Mid-Pacific's Josh Terao can become just the sixth person in Hawaii prep wrestling to win four consecutive individual state championships. ScoringLive file photo

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Pearl City's Alex Ursua, won the 120-pound state title while representing University High last year, and is the top seed at 125 this week. ScoringLive file photo

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Pearl City's Blake Cooper will be seeking their third consecutive state title. ScoringLive file photo

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Lahainaluna's Bubba Jaramillo moved up a weight class this season — he is the No. 1 seed at 145 — after winning a state championship at 140 last year. ScoringLive file photo

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Mililani's Braydon Akeo, who won at 108 as a sophomore and 125 as a junior last year, is the top seed at 138 this week and is seeking his third consecutive state title. ScoringLive file photo

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History could be made at this week's Chevron/Hawaii High School Athletic Association Boys Wrestling State Championships.

Mid-Pacific's Josh Terao can become just the sixth person in Hawaii prep wrestling to win four consecutive individual state championships if things go his way Friday and Saturday. If successful, Terao — who is the No. 1 seed in the 132-pound division — would be the first to accomplish the feat since Kamehameha's Randolyn "Hoku" Nohara from 2004 to 2007. No boy has won four straight since Saint Louis' Brandon Low (2003 to 2007).

Back in 2011 Terao started his quest for four by defeating Lahainaluna's Christian Carbajal, 13-6, in the 110-pound final. He followed that up in his sophomore season by moving up three weight classes — all the way to 125 — where he held off Punahou's Bryant Fukushima for the state championship. Last year, while wrestling at 130, Terao won his third title by pinning Punahou's Josh Crimmins in the second period.

Terao appears to have fully recovered from a concussion he suffered in a match earlier this season during an Interscholastic League of Honolulu dual meet. He forfeited the match — which was ironically against Crimmins — for his only defeat of the year. Last week Terao avenged the loss by pinning Crimmins just 22 seconds into their ILH championship final Saturday.

"He's a great kid and he's a talented wrestler," said Punahou coach Yoshi Honda, who won three consecutive state championships as a prep wrestler at Radford in the early '80s. "He's probably one of the more complete wrestlers to come out of high school in Hawaii. He's Division-I ready. I'm not sure if he plans to grayshirt or redshirt, but the reality is he could compete collegiately next year."

Earlier this season Terao committed to American University in Washington, D.C., where he will join older brother David, who won two prep state titles of his own in 2010 and 2011.

"It's nice to see a local kid be able to excel like that," Honda said. "His brother is wrestling tough in college and you see more and more Hawaii kids at that next level; the door is open."

Two other wrestlers — Mililani's Braydon Akeo and Pearl City's Blake Cooper — will be seeking their third consecutive state titles. Akeo, who won at 108 as a sophomore and 125 as a junior last year, is the top seed at 138 this week.

"At 138, Braydon is the favorite, but there's a couple of tough guys in there," Pearl City coach Mike Lee said. "(No. 2-seed Thomas Stevenson) from Baldwin and (No. 3-seed Brian Pascua) from Iolani) are real tough."

Cooper, who won at 145 in 2012 and 152 last season, is the No. 1 seed at 160.

"Of course, I like Blake's chances — he's the favorite at that weight," Lee said. "It's been great coaching him and watching him grow. He's a solid, great wrestler all around."

Cooper's Pearl City teammate, Alex Ursua, won the 120-pound state title while representing University High last year. He is the top seed at 125 this week. Lahainaluna's Bubba Jaramillo also moved up a weight class this season — he is the No. 1 seed at 145 — after winning a state championship at 140 last year.

TEAM-TITLE RACE WIDE OPEN

The boys team championship might be the most highly-anticipated result of all during the two-day tournament. As many as six schools could be in the mix for the coveted Koa trophy.

Among the contenders are Oahu Interscholastic Association champ Campbell, Maui Interscholastic League titlist Lahainaluna and Interscholastic League of Honolulu winner Punahou.

"There's no real frontrunner," Lee said. "To me, Lahainaluna, Campbell, Kamehameha are probably up there, but you can't ever count out Punahou. They're all pretty equal. Everybody has some decent wrestlers."

Kamehameha is the defending champion, but lost a slew of talent to graduation last year and finished second to Punahou at last week's ILH championships.

"I think Lahainaluna, Campbell, Pearl City, Punahou and us are all probably in the mix," West said. "I think Kapolei is pretty decent, too."

The Buffanblu have a tournament-high 14 entrants — one in each weight class. The Warriors follow with 13, while the Sabers and Lunas each have 12 wrestlers entered.

"I don't think there's been any team that's really showed complete dominance, so whatever team wins the most, puts the most in the final, has the most placers can win it," Campbell coach Mark Buelow said.

No public school team has won the state title since Kahuku did it in 2006.

West said the parity is in direct correlation to the growing number of club teams across the state that serve as feeder-programs to the high school teams in their area.

"That's where the ILH used to have an advantage because of intermediate wrestling, but that's no longer the case," West said. "Campbell has two really big clubs feeding into them, as does Lahainaluna, and they're bringing these kids up from six, seven years old, which is how they do it on the mainland. If you want to be successful, that's what you have to do."

Whichever team lays claim to the crown, it should make for an exciting finish to the prep wrestling season.

"That's the best thing about states — there's always good matches in every round," Lee said. "There's always going to be surprises — somebody just pops up some years and it's like, where did he come from? It's just a matter of who can weather the storm and put together the best all-around performance over two days."

The tournament gets underway Friday with preliminary rounds at 10 a.m. Quarterfinal and consolation rounds one and two will also be completed that day. Wrestling resumes Saturday and concludes with the championship and consolation finals at 4:30 p.m.

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Chevron/HHSAA Wrestling State Championships boys brackets