Mililani captures 4th consecutive boys title
By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer
Mililani senior defender Cheyne Eugenio scored in overtime in a 2-1 win over Leilehua to lead the Trojans to their fourth straight O'ahu Interscholastic Association championship last night at 'Aiea.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser
Mililani (10-0-2), the four-time defending state champ, will be the OIA's top seed in the state tournament that begins Wednesday. Joining the Trojans are Leilehua, Pearl City, Kaiser and Kapolei.
Mililani's Michael Smith (20) is greeted by teammate Justin Ching (3) after Smith scored in the first half against Leilehua.
"It's pretty much a whole new team," Eugenio said of this year's squad. "It's not like we're meant to be here, we worked for it. There's too many doubters."
He scored four minutes into the overtime on a header off a corner kick by senior midfielder Justin Ching, who sent a lofted ball into a crowd of bodies, and Eugenio said he "jumped higher than everyone.
"It was like shock that it went in, but it felt good. We just ran to our spots we're supposed to. It was a perfect cross."
Mililani co-head coach Steve McGehee said the team made adjustments in overtime.
"I saw what they were doing that was giving us problems," he said. "And we tried to correct that in overtime."
Mililani also struck early in regulation, 1 1./2 minutes into the match, when junior defender Michael Smith scored on a header off a corner kick.
"It brought the momentum up," Smith said. "It was kind of unexpected to score so early."
Leilehua (9-3-1) sophomore forward Syd Tom tied the match in the 29th minute, curling a corner kick from the left side into the goal's far right corner.
"It was a surprise to me, but he's a real good shooter," Leilehua coach Carl Friedl said. "If he sees an opening, he usually takes it. He probably saw the goalkeeper up."
Both teams had chances in regulation. In the 44th minute, Leilehua's Charlie Pregoner received a pass from Daniel Phelps on the left side of the 18-yard box, but Pregoner shot it high.
"They really put pressure on us and had a bunch of opportunities," Mililani co-head coach Jeff Yamamoto said.
The Trojans had a chance on a long free kick by Ching, but the header off the kick was scooped up by the goalkeeper with about five minutes remaining.
Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2457.
