Mililani shuts out Kapolei to claim championship

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DARRYL OUMI / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER
Mililani goalkeeper Robin Potts made a save before getting upended by Kapolei’s Malako Hamilton. Potts finished with seven saves in the shutout victory.

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DARRYL OUMI / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER
Mililani celebrates after winning the OIA Red Championships 2-0 at the Kaiser High School field.

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DARRYL OUMI / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER
Kapolei's Royce Yamane heads the ball between two Mililani defenders, Ryan Carlomany and Preston Derige, in their OIA Red Championship game at the Kaiser High School field. Yamane was shaken up on the play.

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DARRYL OUMI / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER
Kapolei's Shay Akau and Mililani's Ryan Carlomany jockey for position in their OIA Red Championship game at the Kaiser High School field.

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DARRYL OUMI / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER
Kapolei Dylan Orian controls the ball off the volley in their OIA Red Championship game against Mililani at the Kaiser High School field.

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DARRYL OUMI / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER
Mililani's Tyler Braunthal celebrates with his teammates after scoring to put Mililani ahead 1-0 in their OIA Red Championship game against Kapolei at the Kaiser High School field.

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DARRYL OUMI / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER
Mililani's Chris Galang tries to go around the Kapolei defense in their OIA Red Championship game at the Kaiser High School field.

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Mililani and Kapolei played an entire game against each other without scoring this season.

In the OIA Red championship on Friday night, it took senior Tyler Braunthal all of five minutes to find the back of the net.

Braunthal’s goal provided an early cushion and Evan Wilson added the clinching goal in stoppage time as the Trojans hung on to defeat the Hurricanes 2-0 at Kaiser Stadium to claim their fifth OIA Red championship in six years.

Mililani (12-0-1) and Kapolei (11-1-1) entered the game with the same record. The only game either team didn’t win all year was when the two played to a scoreless tie on Dec. 14.

“We wanted to beat every team we could, and seeing that was our only tie we wanted to clear that blemish,” Braunthal said.

It didn’t stay scoreless long, as Braunthal connected off a crossing pass from Micah Ishikawa minutes into the game.

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The goal gave Mililani an early cushion and put Kapolei on its heels immediately.

“Once that happens, a lot of times the game gets really fanatical because the other team wants to get it back really hard,” Mililani coach Jeff Yamamoto said. “The flow of the game changed quite a bit after that score.”

The victory gave Mililani the coveted first-round bye in the state tournament in two weeks, where it will attempt to defend its championship.

Mililani gave up only two goals during the entire regular season but allowed three in the OIA playoffs.

The Trojans were nearly upset in the quarterfinals, getting a goal from Jeremy Laguana in the final minute of overtime to defeat Kahuku 3-2.

“I think we had a turning point with our goalkeeper today,” Yamamoto said. “Robin (Potts) had a big game for us.”

Potts finished with seven saves, thwarting multiple Kapolei charges, especially late in the second half.

“The other games I got scored on,” Potts said. “I only like to get shutouts. We want to win and take states again, not just fail and lose.”

The Hurricanes played without starting sweeper Brandon Begonia for the second consecutive game.

Co-head coach Ryan Lau said he had a condition that was affecting his breathing.

“(Begonia) is a big loss, but I think we played well,” Lau said. “We made two mistakes and they capitalized.”

Mililani has now won 10 of the last 12 OIA championships dating back to 2002. Kapolei won titles in 2007 and 2011.