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Defending state champion Punahou scored with some highlight performances by wrestlers Zach Hernandez, Todd Murakawa and Bryan Peralta at the Clash X National Wrestling Duals in Rochester, Minn., on Friday and Saturday.
Hernandez went 6-0 in the 182-pound weight class, pinning five opponents.
Murakawa, in the 132-pound division, went 5-1 with two pins.
Peralta went 5-1 with two pins in the 152-pound class.
Buffanblu go 3-1 in California
Punahou moved to the top of the Star-Advertiser Boys Basketball Top 10 after a 3-1 performance at the MaxPreps Holiday Classic in Poway, Calif.
Coach Darren Matsuda’s Buffanblu lost to Poway but topped San Diego (Calif.) 67-62, Coronado (Nev.) 57-54 and El Cerrito (Calif.) 67-65.
“Every team we played had at least two 6-foot-8 guys or taller. We were the smallest team in the tournament,” senior guard Steven Lakalaka said.
“The size of the teams didn’t faze us that much. Our coaches told us that we had to help each other out on defense and play a lot more physical by boxing out.”
Lakalaka noted that the only team from the islands in the tourney won over some new fans.
“Every team we played up there gave us that smirk like we were small and didn’t belong on the same court as them, but as the tournament kept going, we impressed and had a lot of supporters from different teams, which I thought was pretty cool,” he said.
While the team played in California, Lakalaka received a call from new UH football coach Norm Chow. Lakalaka, an all-state running back, orally committed to UCLA last summer.
Kalaheo’s Smith doing fine
Kalaheo fans and the basketball community can rest easier after boys basketball coach Alika Smith missed a game due to health concerns.
After waking up with severe dizziness, Smith missed the Mustangs’ consolation game at the St. Francis Merv Lopes Holiday Classic on Saturday and went to the hospital. He was diagnosed with vertigo and a sinus disease.
After being contacted by the Star-Advertiser, he explained his situation, then asked about the tourney championship game.
Kalaheo had quite a start at the tourney, upsetting No. 1 Kamehameha 48-45 before losing to Amador Valley (Calif.), 44-43.
The Mustangs went on to defeat then-No. 7 Kahuku and Kamehameha II.
Coaches and media voted Kalaheo No. 7 in today’s Star-Advertiser Top 10.
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