Hawaiian Electric Game of the Week
Iolani boys repeat as state wrestling champs


 



KAKAAKO — Iolani held off a strong run by Campbell in the finals to capture its second consecutive and 14th Chevron boys' state wrestling championship Saturday night at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center Arena.

The Raiders, who had four individual champions, tallied 164.5 points to runner-up Campbell's 145. It was the Sabers' third second-place finish in the past five years.

"We went into the finals with a little bit of a lead on Campbell and the message the captains and the coaches preached is we have to go out there and take it into our own hands," Iolani coach Walden Au said. "We had a great last round. All of our kids were able to pull off points. It was an exciting final round for us."

It was the Raiders' first back-to-back titles since 1994, when the Raiders won their seventh in a row.

One of the most dramatic matches was in the 170-pound weight division won by Iolani senior KJ Pascua, a double champion. It took him four periods to outlast Campbell's Noah Respicio, 7-5.

Respicio trailed 4-3 entering the third period and took a 5-4 lead with two escapes. But with 39 seconds left in the match, Respicio was called for his second caution for stalling, resulting in a point for Pascua to tie the match at 5.

"KJ was able to push the pace and the tempo and catch that second stalling," Au said.

Then with 18 seconds left in the one-minute fourth period, Pascua scored a takedown to win the title.

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"He was waiting for me to shoot, so he could reverse me," Pascua said. "I was a little bit quicker and was able to swing around him and get the 2 (points)."

It was an amazing career for Pascua, who has been to the finals in all his four years. He was second as a freshman and junior and won his first title as a sophomore.

"He's an amazing young man," Au said of Pascua. "He's been to the finals four times now. No matter what happens, whether he wins or loses, he has a sense of humility about him. He carries himself well as a leader of this team."

Another Raider with a close call was Kainoa Torigoe in 106. He trailed Waipahu's Hunter Nagatani, 4-2 before scoring a reversal to tie the match in the closing seconds of the third period. Like Pascua, Torigoe won it in the fourth period.

"I never lost doubt in myself because of my belief," Torigoe said of his rally.

Saint Louis Corey Cabanban won his third consecutive title, beating Moanalua's Logan Garcia, 7-2.

"It feels good," said Cabanban, a junior. "But I want that four."

Other repeat champions included Iolani's KJ Pascua (170 pounds) and Dane Yamashiro (285) and Campbell's Triston Santos (126) and Micah Tynanes-Perez (220).

The tournament also featured sibling successes.

Kamehameha freshman Kysen Terukina defeated Damien's Landon Obra-Nakata, 7-2, the 113-pound division. Later, his brother, Zayren, a junior at Campbell, defeated Radord Christian Tavares, 7-1, in 132.

They are the third and fourth brothers in the family to win gold medals. Shayden Terukina won in 2010 (130 pounds) and 2011 (137) and Blaysen Terukina won in 2015 (120) and 2016 (132), both for Kamehameha.

"Of course, I can't let him win and not win," Zayren said of matching his kid brother. "I had to match him."

As the youngest, Kysen said he always had to wrestle with his older and stronger brothers. But those were blessings in disguise.

"When I wrestle people my weight, it's no problem because I always wrestle with (my brothers)," Kysen said.

Added Zayren:  "Whenever (he and Kysen) get into fights, it's not fist fights, it's wrestling. Of course, I gotta beat my little brother. We always look up to our two older brothers."

Another fourth brother to grab gold was Pearl City junior Makoa Cooper, who beat Kaiser's Nicholas Mair, 16-4. Cooper's brothers are Baylen (2016, 138 pounds), Blake (2012 in 145, 2013 in 152 and 2014 in 160) and Raynald (2011 in 173, 2010 in 160 and 2009 in 152). As a youngster, he remembers watching his older brothers winning their state titles.

"It's amazing," Makoa said. "No better feeling than having your hand raised (by the official). I used to dream of that moment and it came true."

Tynanes-Perez also had a lot to live up to as a third in his family to win two state titles. Brothers Tyson (2009 and 2010 in 189) and Lowen (2007 in 160 and 2008 in 171) preceded him as back-to-back champions. Another brother, Miles, was a state runner-up, Micah said.

"It's amazing," Micah said. "I've been trying to accomplish this goal for so long.  I had a lot of big shoes to fill. They're my inspiration, especially my older brother Miles."

Other repeat champions in the tourney were Campbell's Triston Santos in 126 and Iolani's Dane Yamashiro in 285. Santos defeated Lahainaluna's Kainalu Estrella, 8-3.

"I was just focusing on my match," Santos said. "I wasn't nervous at all."

Yamashiro pinned Baldwin's Noah Feitosa Leita with seven seconds left in the first period.

"It's a relief," Yamashiro said. "Coach always says the second one is always harder than the first. It was a lot of stress and a lot of hard work, but I'm glad my team was there to support me."

Iolani's fourth state champion was Saiaga Fautanu, who beat Moanalua's Damien Agao Casabar, 3-1, in the first match of the night. (Instead of going with the conventional lowest weight class to the highest, weight divisions are randomly selected before the finals for the order.)

Au credited his four champions – all senior captains – for showing the team the way.

"(They) really helped carry the weight and inspire the team,' Au said. "This accomplishment is all for them. It's reflection of how hard they worked and how much that they wanted it."



Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at [email protected].




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