Mililani returned to the top of the state with a convincing 3-0 win over Kalani in the Division I final of the Outrigger Hotels & Resorts/ HHSAA Boys State Soccer Championships at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium on Saturday night.
The Trojans wasted no time stepping on Kalani’s throat, with Douglas Curran getting a throw from Tyler Matas and beating Falcons keeper Shawn Donnelly on a header just 4 minutes, 26 seconds into the game. He did it again 4 minutes later, putting his forehead on a corner kick from Renato Torquato for another score.
"(Torquato) gave me a good ball on the second one," Curran said. "The first one was a long throw by Tyler right to my head. I was lucky enough to get it over the front post."
Ryan Tokunaga was the next Trojan to use his head, knocking in Mililani’s third goal in the 36th minute.
"That third goal was about the prettiest goal you are ever going to see," Kalani coach Mike Ching said. "A perfect header. They are a fantastic team. They beat us twice this year. They are Mililani for a reason."
It was the third straight shutout in the state final. Punahou beat Kaiser 5-0 last year and ‘Iolani 1-0 in 2010. Mililani finished the campaign with four straight shutouts and held teams scoreless in 13 of its 15 wins this year. The Trojans did not give up more than one goal in a game all season.
Kalani made the Trojans work for the shutout until the final seconds, outshooting the Trojans 6-3 in the second half. The Falcons’ best chance came when Kevin Carroll dented the crossbar with 10 minutes left.
Leo Klink, the hero for Kalani the previous two days, was held scoreless and never really got a run past Mililani’s stout defense. Trojans keeper Tyler Wilson had three saves all night.
"I think the second half of the game really was telling how even these two teams are," Mililani coach Jeff Yamamoto said. "It was a great game, great competition. I have to give everything to my coaches and of course my great team."
It was Mililani’s fifth state title after ruling from 2001 to ’04. It was the Trojans’ second appearance in the final since that great run. They fell to ‘Iolani in 2009. Kalani has never won a state title, but lost in the final in 2007.
"I think we proved we belonged here, and we are going to be back," Ching said. "We really wanted to win the second half. I hope the Kalani people are proud of these kids."
Mililani finished its season undefeated. The Trojans’ only close call was a tie with Kapolei on Jan. 3. They needed an overtime goal by Matas to beat Kalani in the OIA semifinals, dealing the Falcons (15-2) the first of their only two losses of the season.
"I give a lot of credit to those guys," Curran said. "They work hard to the end. Even though they were down three, they never quit."
‘Iolani 1, Kapolei 1, tie
Junior forward Kelle Miyama scored the equalizer in the 80th minute as the Raiders (9-2-3) forged a tie with the Hurricanes (13-2-2) in the third-place match.
Senior midfielder Jesse George scored for Kapolei in the 11th minute.
Punahou 4, Pearl City 1
Alex Lam (eighth minute), Andrew Miscovich (31st), Don Park (60th) and Quincy Marting (75th) scored for the Buffanblu (10-3), while George Giofiev (38th) had the Chargers’ lone goal in the fifth-place match.
Aiea 3, Waiakea 1
Tayler Sonobe-Morita (25th minute), Ezra White (29th) and Brooks Tanonaka (55th) scored as Na Alii (9-6-1) beat the Warriors (10-7-1) for the consolation title.
Cameron Boucher scored in the 36th minute for Waiakea.