By Ireland Castillo

[email protected]

After years of near victories, the varsity girls soccer team has finally won the Hawaii High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) Division I championship. After beating Konawaena in the semifinal match on Feb. 20, the team proved their worth against the once undefeated Iolani Raiders in the final HHSAA match on Feb. 21.

“We came really, really far. I think in the beginning we didn’t expect this to happen but after, as the season went on, we started playing better and better together and every week was better than the last and I just think we kept building off of what we were taught and practiced. We came really far from the beginning,” expressed Captain Senior Kayla Braunthal.

In the final round of the state tournament, the Lady Trojans faced off against Iolani. In a neck-to-neck match between the two teams, the game went into double overtime until the score was broken by number 6, Junior Kasey Isobe. Mililani won the game 1-0. “It was really far out and I don’t think she meant to shoot it (because) it was really far so she served it in and I thought, ‘That’s a good ball, hopefully somebody gets it,’ and it bounces and I was like, ‘Oh my god,’ and then I didn’t even realize that we just scored and the game was over and I was like, ‘Wait? We just won the championship,’” recalled Braunthal.

Now after 13 years, the girls varsity soccer team has once again reclaimed their title as state champions, lost since their last win in 2002 against Baldwin High School. It was sweet victory for this year’s team. “Although we didn’t win (Oahu Interscholastic Association (OIA)) I guess winning states and knowing how far we came as a team, it just makes everything kind of perfect,” said Braunthal. Head Coach Ray Akiona added, “The varsity girls soccer team rightfully earned their win against Iolani to be crowned state Division I champions. The title was won through four days of competitive matches against top seeded teams and qualifiers. To be the best you have to beat the best.”

Before the final game against Iolani, Mililani faced off against the Konawaena Wildcats in the semifinal round, ending with a final score of 2-1. Goals were scored by number 17, Junior Tia Furuta, and Braunthal. Setting the pace of the game, Mililani started with possession of the ball.  Seven minutes into the game Konawaena scored first, after getting past Goalie Freshman Andrea Kenagy, bringing the score to 0-1. Not long after that, Furuta evened the score to 1-1. From then on the game was a continuous battle between Mililani’s relentless offense and Konawaena’s defense. Continuing into the second half and with a kick by Braunthal, the final score was settled at 2-1, Konawaena unable to get past Mililani’s defense.

Iolani’s game against the OIA champion, Campbell, ended with the same score of 2-1. Interestingly, Mililani lost to Campbell in the OIA quarterfinals with a score of 1-2, after Campbell scored first in the in the first seven minutes of the beginning half, and again in the last minutes of the game. Mililani won third in the OIA championships after beating Kahuku, with Campbell in first and Moanalua in second.

Despite the loss to Campbell in the OIA championships, the team learned from the experience. More determined than ever, Mililani had their goals set for the state championship. “(The game against Campbell was) an eye-opener, to actually like push harder and to prove to everybody that we could actually win,” said Kenagy.

From tryouts in early November to their last game in February, the girls prevailed victorious with their win against Iolani in the final game of the state championships. Not only that, their success was a result of months of practice, teamwork, determination and most importantly, passion. “We’ve (come such) a far way. We practiced really hard in practices, and when we messed up we had to do so much runs and it all paid off,” said Kenagy.

Even to parents like Earl Morihara, father of Senior Kanoelani Morihara, player number 8, the team has seen much progress.“They have proven that they can play in key games and their only loss is to Campbell in the OIA semifinal game and so I, I know that they can, they have great chemistry on the team, the girls believe in one another and they’ve beat (one of) the best,” said Morihara.

The boys varsity soccer team also won the state championships on Feb. 28.