Mililani shuts out Kapolei to win 2nd straight Red title


Miililani players celebrate after winning their second consecutive OIA Red division title. Greg Yamamoto | SL

HAWAII KAI - The gleaming smile on Trojan's Tyler Braunthal said it all.

Mililani got a goal early from Braunthal and another one late courtesy of Evan Wilson in a convincing 2-0 victory over West division rival Kapolei to win their second consecutive OIA Red division title.

The Trojans have won the last 14 of 18 OIA championships. Kapolei has two titles since 2007.

"I can't put his feeling in words," said Braunthal. "My very first OIA championship, being here and taking it home…just so amazing and so blessed."

The senior transfer from Pearl City put the first point early on the board for the Trojans during the sixth minute of play. A cross from the outside connected with Braunthal, who received and finished a well placed shot into the side of net.

"I just touched it, not expecting it to go in," said Braunthal. "I saw it in the back of the net and my mind was just blown. Just so amazing."

Coming from Pearl City, the Trojans have already felt the impact Braunthal has had on the team. Brauthal has accounted for six goals so far, with two of them coming in the OIA tournament.

"(Tyler's) a quality player. We're lucky to have him come to our program," said Trojans coach Jeff Yamamoto. "He made a pretty significant impact from the very beginning. Tyler is somebody who adds another dimension to our team."

Both Mililani and Kapolei had identical records coming into the championship game. The two undefeated teams met previously during the regular season and played each other to a tie. Kapolei and Mililani also met last year for the OIA championship in which the Trojans came out victorious.

"It's always very exciting. The excitement never gets any lower every time," said Yamamoto. "Proud to be a part of the program and lucky to be with this team and coaching staff," he continued.

Mililani sealed the game with a goal in the final minutes of regulation. Trojan's Evan Wilson took advantage of a bouncing loose ball, originally crossed by senior Matthew Fronda, inside the 18-yard box to laser a shot past the Kapolei keeper. Wilson's goal was his second of the OIA tournament.

"Evan plays his heart out. As a coach, you can't ask for anyone better than Evan," said Yamamoto. "He someone I'd like all of our student-athletes to emulate."

For Braunthal, this was the first time winning an OIA Championship. But for Evan Wilson, the win tonight marked his third OIA title as a Trojan. Wilson accounts for four goals this season.

"Just a culmination of our team's effort... It feels amazing," said Wilson. "This is my last year as a senior so it feels really good to go out with a goal and a win."

A player who went under the radar tonight but made a difference for the Trojans was goalkeeper Robin Potts. The junior accounted for eight saves to the eleven shots taken by the high powered Hurricane offense.

"Our goal keeper Robin came up big," said Yamamoto. "If I look at a player on our team that kept us in the game and really made a difference, it was Robin."



Reach Aven Santiago at [email protected].