Leilehua boys break through

Campbell’s Zayren Terukina and Moanalua’s Logan Garcia added to their hardware haul Saturday, but Leilehua’s Keanu Punley owned the biggest moment in his home gym.

In the most-watched, cheered-for and hotly contested match of the OIA boys wrestling championships, Punley took over top-dog status in what is the most talent-packed weight class in the state in years. Punley’s dramatic takedown of Campbell’s Kachi Respicio late in the 170-pound final led to an eventual 10-9 victory in the bracket that has an overabundance of storylines.

“I kept looking at the stands and the crowd was going wild and making me motivated,” Punley said. “I looked at my mom and she was cheering at me, saying, ‘Let’s go. You gotta push.’ And I knew I had to push. My mind-set just changed and I told myself that I can do this. This is my last senior time. My senior night. I’m not going to lose.”

Previously, the topsy-turvy division had some tumult Friday, the first day of the tournament. That’s when Respicio beat Pearl City’s Kasey Kikuyama in the quarterfinals to avenge an OIA West semifinal loss one week earlier. Kikuyama had gone on to become champion of the OIA West by beating Punley in the final. But at the Officials tournament in December, it was Punley who rose to the top. His win Saturday puts him, oh so tentatively, in the driver’s seat.

Proving just how difficult the 170 class is, Punley and Respicio barely got out of Saturday morning’s semifinals with one-point wins. Respicio edged Kapolei’s Gianni Oyadomari 6-5, and Punley nudged past Kahuku’s Sitaleki Tongi 5-4.

“For sure, it’s the toughest weight class in wrestling right now,” Punley said. “A lot of tough guys. I gotta work hard and play through and thank God and my family and friends for everything. Of course Kachi is upset and kind of down from it. I’m sure he learned from it and will try to come back for it and I’ll be ready for it.”

Punley helped lead Leilehua to its first-ever boys team championship. He was one of six Mules to make a final, and four others — Joe Kila Faafiu (106), Kaena Desantos (132), Brett Barefoot (No. 6 pound for pound, 182) and Jonah Caminos Freitas (220) — won OIA crowns.

“The boys did a really great job,” said coach Kevin Corbett, whose Leilehua squad scored 232 points to get past runner-up Moanalua (181.5) and third-place Campbell (128). “I’m really proud of them. From top to bottom, they all really wrestled hard and worked really well as a team. They supported each other. They fed off of each other. It’s been like that all year. Hopefully, we can take it to the state tournament and win one there.”

Terukina, who is No. 2 in the Hawaii Prep World pound-for-pound rankings, and Garcia (No. 8 p4p) both added a third OIA championship to their resumes. Terukina earned a 15-3 major decision in the 145-pound final, and Garcia won by pin in the 126 final.

Garcia may be the only one around the state with more than a sliver of a chance to defeat Saint Louis’ Corey Cabanban (No. 1 p4p), who upended Garcia for his third state title a year ago and is aiming for a fourth.

“(If they meet at states), it’s going to be interesting,” Moanalua coach Darren Reyes said. “It’s going to be a clash. We’re going to be ready. We’re keeping it simple and he’s doing what he loves to do and that is wrestle and have fun.”

Despite his loss to Cabanban in the 2017 final, Garcia does have one state title to his credit.

Also on Saturday, Pearl City’s Makoa Cooper (No. 3 p4p, 160) wrestled to his second OIA championship, and he is going for his second title at the upcoming states. Barefoot will also be trying for a second state crown after securing his first league championship Saturday.

One more p4p wrestler, Campbell’s Alize Wright (No. 9), came through for a league title.