StarBulletin.com

Akiu knocks home a win for Mililani


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POSTED: Saturday, February 06, 2010

Ryan Akiu's second chance gave Mililani a third straight league title.

Awarded a penalty kick in overtime, Akiu's shot was saved, but he banged the rebound into the net to give Mililani a 2-1 win over Kapolei in the Oahu Interscholastic Association Red championship match last night at Kapolei.

“;I reacted quick; I knew what to do with the ball immediately,”; Akiu said after the Trojans secured their third consecutive OIA Red title and the program's 12th league championship since 1995.

Akiu, one of the Trojans' captains, accounted for both of Mililani's goals, scoring less than 2 minutes into the match and again at the 2:30 mark of overtime after the teams ended regulation tied 1-1.

“;They're an excellent team, it was a battle all the way through, we both had chances and I thought Kapolei really took it to us,”; Mililani head coach Jeff Yamamoto said.

After Mililani stunned the Hurricanes early, Kapolei answered near the 12-minute mark when Adrian Yunson got a header past Mililani goalkeeper Preston Miyashiro.

Miyashiro and Kapolei's Cody Kamei thwarted the scoring opportunities that arose in the second half, with both teams frustrated in the late minutes.

Kapolei's Kainoa Ke-A had an open look from the right angle near the 78th minute, but his shot sailed harmlessly over the goal.

Mililani had a shot at the winning goal in the final seconds of regulation when Robby Uemoto ran down a ball but booted it just over the crossbar.

A red card was issued to Kapolei's Eric Morales after he got tangled up with a Mililani player on the sideline about 4 minutes into overtime, putting the Hurricanes a player down in the sudden-death period.

A foul inside the goal box moments later gave Mililani a penalty kick with a chance to win the OIA Red title.

Kamei blocked Akiu's shot, but Akiu gathered the rebound and knocked it into the net.

“;He's a quality player; most other players would have panicked and kicked it over the goal,”; Yamamoto said.

For Kapolei, it was a bitter defeat to an OIA West rival heading into the state tournament.

“;This was a typical Kapolei-Mililani match,”; Kapolei coach Bryce Kaneshiro said.