HONOLULU — The Mililani boys soccer team worked extra time to extend its reign in the Oahu Interscholastic Association.
Kahuku, meanwhile, played its way to a trophy for the first time in 12 years.
The defending state champion Trojans received a stern challenge from the Campbell Sabers but they outlasted their OIA West rival for a 2-1 win in double overtime at breezy Kaiser High on Saturday night. It was the Central Oahu school’s fourth straight Division I league championship and record 20th overall.
[Note: See below for more photos of Kahuku-Waipahu football.]
After Campbell’s Bryson Ancheta put the Sabers on the board in the first half, Tyler Tamashiro put in the equalizer on a rebound in the box in the 48th minute and Caleb Ishizaka had the golden goal in the 95th.
Tamashiro’s blast came on a teammate’s long throw-in into the box, aided by strong winds that blew toward Maunalua Bay all night. All six goals scored between the D-I and D-II games were accomplished on that end of the field.
“I just remember we were trying to be direct, put the balls in the box, and I was just lucky to clean it up on there, on the rebound,” Tamashiro told Spectrum OC16’s Jimmy Bender.
The Trojans are one title shy of matching the OIA record of five in a row — Mililani did it from 2002-06 and McKinley won the first five from 1973-77.
Campbell (10-2-1) was denied its first title, falling to Mililani in the final for the second straight year.
In the D-II final, Kahuku surged in the final 10 minutes to come back to defeat Waipahu, 2-1, for the Red Raiders’ third overall title, and first since 2012. All three have come at the D-II level.
A move down from D-I to D-II this year worked out in the end for the Red Raiders, who got the equalizing goal from Kea Lerner on a penalty kick in the 72nd minute and the winner from Noa Vaiaoga on an assist from Lerner in the 77th.
“That’s just been our team all year. We’ve been resilient,” Lerner told Bender. “We were in D-I last year and we got moved down to D-II this year, and it’s just another opportunity. We came out here, did what we do best.”
Waipahu’s Gideon Gonda launched a ball that caught the wind and sailed off the back post and in in the 15th minute. The Marauders appeared poised to attain their second all-time title by weathering a number of Red Raider attacking runs.
Kahuku’s bus got caught in standstill traffic on the way down the coast to Hawaii Kai, resulting in the D-II game starting nearly two hours late.
By the time the D-I game finished, it was after 11 p.m.
The sun set over Kaiser High School’s field during the OIA Division II boys soccer championship. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)
Midfielder Louis Faustino dribbled the ball for Kahuku. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)
Waipahu goalkeeper Evan Baptista made a diving save. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)
Kahuku’s Kea Lerner serviced the ball. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)
Ku Ponciano battled for the ball for Kahuku. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)
Kahuku’s Kea Lerner, middle left, leaped into teammates after his equalizer goal on a penalty kick. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)
Kahuku’s Kea Lerner, right, struck his penalty kick in the 72nd minute. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)
Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at [email protected].
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