BIIF Judo Championship Results

Jenna Aina wins 4th BIIF judo championship - photo by CSUAINAJR

Results of the BIIF Individual Tournament

                           Boys Division                                           Girls Division

Wt. Class	Place		Wt. Class	Place
108	1st-Justin Raymond (Konawaena)		98	1st-Megan Aina (Kamehameha)
	2nd-Dyllan Raiano (Konawaena)
			103	1st-Kiana Machado (Waiakea)
114	1st-Teagan Nakamoto (Konawaena)
	2nd-Gared Taira (Hilo)		109	1st-Kanoe Padaken (Kamehameha)
	3rd-Talmage Nakamoto (Konawaena)			2nd-Mindy Lorance (Kealakehe)
				3rd-Kaylyn Otsubo (Waiakea)
121	1st-Sky Souza (Kamehameha)
	2nd-Charles Aina (Kamehameha)		115	1st-Jenna Aina (Kamehameha)
	3rd-Sheldon Graham (Hilo)			2nd-Haley Delos Santos (Konawaena)
				3rd-Micah Ramos (Keaau)
132	1st-Steven Ogi (Waiakea)
	2nd-Jordan Enos (Hilo)		122	1st-Puulena Luuwai-Augustin            (Kamehameha)
	3rd-Ikaika Villanueva (Kamehameha)
			129	1st-Tanalei Louis (Konawaena)
145	1st-Tyler Yonemori (Waiakea)			2nd-Lisa Ann Nakagawa (Waiakea)
	2nd-Jens Beets (Hilo)
	3rd-Pat Enos (Waiakea)		139	1st-Kalena Shiroma
161	1st-Isaiah Kanakanui (Hilo)		154	1st-Nissi Flores-Jumalon (Waiakea)
	2nd-Tyler Vaughn (Hilo)			2nd-Kailey Lapenia (Kamehameha)
	3rd-Quinn Kunitomo (Konawaena)			3rd-Marina Dally (Keaau)
178	1st-Eric Young (Kamehameha)		172	1st-Sharon Manarpaac (Hilo)
	2nd-Sean Arakaki (Hilo)
	3rd-Kacy Jennings (Kealakehe)		220	1st-Lia Nakamura (Hilo)
				2nd-Paulina John (Kealakehe)
198	1st-Kawika Scott (Konawaena)
220	1st-Mark Dumaguin (Konawaena)
	2nd-Kekai Obrey (Kealakehe)
	3rd-Esaiah (Kealakehe)

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Two BIIF Wrestlers Going for Perfection

Honokaa's Geo Chavez-Pardini - undefeated in 3 yrs. of BIIF competition

   It is said that “The most difficult part of attaining perfection is finding something to do for an encore.”  And for Konawaena’s Alexandra Aoki and Honokaa’s Geo Chavez-Pardini that encore may come this Saturday at the Big Island Interscholastic Federation Wrestling Championships

   Aoki, a senior, will see her BIIF wrestling career come to a close and with it a perfect league record during the past three years of wrestling competition.

   Aoki goes into this Saturday’s BIIF championship at Keaau as the three time defending champion in the 103 pound weight class, a division she has dominated by never losing a match since dropping a pair during her freshman year.

   “She (Aoki) is very coachable, respectful, a hard worker and a pleasure to be around,” Kona coach Wally Nakashima said.

    Aoki made it into the final round of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association state wrestling championships last year before dropping a close match to take the runner-up position.  This year Aoki is determined to turn things around and bring home a state title.

   “It’s not really about me winning all my matches in the BIIF,” Aoki said.  “It’s more important that I have quality opponents to wrestle against during the season.”

Mindy Lorance (left) and Megan Aina

Aina singled out Kealakehe’s Mindy Lorance and Kamehameha’s Megan Aina as the toughest competition that she had this season.

   Eight years of judo and a brown belt has helped Aoki throughout her wrestling career.

   “Judo and wrestling are very different in moves, but judo has helped teach me the discipline necessary in any sport,” she said.

   Honokaa’s Geo Chavez-Pardini will be concluding his junior season in BIIF competition at the 160 class.

   Chavez-Pardini won the 140 weight class as a freshman, the 152 class as a sophomore, and if everything goes as planned will emerge as the BIIF champion at 160.

   During his three years of league matches Chavez-Pardini has the distinction of winning every single match, most of which came by pin.

   “I’ve gone this far without a loss that it would be disappointing to lose at the BIIF championships,” Chavez-Pardini said.  “I’ve worked hard to get where I am and I’m not going to let anything spoil that.”

  During the season Chavez-Pardini has faced a variety of Big Island opponents and credits Hawaii Prep’s Keoni Colson as giving him the best competition.

