KAPOLEI - A match up of OIA heavyweights ended with the Trojans of Mililani dethroning defending champion Kapolei in a 2-1 thriller, to win the OIA Red Division crown.

"It's huge for us," Mililani coach Jeff Yamamoto said. "I'm really proud of these guys. Physically and emotionally, they put everything into it tonight."

Kapolei got on the scoreboard first in the 26th minute of the first half. The Hurricanes took advantage of a penalty caused by a Mililani defender inside the 18 yard box. Kapolei senior Richard "Kalei" Gallarde tool the penalty kick and bulleted it right past the Mililani keeper.

"Kapolei is a great team," Yamamoto said. "It could have gone either way."

Mililani responded back with a couple possessions later in the 34th minute. A beautiful goal from nearly 50 yards out by Mililani's Renato Torquato tied the game at 1-1. The senior's goal went sailing across the field and just over the Kapolei keeper. When the goal was confirmed, Torquato took off towards the half line flag and continued to play an air-like guitar with the flag. The player was then warned after a post score celebration that could have cost him a red card. Torquato was subbed out immediately after his celebration antics.

"I felt it going in the moment it left my foot," Torquato said.

"I've been thinking about doing that celebration all season, all day and night," he continued.

The goal that ultimately decided the game came in the second half. After a penalty committed by a Kapolei player, a long ball sent in allowed the Trojans their second goal. Mililani caught a lucky break as the Kapolei keeper and a defender mishandled the ball. Mililani senior Ameen Mujtabaa was in the right place and the right time as he finished the ball into the back of the net in the 66th minute of the second half.

"It felt amazing, especially after all the hard work we put in," Mujtabaa said. "It's going to be one of my most memorable goals of the season."

Although originally picked up as a goal keeper, Mujtabaa proved to be a valuable asset to the Trojans. But his success did not come being a keeper, but being a thorn in defenses at the striker position.

"(Muhtabaa) has such speed and is just unstoppable," Yamamoto said. "He has this hard pressed attitude and a force for any defense to deal with."

The Trojans had previously played the Hurricanes during the regular season to a 1-1 tie. But the two teams have had much more history together, and a pretty clear rivalry exists between the two OIA soccer powerhouses. Kapolei defeated Mililani in the semifinals of the tournament last year en route to the league crown. The Hurricanes' win last year broke a string of three consecutive OIA Red crowns for Mililani.  And if you go back in history even further, Kapolei won the OIA title the year before Mililani's three-peat.

Mililani has four OIA Red Division championships and fourteen OIA boys soccer titles overall.

"It's always a battle with Mililani," Kapolei coach Bryce Kaneshiro said. "With the rivalry between us, someone's got to win and someone's got to lose. Mililani did what they had to do and played a heck of a game," he continued.

Both teams now move on to the state tournament, with Mililani earning a first round bye in the tournament as the seeded team out of the OIA.