Mililani beats ‘Iolani to make it an all-OIA final

What kind of OIA party would it be without the league champs?

Mililani beat ‘Iolani 1-0 in the semifinals of the Outrigger Hotels & Resorts/HHSAA Boys Soccer Championships at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium on Friday night. The Trojans will meet Kalani at 7 p.m. for the title, the first time two Oahu Interscholastic Association teams will share the spotlight since Kaimuki beat Moanalua in 1981.

"It’s significant for the OIA to have teams that can beat the ILH," Mililani coach Jeff Yamamoto said. "For Kalani to beat Punahou was huge, and for us to beat a team like ‘Iolani is just as huge. They have an excellent team."

Mililani overwhelmed ‘Iolani’s defense for its only score, when Renato Torquato was the spearhead of a push that sent Raiders keeper Josh Adachi, two ‘Iolani defenders, Torquato and the ball into the goal.

"It was like a surprise," Torquato said. "I’m just glad I had the calm to put it in for my team."

With Mililani’s defense, that goal was all it would need. ‘Iolani outshot Mililani 14-7 and spent the entire second half threatening in the Trojans’ end but never broke through. Mililani keeper Tyler Wilson made six saves.

How the ball got past Adachi was either a bad bounce or a brilliant scheme. What looked like chaos was scripted, according to Yamamoto.

"Steve McGehee, our set-play specialist, I have to give him all the credit. He saw something and we said, ‘We’re just going to do it,’ " Yamamoto said. "It was a mob play, but it worked."

McGehee was not quite ready to accept the praise from the boss. Either that, or he might have something similar up his sleeve for Kalani.

"The keeper is probably the best keeper in the state," McGehee said. "We were able to get to the ball first and get the ball past him. That’s all we did."

It is the first time since 2001, when the Trojans beat Hilo, that the ILH failed to advance to the last game, and the champion will come from the OIA for the first time since 2004. That’s when the Trojans finished off a run of four in a row under Yamamoto. Although Mililani is the only traditional power in the game, the Trojans don’t expect a fifth state title will come easy.

"They (Kalani) have a terrific midfield, a great center back and the best striker in the state," Yamamoto said. "It should be a great game."