   “I wish I could wrestle Keoni (Colson) more often as it benefits me to compete against the best,” Chavez-Pardini said.  “Keoni wrestles at 152, so I have a weight advantage, but he is a very good wrestler.”

   Aoki and Chavez-Pardini are also talented in the classroom as both have accumulated GPA’s of 3.8 and have made the honor roll for their respective schools numerous times.

   On Saturday wrestlers representing 11 BIIF schools will be competing in 25 weight divisions that will produce individual championship crowns for 14 boys and 11 girls.

   Kealakehe comes into Keaau as the defending boys and girls team champions and this season will face an uphill battle in their attempt to repeat.

   A complex system of points will be awarded during every match depending on how the match is won; pin, tech or major decision and another set of points will be given for first through fourth place finishes in each weight class.  The school with the most total number of points accumulated will determine the boys and girls team titles.

   “This weeks BIIF championships should be one of the better tournaments in recent years,” Kamehameha coach Marlon Miller said.  “No one school is the clear favorite (for the team title) and although both Kealakehe and Honokaa are probably the odds on favorites every school this year has a talent pool of wrestlers that should produce some upsets in the rank and file.”

  With Honokaa and Kealakehe being the front runners for the boys team crown Miller believes that Konawaena, Hawaii Prep and Kamehameha could play the role of spoiler.

  Honokaa coach Dan Whetstone believes that the boys from HPA, Honokaa and Kealakehe have the talent to produce two to three BIIF champions and all three should be considered the top contenders for the team title.

  Most coaches see Kamehameha as having the inside track to win the girls team title as the private school Warriors have wrestlers in all 11 weight classes.

   “After Kamehameha I think we (Honokaa) have the next largest squad with eight girls with Kealakehe and Kona both having several outstanding wrestlers and may have enough girls to pull off an upset,” Whetstone said.

   Hawaii Prep’s coach, Gary Jarvill, believes the Kamehameha girls have the best chance at winning the team title while the boy’s title is up for grabs.

   “The boy’s championship will be much closer with Kealakehe having the biggest team and returning BIIF champions from last year,” Jarvill said.  “Every team has at least one or two BIIF number one seeded wrestlers so it will be really close. Kealakehe has 12 of the 14 weight classes covered so it will be hard to displace them this weekend at BIIFs.” 

   The favorites to win individual BIIF titles for the boys are:                                      

Honokaa:  Geo Chavez-Pardini, 160, and Kalai Nihau, 171.

Kona:  Sage Aoki, 108, Jimmy Romualdo and Kawika Scott, 189.

Kamehameha:  Justin Hirae, 114, and Nalu Souza, 120.

Kealakehe:  Dillon Cortes, 130, and Jordan Hao, 285.

HPA:  Bronson Kobayashi, 145, Keoni Colson, 152, and Onipaa Stevens, 215.

Keaau:  Cheyden Quiocho, 125.

Waiakea:  Tyler Yonemori, 140.

   Favorites for the girls are:

Kamehameha:  Megan Aina, 98, Jenna Aina, 114, Rustee-Ann Johansen, 130, Pomai Pohina, 140, and Kaopua Sutton, 175.

Kona:  Alexandra Aoki, 103, Danielle Hubbard, 108, and Tanalei Louis, 125.

Kealakehe:  Jodi Ozaki, 120.

Waiakea:  Tracy Poch, 155.

Kau:  Kiana Mello, 220.

Big Dog’s Top Picks in BIIF Wrestling

Mindy Lorance, left, takes on BIIF defending champ, Megan Aina, photo's by CSUAINA

GIRLS:

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

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

120 – Jodi Ozaki, Kealakehe                       125 – Jenna Aina, Kamehameha

140 – Pomai Pohina, Kamehameha          155 – Tracy Poch, Waiakea

175 – Kaopua Sutton, Kamehameha

Kamehameha's La'i Matsuyama going for a take down of Honokaa opponent

BOYS:

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

120 – Nalu Souza, Kamehameha           130 – Cheyden Quiocho, Keaau

140 – Tyler Yonemori, Waiakea              145 – Bronson Kobayashi, HPA

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

171 – Kalai Nihau, Honokaa                     215 – Tim Ekert, Kealakehe

Jasmine Iuta

Note:  Certain weight classes were not listed at this time because the Big Dog has yet to figure out who is the top wrestler for those brackets.

Coaches and wrestling fans are invited to give their own comments on who might be listed.

BIIF Wrestling Season Takes to the Mat – Season Preview

Megan Aina looks sharpe at 103

Good things often come in small packages and for Konawaena’s Alexandra Aoki nothing could be truer.

