Aina Lead Kamehameha girls in threepeat while Waiakea gains second team title

Aina, Pohina, Iuta, Osburn,Miller

KEAAU –  Kamehameha girls and Waiakea boys came away with team titles at the Big Island Interscholastic Federation individual and team wrestling championships, held Saturday at Paiea Gym on the Keaau campus of Kamehameha.

While cross town public and private schools Warriors were winning team championships another Warrior was celebrating several mile markers.

A monumental 18^th birthday celebration took place for Kamehameha’s Megan Aina on Saturday as the tough 103 pound wrestler won her fourth Big Island Interscholastic Federation individual title and helped lead her Warrior squad to their third team title.

“This is a very crazy birthday for me,” Aina said.  “It is a really big accomplishment in my life and I’m so proud to be part of our team for all four years.

 “Winning a team title is all our girls have been talking about for the past two weeks,” Kamehameha Coach Marlon Miller said.

For Miller and his girls this is their third consecutive league team title and their fifth in the last six years.

“I think our biggest advantage is our experience on the mat,” Miller said.  “We have lots of seniors, who will be sorely missed.”

Several of Miller’s girls have shared in all three team titles and the coach was quick to point out that this was indeed a team effort.

“It takes the entire team to win a championship,” Miller said.  “It’s not about the coaches; it’s entirely about the girls who were on the mat.”

Miller pointed to his well seasoned squad, naming each of the girls that made the difference in each of the 11 weight classes to win yet another team title.

Warrior girls filling each of the weight classes were:

Nellie Towata (98), Aina (103), Kanoe Padaken (108), Sadie Arakaki (114),  Phoebe Oda (120), Noelle Pohina 125), Chantel Pohina (130), Alexia Osburn (140), Jasmine Uta (155), Wilna Tong (175),  Ciarra Lynn Parinas (220) all made contributions to winning the Warrior team title according to Miller.

Six out of the eight Warrior girls to make the finals won their matches by pin which included Aina, Padaken. Oda, Chantel Pohina, Iuta and Tong.

“Phoebe (Oda) was in one of the toughest weight division and she went undefeated during the season.” Miller said.  “She’s a natural leader who pushes everyone on our team to their fullest potential.”

Aina ended her BIIF career by having an undefeated season and in the process won her fourth consecutive individual league crown to go along with the state title she won as a sophomore. But Aina’s match was anything but easy as she went against Waiakea Cara Nakayama in the finals.

“I felt like I had nothing to lose and I left everything on the mat,” Nakayama said.

Nakayama was winning by a score of 4-2 going in the second round, when Aina used her famous chicken wing move to get the pin and secure the victory.

Two other Warrior girls finished the season with an unblemished BIIF record and went on to win individual BIIF titles on Saturday. 

Padaken and Chantel Pohina both dominated throughout the season which added to the Warrior blitz in their team title quest.

This was a Sweet three peat for Warrior girls where experience made the difference, according to Miller.  Sharing in past team titles six of their eleven girls on the mat are seniors.

“Many of these girls were with us for all three championships, which makes this one extra sweet,” Miller said.

Enos

While Miller’s girls were winning their third team title it was Waiakea Coach Stan Haraguchi bring his young Warrior boys to their second consecutive team title.

“Every one of these guys helped us get here,” Haraguchi said.  “We are young with lots of sophomores and juniors but we came into the championships confident and humble.”

Waiakea brought eight boys into the finals which consisted of 14 weight classes.

“It takes an entire team effort to win a title and everyone from our coaches to our parents helped us get here,” Haraguchi said.

Waiakea’s Pat Enos dominated the 152 division all season and ended his BIIF season with an unblemished mark.

Enos won three matches on Saturday, all by pin, using a cradle and twice using a gable move to secure each win.

“It feels awesome to win two straight team titles,” Enos said.  “Nobody in the league thought that we could win the title, because we are so young, but we pulled it out.”

Teammate William Spain, a 108 sophomore, won his first two matches to earn a spot in the finals before dropping his finale to two time BIIF champion, Konawaena’s Justin Raymond.

“I think last year winning the team title was really good, but this year it is extra special for us since we have so many young guys,” Spain said.  “This is a new team and we really stepped up because we knew we could do it.”

