Leilehua eyeing individual titles

Nothing could distract the Leilehua boys wrestling team from its mission on the first day of the Chevron/HHSAA Wrestling Championships on Friday.

With only six wrestlers competing, the Mules walked into the Blaisdell Arena with virtually no shot at their first team title since 1995. But they certainly have a chance at an individual title or two. Of the six Mules in action, three of them are still alive.

Tristin Kamaka faces Waianae’s Michael Graziano in Saturday’s 152 semifinals, while Lopaka Lono takes on Punahou’s Christian Agmata at 160 and Maake Muti faces Campbell’s Toese Tia at 285. Kawailani Somera Rickard (120) and Angel Marrero (170) both made it out of the first round for Leilehua but fell in the second. The Mules only had five wrestlers reach the semifinals of last week’s OIA championships.

"Just trying to keep them loose," Leilehua coach Nalu Rickard said. "Just show up and wrestle hard, that’s all we do."

Lono had the biggest win for the Mules when he beat second seed Thomas Rosen St. John of Lahainaluna 3-1 in the quarterfinals, but Muti did him one better. Every top seed in the tournament was safe into the second day until the last one, Keaau’s Zephaniah Pavao, stepped into the circle with Muti and lost 7-6 with 15 seconds left.

Or were there 15 seconds left? Nobody knows how much time had really elapsed.

Muti jumped out to a 2-1 lead and every time he and Pavao locked up, Pavao’s headgear popped off. It happened four times in the first period until he got new equipment. Pavao rallied to tie the score 3-3 at the end of the first period. They then went into the third period tied 6-6. The second period ended in a little controversy when the clock stopped running with six seconds left, but the referee put four seconds on the clock and the combatants ground it out. There were more problems to come, though.

The clock stopped twice more in the third period, and each time the official guessed how much time had elapsed between it stopping and someone noticing. Muti worked an escape with 15 seconds left to go up 7-6 and held on until the time officially ran out.

"It was just hard, he was strong too," Muti said. "I just did my best, looking up at my family. I escaped and he tried rushing at me. He got mad, yeah?"

Pavao, a senior, fell face down on the mat in disappointment while Muti made his way to sign the bout sheet. Pavao’s coaches weren’t having it, though, ordering the top seed to stay on the mat while they protested. Their argument lasted a few minutes and the huddle of officials lasted a lot longer. Muti went to the second level of the stands and awaited his fate after Keaau coach Keith Fernandez took him aside and told him they were not protesting his performance and that he wrestled a great match.

"Whatever they decided, I would have done it,"Muti said. "Once my coach gave me the thumbs up, I knew I won."

On his way off the mat, HHSAA wrestling coordinator Carl Schroers said Pavao’s protest was denied. Officials then quickly replaced the clock and found a new person to run it. Fernandez said the rules state the referee has the allowance to make an adjustment on the time as he sees fit.

"They must have known something was wrong; they changed the timekeeper and they changed the clock," Fernandez said. "If you are changing both aspects, that means something was wrong and we were right. Once they realized something was wrong, nothing after that should have counted."

While the boys’ side had only one upset at the top, the girls’ side had two. Kahuku’s Aarica Barcina had another shocker in her, beating top seed Diamond Freitas of Lahainaluna 2-0 in the second round as a 10th seed. Barcina won the tournament as a 16th seed last year. Castle’s Alsie Bahilot beat 113 top seed Jenna Mauliloa of King Kekaulike 5-2.

Barcina is one of nine returning state champions on the girls’ side, and every one of them is still alive. Breanne Takaesu of Pearl City (105), Mililani’s Angela Lee (121), Kamehameha’s Harmony Pacheco (121) and Teshya Alo (130), Carly Jaramillo (140) and Lalelei Mataafa (220) of Lahainaluna, Punahou’s Zoe Hernandez (140) and Mid-Pacific’s Shannon Paaaina (125) are two wins away from multiple titles.

The boys’ side has four wrestlers looking for a repeat, and they survived the first day as well. Mid Pacific’s Joshua Terao (130) is on his way to a fourth title after pinning Kapolei’s Skylar Albright in 1:53 and beating Kaiser’s Alika Durham 18-0. Mililani’s Braydon Akeo (138), Pearl City’s Alex Ursua (126), who needed six periods to beat Mid-Pacific’s Cole Chandler in the second round, and fellow Charger Blake Cooper (160) are the others.

Lahainaluna is in line for its first boys team title with a 17-point lead over Kamehameha and 10 of its 13 wrestlers still alive to the Warriors’ eight of 13. The Lunas are going for their first girls title, as well, leading the Warriors by a single point.