses.
Both team's sixth-shooters missed, and Iolani's seventh-shooter's attempt was saved by Darren Smith.
Mililani senior Ehren Ching then made his kick into the lower left side of the goal for the win.
"I was feeling a little pressure going onto the field," Ching said. "But then Darren came up big with a save, and I went in there trying to think about nothing."
Smith, the Trojans' senior goalkeeper, made two saves in penalty kicks. Two other Iolani shooters missed.
"I was prepared well; we practiced a lot," Smith said.
Seniors Brent Murakami, Patrick Egloria, Ching and junior Todd Sorbin made their kicks for the Trojans.
Smith, Murakami, Paul-Spencer Tojo and Justin Kim become the first individuals to win four state soccer championships.
"This was the sweetest," Murakami said. "The other years, we won it for the seniors, this one was for us."
Mililani handed second-seeded Iolani (12-1-4), the Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion, its first loss of the season.
"None of them (Iolani) have been to the state championship before, we used our experience," Murakami said.
Punahou is the only other school in the history of Hawai'i High School Athletic Association tournament history to four-peat, winning from 1989-1992. No freshmen were on the team in 1989. Punahou's championships came in eight-team tournaments while Mililani's championships involved 12 teams.
"I think the people got their money's worth tonight," said Iolani coach Ric Miller, who said he was happy to take the game into penalty kicks, considering no one has beaten Mililani in the state tournament in more than four years.
The apparent game-winning goal by Mililani's Tyler Kilborn was called back due to an offsides call. Kilborn appeared to score on a volley from a 25-yard direct kick by Kim in the 89th minute. Kilborn was given a "soft" red card after ripping his uniform off after his mistaken score. With a "soft" red card, the player can be substituted, and the team can play with all 11 players.
"I thought we put a lot of effort into this, in terms of preparation," said Mililani co-head coach Jeff Yamamoto.
Yamamoto said that the team lost nine or 10 players to graduation last season, making this one of the more difficult teams in terms of experience.
Third place
Baldwin 2, Kamehameha 1: Blake Nunes scored the game-winning goal in the 68th minute on a header off an assist from Ian Pascua, giving third-seeded Baldwin (12-1) the victory over Kamehameha for its second third-place finish in three years.
J.J. Eno also scored in the 33rd minute for the Bears, champions of the Maui Interscholastic League.
Michael DeCaires scored in the 54th minute for Kamehameha (12-4-3) of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu.
Fifth place
Kealakehe 2, Kaiser 2: Fourth-seeded Kealakehe (15-3), the Big Island Interscholastic Federation champ, tied Kaiser (14-3-1) of the O'ahu Interscholastic Association.
Brandon Okagawa (23rd minute) and Jared Keanaaina (31) scored first-half goals for the Waveriders.
Curt Sadd (64) and Matthew Bush (67) scored second-half goals for the Cougars.
Consolation
Kaua'i 1, Waiakea 1: Ross Brandeburg (24) scored for Kaua'i (7-4) the Kaua'i Interscholastic Federation champs, and Marc Hernandez (35) for Waiakea (15-4) of the Big Island Interscholastic Federation.
Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2457.