Waiakea placed 8 boys in the finals and 2 in the consolation bracket to secure enough team points to narrowly eclipse Kamehameha for the boy’s crown.

“We came in with the right mentality and jelled at the right time,” Haraguchi said.  “Everyone just worked together and blended well.”

The Hawaii High School state wrestling championships will be held on March 2 and 3 at the Blaisdell Arena on Oahu.

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Warriors Sweep BIIF Wrestling Team Titles

Megan Aina wins third BIIF crown

KEALAKEKUA – It was all Warriors during the Big Island Interscholastic Federation wrestling championships on Saturday.

The Kamehameha girls and Waiakea boys took team titles in a Warrior sweep and left little doubt as to who has the best spread of wrestlers on the island.

Heavily favored Kamehameha lived up to their top billing by winning the girls team title during the Big Island Interscholastic Federation wrestling championships, at the Colonel Ellison Onizuka Gymnasium on the campus of Konawaena High School, on Saturday.

Warrior girls took command in the early going, making the finals in seven of the eleven weight classes to claim their second consecutive girl’s team, and third title, in the last four years under Coach Marlon Miller.

“We only brought nine girls and one of them, Kanoe Padaken, dislocated her shoulder during her match or else we would have had eight girls in the finals,” Miller said.

Making it into the finals for Kamehameha were Megan Aina (98), Kawehi Lopez (120), Noelle Pohina (125), Rustee-Ann Johansen (130), Alexia Osburn (140), Chantel Pohina (155) and Jasmine Iuta (175).

The Warriors would go on to win four of the seven finals matches with Aina, Lopez, Johansen and Osburn capturing BIIF titles to clinch the team championships.

“I’m pleased with our second consecutive title, but it’s not going to be as sweet as our third” Miller said.  “We started out strong as a team and never lost sight of our goals.”

Miller gave a pre-game talk to his team, telling them that there would only be a Feb. 5, 2011 once in their life, so how do you want to remember it?

Aina, the two time BIIF defending champion and reigning state champion, had little trouble taking her third title as she appears primed to make another run at the state championship.

Facing Hawaii Preparatory Academy’s Kela Vargas, the Warrior took an aggressive posture taking Vargas down and staying on top of her during the first period.

During the second period Aina used an arm bar to roll her opponent for the pin.

“I listened to my coaches and just did what they told me to do,” Aina said after the match.  “I grabbed her wrist during the roll and it paid off.”

It was Aina’s third consecutive BIIF title and now she shifts her focus on trying to repeat as state champion.

Home crowd favorite, sophomore Tanalei Louis, won her second BIIF title by pinning Kamehameha’s Noelle Pohina in the first round to go undefeated in island competition.

A confident Tanalei Louis

“I believe in myself and my ability,” a confident Louis said.  “My dad and family give me the confidence that I need and it helped that I played Pop Warner football growing up.”

Louis finished third in the state last year as a freshmen and believes she can win it all next week in Honolulu.

The boy’s team title was up for grabs going into the final few matches with Kona, Hilo and Waiakea all in contention for the team title.

“With just two matches to go just a half point separates Hilo and Waiakea from winning the boy’s team championship,” Kona statistician Wally Nakashima said.

Waiakea pulled out the narrow margin of victory and Warrior coach Stan Haraguchi was very stoic in his first team title.

“It’s been a while since we’ve won a team title,” Haraguchi said.  “We just wanted the kids to do their best and a lot of the credit goes to the coaches and the families that did a good job raising them.”

Haraguchi believed that the Warrior success was due to the team’s ability to peak at the right time.

“They stepped it up at the right time,” he said.  “But the season isn’t over as we still have one more week to go.”

One of the leaders for the Waiakea boys was defending BIIF champion Tyler Yonemori who retain his individual title at 140 by beating Kealakehe’s Allin Franco.

“I just wanted to come out and do my best,” Yonemori said.  “The entire team worked very hard this entire season and we’re proud to have won the team title.”

For the Kamehameha boys it was Justin Hirae wrestling in the 125 weight division against Hilo’s Brendan Branco.

