[ HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS ]
RONEN ZILBERMAN / RZILBERMAN@STARBULLETIN.COM
Mililani's Justin Kim drilled a shot past Castle's Nainoa Hashimoto for a goal during yesterday's OIA playoff game, which Mililani won 3-0.
Mililani quiets Castle
in playoffs
For 51 minutes, Castle Knight fans were feisty, unrelenting and, of course, vocal.
By the 52nd minute, when unbeaten Mililani scored its third goal, there was silence. When howling stops under a full moon, it is rather noticeable, and the Trojans had everything to do with it.
Mililani advanced to the final of the Oahu Interscholastic Association boys' soccer playoffs with a 3-0 win over Castle last night at Aiea High School's stadium. The Trojans (11-0) will face another East Division team, Kalaheo, this Saturday at Kaiser High School.
Kalaheo reached the title game with a 1-0 win over Kaiser in the early game yesterday.
Castle (9-2-1) will play for third place against Kaiser on Friday at Kailua High School.
Justin Kim led the way for Mililani, delivering two goals and leading a Trojan machine that hummed all night. The margin of victory could have been wider. Mililani had 21 shots on goal, missing several from close range to the chagrin of about 200 of its fans.
"To be realistic, I'll take the result," Mililani co-head coach Steven McGehee said. "Take nothing away from Castle, but I felt like there's a gear we didn't use."
Castle, which managed nine shots on goal, was clearly outmuscled. The Knights struggled to get the ball past midfield much of the game, and when they did, they barely got clean shots off. Ethan Gonsalves, Castle's top player, scarcely had a chance to score.
Mililani missed five shots before Kim scored from 15 yards out. He took a cross from Ehren Ching, dribbled left across the box and lined a shot back toward the middle of the net. That gave the Trojans a 1-0 lead at the 24-minute mark.
"Ehren had a flank run and drew two guys," said Kim, a 6-foot-1 senior. "He got me the ball, and my guy bit when I cut (left)."
Castle had three fairly good opportunities in the final 16 minutes of the half, including a pair of long free kicks by Gonsalves. Mililani, meanwhile, had a plethora of attempts, including a 5-yarder by Todd Sorbin that sailed wide to the left of the goal.
Castle was fortunate to be down just 1-0 at intermission. However, Brent Murakami sent a perfect cross to Kim, who drilled another goal in from 12 yards out. That gave Mililani a 2-0 lead at the 50-minute mark.
"Brent worked hard all game. P.J. (Egloria) had a near-post run and I was just trailing him," Kim said. "Brent gave me a nice ball."
Moments later, an own goal -- a corner pass by Mililani bounced off the head of a Knight defender and into net -- made it 3-0 at the 51-minute mark. And Castle's fans suddenly went silent.
The Knights will be much more ready if and when they face Mililani in the state tournament.
"My boys gave 'em too much respect," Castle coach Sabo Nakamine said. "A lot of the chip shots, we didn't give it back. Next time, it'll be a different game."
Nakamine credited Mililani, but is ready to get back to the practice field.
"Mililani is a good team. They've got things pretty much organized," he said. "We'll bounce back. I've got great boys and great assistant coaches."
Kim's closing speed and deft handles -- he sent two beautiful passes to teammates who missed easy shots in the second half -- were without peer.
"He's OK," Nakamine said. "But he doesn't really impress me."
