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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, January 23, 2010

Kapolei boys topple Mililani


By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer

The Kapolei boys soccer team extended its win streak to five, handing Mililani its first loss of the season.

Kapolei senior forward Elijah Tagura scored with a few minutes left in the game to give the Hurricanes a 2-1 win over division leader Mililani in an O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red West game.

"I think the team finally started to get together, we have a lot of chemistry right now," Kapolei coach Bryce Kaneshiro said. "Everybody understands their role. At practice everyone is competing and that's the biggest difference — the competition at practice makes us better in the game."

The Trojans (7-1-0) remain in first place, followed by the Hurricanes (5-1-3), with one week remaining.

Tagura scored after chasing down a punt from goalkeeper Cody Kamei to break the 1-1 tie.

"Coach always tell me just hustle down and the play is going to happen," Tagura said. "I was looking at the goalie, and when the goalie came out, and I just took a shot and was lucky enough that it went in."

Kaneshiro said the team didn't want to settle for the tie.

"For ourselves, we wanted to show that we could compete with (the Trojans)," Kaneshiro said.

Both teams scored within a four-minute period early in the first half.

Mililani sophomore forward Cameron Metz scored in the fifth minute after he chased down a long, cleared ball that initially froze the Kapolei defense, allowing Metz to break free.

The Hurricanes tied it four minutes later on a penalty kick by junior defender Eric Morales.

The Trojans already won the West, and are "trying different things,"said Mililani coach Jeff Yamamoto. including situational tactics and formation changes.

"I think it's going to actually be good for us; we never lost before in the regular season, so I think it gives them more incentive to work harder," Yamamoto said.

OIA GIRLS

MILILANI 1, KAPOLEI 0

Two seniors combined to score the lone goal in the Trojans' win over Kapolei on the final day of the girls OIA Red West action yesterday at Mililani High School.

Mililani (12-0-0) and Kapolei (7-2-3) already earned first-round byes for next week's OIA Tournament, by virtue of finishing first and second, respectively.

Trojans senior defender Chelsea Miyake tucked her header just inside the near, right post, set up by a free kick by senior forward Mari Miyashiro from the right side of the 18-yard box in the 32nd minute.