“I got bumped up in weight and now weigh 124 pounds,” Hirae said.  “I’ve been doing a lot of weight training and I wanted to move into a weight division that I felt comfortable at.”

In the process, Hirae won his fourth BIIF individual championship, each coming in different weight divisions.

 “During my freshman year I won at 103, then moved up each year to 108, 114 and this year at 125,” Hirae said.  “What I’ve accomplished in winning my fourth title anyone can do with a lot of hard work.”

Honokaa’s Geo Chavez-Pardini was able to wrestle most of the season due to a partially torn ACL, but went for his fourth BIIF title on Saturday in the 189 weight class.

“I weighed in at 162, but my coach wanted me to wrestle at 189,” Chavez-Pardini said. 

During the finals the Dragon went against Kona’s John Postrano and used his speed to out maneuver his heavier opponent.

“I was super nervous going into the match because he outweighed me,” Chavez-Pardini said. “I used my speed and could take him down easy.  When he tried to escape I caught his arm, spun him around for the take down and used a half nelson for the pin.”

Related link:  https://waynejoseph.wordpress.com/2011/02/07/biif-wrestling-championships-results/

The top four boys in each of the 14 weight divisions and top three girls in their 11 weight classes advance to the Hawaii High School Athletic Association championships to be held on Oahu on Feb. 11 and 12.

BIIF Wrestling Championships – Results

BIIF Wrestling Crew, under head official Elton Suganuma, back row, second from left.

BIIF Wrestling Championships at Onizuka Gym
                   Saturday, Feb. 5   Konawaena High School   Final Boys Team Scoring
Waiakea 137.5    Hilo 130    Kona 116.5    Kamehameha 112.5
Kealakehe 106   Honokaa 99   Keaau 70    HPA 57     Pahoa 45   Laupahoehoe 25   Ka’u 0   Kohala 0

Individual Division
108 pounds  1. Justin Raymond, Konawaena  2. William Spain, Waiakea
3. Blake Ahuleki, Kealakehe  4. Serafin Samorano, Keaau

114 pounds  1. Robin Arellano, Kealakehe   2. Warren Buenavista, Konawaena
3. Quitin Wright, Kamehameha  4. Ryan Fujioka, HPA

120 pounds  1. Nalu Souza, Kamehameha  2. Sage Aoki, Konawaena 3. Dan Gampon, Kealakehe  4. Max Hirata, HPA

125 pounds  1. Justin Hirae, Kamehameha  2. Brendan Branco, Hilo
3. Akeno Matsutani, Waiakea  4. Jesse Kihe-Fukuyama, Konawaena

130 pounds  1. Jordan Enos, Hilo   2. Shannon Samura, HPA  3. Charles Aina, Kamehameha  4. Kona Phipps, Konawaena

135 pounds  1. Cheyden Quiocho, Keaau   2. Max Oishi, Hilo  3. Kenneth Pang, Waiakea   4. Caleb Cohan, Pahoa

140 pounds  1. Tyler Yonemori, Waiakea   2. Allin Franco, Kealakehe  3. Jesse Huihui, Keaau   4. Henry Engler, Hilo

145 pounds  1. Pat Enos, Waiakea  2. Jacob Murphy, Hilo  3. Elvis Cardoza, Honokaa  4. Jake Torres, Pahoa

152 pounds   1. Cody Maarsingh, Honokaa  2. Jens Beets, Hilo  3. Patrick Enos, Jr., Waiakea  4. Kileona Manzano, Konawaena

160 pounds 1. Isiah Kanakanui, Hilo   2. Dylan Coffel, Pahoa  3. Jordan Maglinti, Waiakea  4. Russell Laros, HPA

171 pounds 1. Harry Auwelua, Honokaa  2. CJ Matsuyama, Kamehameha 3. Kayed Rodrigues, Waiakea  4. John Genesarin, Konawaena

189 pounds 1. Geo Chavez-Pardini, Honokaa  2. John Postrano, Konawaena   3. Treyven Ahquin-Fely, Keaau  4. Christian Park, Kealakehe

215 pounds   1. Tim Ekert, Kealakehe   2. Troy Choi, HPA  3. Kema Chin, Kamehameha  4. Kainoa Lyman, Honokaa