Aoki, just under 108 pounds soaking wet, is one of the most fierce competitors in wrestling and returns for her senior season as the two time Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion and the Hawaii High School Athletic Association runner-up for her sport.

Aoki has gone undefeated in BIIF competition over the past two seasons where she has won titles in the 98 and 103 weight classes.  She finished second in the state at 103 and is the only returning BIIF wrestler (boy or girl) to have placed that high in a state championship last year.

(Hilo’s Teenaysha Yadao and Kealakehe’s Pomai Barton were also HHSAA runner-ups last season and have since graduated.)

Aoki is considered to be a heavy favorite to win her third consecutive BIIF title, but the decision hasn’t been made if she will return at 103 or move up to the 108 weight class.

Defending boys and girls team champions Kealakehe looks to bring to the mat another strong squad under first year head coach Michael Ciotti.

Over the past eight years the ‘Riders have won six BIIF boys team titles and four team title for the girls.

Leading the Wave Riders is the defending girls BIIF champions Jolynn Kahala-Minezer, 114,  and Jodi Ozaki, 120, with BIIF runner-up at 103, Mindy Lorance.  All three girls are seniors and will be at the top of the league leader board throughout the season

Defending boys individual BIIF champion Tim Ekert, at 189, will move up to the 215 class this season and should help a large ‘Rider team compete for another league title.

“We carry 25 boys on our team and we can fill all 14 weight classes,” Coach Ciotti said.  “Our team works hard and they are very coachable kids.  We try to keep the family atmosphere and our kids maintain a high work ethic.”

At Honokaa coach Dan Whetstone returns BIIF champion Geo Chavez-Pardini.  “Geo should capture the 160 pound title again this year,” Whetstone said.  “I think we have a good chance of having champs in the 171 and 189 weight divisions as well.”

Whetstone predicts that Dragon teammates Kali Niau and Preston Cawagas will battle for the 171 weight class with the loser moving up to the 189 class and will then need to compete against Kaimana Lutey for a spot on Honokaa’s first team.

“We have 21 boys on the roster and should have wrestlers in at least 11 of the 14 weight classes,” Whetstone said.  

For the girls Honokaa has five returning seniors and should have wrestlers in nine of the 11 weight classes.  “Our girls finished third at BIIF’s last year and could finish higher this year if they can get past Kamehameha and Kealakehe who figure to be the other top girl’s contenders,” Whetstone said.

Whetstone believes that perennial champion Kealakehe will again be the team to beat for the boy’s title.  “From what I’ve seen at the official weigh-ins earlier this month a lot of teams have an increase in the number of wrestlers from last year.  This might be our best chance to capture a title for a few years as we have 11 seniors on the squad and many of the other teams are in a rebuilding phase,” the Dragon coach said.

Kamehameha coach, Marlon Miller, also sees the Kealakehe as the team to beat.  “I would have to give the edge on the boys and girls team to the ‘Riders due to the size of their enrollment as well as their experience coaching staff,” he said.

The Warriors return two time BIIF boys champion, Justin Hirae, at 120 pounds, along with defending girl’s champions, Megan Aina, 103 and Pomai Pohina, 130.

“Megan and Pomai are sophomores and have been working hard to retain their title,” Miller said.  “Megan did well at the Maui Invitational winning the 103 division teching the Mid-Pac girl 17-2 in the championships.  Pomai was forced to wrestle at 140 on Maui due to the strict guidelines that wrestlers must follow in their weight loss program,” Miller said.

Kamehameha has more than 20 girls out for wrestling, but are not able to fill the 11 different weight classes.  “Most of the girls are in the same weight, so I have the numbers but will find myself having a hard time filling the different weight divisions,” Miller said.

On the boys side Kamehameha is very young and will have some holes to fill going into the season.  “We had a hard time retaining boys due to the vigorous training we put them through,” Miller said.  “I’m hoping we will be able to fill as many of the weight classes prior to the start of the regular season.”

Hawaii Preparatory Academy returns BIIF champions Bronson Kobayashi, 145, and Keoni Colson, 152 and Coach Gary Jarvill has high hopes for Marie Donahue.  “Our boy’s team will be well balanced this season with many returning wrestlers that are seniors,” Coach Jarvill said.

“Marie (Donahue) will be tough at 114-120,” Jarvill said.  “She earned second place at Maui and should be a leader on our girl’s squad.”

Despite some preseason losses the HPA coaching staff remains optimistic of a good season.  “I took six wrestlers to the Officials Tournament on Oahu for more pre-season matches, but none of them made it into the top six,” Jarvill said.  “We did well for the amount of practice time we have had thus far.”

The BIIF wrestling season officially begins on Saturday, Jan. 2, with an all schools meet at Konawaena High School.