Noah Ungos’ goal with less than two minutes left gave Mililani a 3-2 victory over Kalani in the OIA boys soccer semifinals at Kaiser Stadium on Thursday night.
That goal was part of a frantic finish in which the Falcons tied it at 2 before what turned out to be Ungos’ game-winner. But even after that goal, Kalani kept the heat on and nearly got the equalizer.
“It was one of those games where we weren’t necessarily doing what we wanted to do,” Trojans coach Steve McGehee said. “We had to find a way to win and the boys did it, so credit to them.”
Mililani (12-0) moves on to play Kapolei, a team the Trojans beat 1-0 in the regular season, in Saturday’s OIA final at Kaiser Stadium.
“Every time we play Kapolei, no matter what players are out there, it’s always a battle, just like it’s always a battle against Kalani,” said McGehee, whose Trojans are going for a 17th OIA championship.
Earlier in the second half, Liam McGehee’s deadly 50-yard free kick gave the Trojans a 2-1 lead with about 11 minutes left, but the Trojans couldn’t keep Kalani in check to finish it off cleanly.
The unofficial scoreboard clock showed two minutes when the Falcons’ Brison Kim scored on a low shot to the right corner to knot it up 2-all.
Before you could say “no overtime,” Ungos took a cross from Jvon Cunningham and deposited the decider into the goal to push the Trojans into the title game.
“We just had to keep our heads in the game, keep a cool temper and focus on being us,” Ungos said about the flurry of late action with overtime a real possibility. “We can’t wait to play Kapolei. It should be a great game against a tough opponent.”
Kalani’s bid for a third OIA title was denied. The Falcons (10-2), however, are in the D-I state tournament field and will be trying to add a second koa trophy to the one it captured in 2013. Mililani will be trying for a seventh state championship.
Four minutes into the first half, Cunningham’s 25-yard missile from the left sideline to the top right corner put Mililani on top 1-0.
In the 56th minute, Kane Enomoto tied it 1-all with a rebound goal off of a Kim shot.
Kapolei 5, Kaiser 1
With a hefty edge in field position and ball possession, the Hurricanes (11-1) completed the rout of the Cougars (10-2) in the early semifinal at Kaiser Stadium.
Kapolei’s Joe Wren scored twice, one on a header off Kawika Kelii’s corner kick and another on a rebound after a scramble in front.