285 pounds
1. Akoakoa Paleka-Kennedy, Kamehameha  2. Kekai Obrey, Kealakehe  3. Keanu Showm Laupahoehoe   4. Zephanaiah Pawao, Waiakea

Final Girls Team Scoring
Kamehameha 132   Konawaena 120   Hilo 81.5   Waiakea 60  HPA 48   Ka’u 30   Kealakehe 27   Honokaa 7

Individual Division
98 pounds   1. Megan Aina, Kamehameha  2. Kela Vargas, HPA  3. Christine Presidiaos, Konawaena

103 pounds  1. Sam Neal, HPA  2. Cara Naakayama, Waiakea 3. Jharmine Postrano, Konawaena

108 pounds  1. Haley Delos-Santos, Konawaena  2. Sha Pagan, Hilo  3. Kanoe Padaken, Kamehameha

114 pounds  1. Desting Masters, Kealakehe  2. Jacqueline Moctezuma, Konawaena  3. Phoebe Oda, Kamehameha

120 pounds  1. Kawehi Lopez, Kamehameha  2. Lena Mello-Waiwaiole, Ka’u  3. Kelsi Nishima, HPA

125 pounds  1. Tanalei Louis, Konawaena  2. Noelle Pohina, Kamehameha  3. Hillary Luna, Hilo  4. Kawena Kuamoo-Mendida, Waiakea

130 pounds 1. Rustee Johansen, Kamehameha  2. Melissa Dumaguin, Konawaena 3. Sharrylei Fernandez, Hilo  4. Katie Holdcroft, HPA

140 pounds  1. Alexa Osburn, Kamehameha   2. Kanani Silva, Waiakea   3. Kaylan Kawakami, Hilo  4. Alyssa Cagawas, Honokaa

155 pounds  1. Kainolani Lee, Hilo   2. Chantel Pohina, Kamehameha  3. Kaua Mitchell, Konawaena  4. Allison Felix, Kealakehe

175 pounds   1. Tracy Poch, Waiakea   2. Jasmine Iuta, Kamehameha  3. Kawehi Housman, Hilo   4. Aimee Shiraki, Konawaena

220 pounds   1. Keani Mello-Waiwaiole, Ka’u   2. Sharon Manaarpca, Hilo

Kamehameha-Hawaii Favored to win BIIF Wrestling Team Titles

Marlon Miller with state champion Megan Aina

Twenty five weight class championship titles are up for grabs this Saturday when Konawaena host the Big Island Interscholastic Federation wrestling individual and team championships at the Colonel Ellison Onizuka Gymnasium.

Defending girls team champions Kamehameha are considered the heavy favorites to repeat as team champions, but  Warriors coach Marlon Miller believes that their standings are overrated.

“Due to our intensity and rigorous demand that one must give in this sport I had a lot of girls drop out during the season, including several returnees,” Miller explained. 

Miller believes that other coaches are saying that Kamehameha are the heavy favorites, which is a tactic, to draw attention away from them.

“This past weekend I noticed that Konawaena and Hawaii Preparatory Academy were filling more weight classes than we do,” Miller said.  “After having a scrimmage dual meet with Hilo a couple of weeks ago I know they (Hilo) will be contending for the girl’s title also.”

Miller believes that all the private school Warrior girls have the confidence and ability to be State and BIIF champions.

“They all believe in themselves and their teammates,” he said.  “If they didn’t I wouldn’t put them out there.”

Rustee-Ann Johansen and Megan Aina are the two returning BIIF champions for the Warriors girl’s team with Aina (a state champion at 98 pounds) going for her third league title.

HPA coach Gary Jarvill still sees Kamehameha as the team to beat for the girl’s crown.

“I am missing four weight classes for BIIF’s,” Jarvill said.  “I only have two girls with any experience at all and my most successful girl, Kela Vargas, needs to wrestle Megan (Aina) who is the returning state champion.”

Jarvill believes that Kamehameha is on an easy road to winning another girl’s team title and the Ka Makani coach noted that Kona’s strength is in the weight classes from 120 to 140.

Dominate among the Kona ladies is defending champion Tanalei Louis, 125, who won the BIIF championships as a freshman last season.   Louis may be one of the best in the state in her weight class and is considered a heavy favorite to repeat as BIIF champ.

Wildcat teammate Sage Aoki, 108, comes from a rich family tradition in wrestling champions and will also make a run at defending his BIIF title.

“Honokaa’s newest top wrestler is Harry Auweloa. He came to Honokaa this year from Maui, a junior with one year of experience, “said Dragon Coach Dan Whetstone.  “He (Auweloa) took 1st place in 189’s in the preseason tournament at Waiakea and then placed first again in the same weight class at the Kealakehe tournament in early January.”

Whetstone believes that Auweloa  will drop weight and compete in the 171 bracket as the favorite to win at the BIIF championships as he remains undefeated during the season.

Dragon teammate Geo Chavez-Pardini will be wrestling in only his second tournament of the year but should be the one to beat in 189’s and capture his fourth BIIF title.

“I’m switching some of these kids around as a strategic measure,” Whetstone said.  “Geo could actually compete at 171, but we need him in the high weight division.”

Another one of Honokaa’s newcomers is first year senior Elvis Cardoza at the 145 division. Whetstone believes that Cardoza will contend for the BIIF title as he won won all of his matches this past Saturday at Keaau.

Wrestling fans should also watch for a repeat performance from Kau’s heavyweight defending champion, Keani Mello-Waiwaiole who has been dominate in the 220 division.

The main attraction on the girl’s side for Waiakea is Tracy Poch who took top honors at the Officials Wrestling Tournament on Oahu in December and is considered the heavy favorite to win the BIIF crown at 175.  Poch is the BIIF champ at 155 last season.

While there is no clear favorite in the race for the boys team title most coaches agree that Kamehameha and Waiakea have a slight edge over the rest of the field.

Kamehameha returns a pair of title defenders in Justin Hirae, 114, and Nalu Souza at 120 while the public school Warriors showcases Tyler Yonemori and the Enos brothers, Pat and Patrick.

“I think it is impossible to pick, even on paper, who will win the boys team title,” Kamehameha boys coach Brendan Courtot said.  “No one school has shown real dominance at any of the meets, but Kealakehe is the defending champ, so they have the target on their back.”

According to Courtot several Warriors have been undefeated during the regular season and include CJ Matsuyama, 171, and Akokoa Paleka-Kennedy in the heavy weight division.  Despite the unblemished record Courtot feels that they are not well tested because of their missing several key match ups.

“We will be competitive at 114, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, 152, 189 and 215 with our best chance to medal coming from our two defending champions (Hirae who will wrestle at 125 and Souza at 120) and two returners Charlie Aina, 130, and Kema Chin at 215,” Courtot said.

Action will get under way in Kona on Saturday at 10 am using three mats as the highly anticipated individual and team champions will not be crowned until later that evening.

BIIF Crowns 25 Wrestling Champions for 2010

photo by CSUAINAJR

BOYS:

108 – Sage Aoki, Konawaena                  114 – Justin Hirae, Kamehameha

120 – Nalu Souza, Kamehameha           125 – Kevin Antolin, Kealakehe

130 – Dillon Cortes, Kealakehe              135 – Jimmy Romualdo, Kona

140 – Tyler Yonemori, Waiakea              145 – Kawika Nihoa, Waiakea

152 – Keoni Colson, HPA                          160 – Geo Chavez-Pardini, Honokaa

171 – Kalai Nihau, Honokaa                     189 – Kawika Scott, Kona        

215 – Tim Eckert, Kealakehe                    285 – Chris Reed, Honokaa

GIRLS:

98 – Megan Aina, Kamehameha               103 – Alexandra Aoki, Konawaena

108 – Danielle Hubbard, Kona                  114 – Jolynn Kahala-Minczer, Kealakehe

120 – Melissa Dumaguin, Kona                 125 – Tanalei Louis, Kona

130 – Rustee-Ann Johansen, Kamehameha

140 – Jade Perreira, Honokaa                    155 – Tracy Poch, Waiakea

175 – Kaopua Sutton, Kamehameha        220 – Kiana Mello-Waiwaiole, Kau